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So what is the procedure for checking a bike? I've been very into bikes my whole life, never had one fail, and I confess I do not know how to test anything othe

So what is the procedure for checking a bike? I've been very into bikes my whole life, never had one fail, and I confess I do not know how to test anything other than looking and riding one.

WillAdams 2y ago
The classic check is just "ABC" https://bikeleague.org/videos/basic-bike-check/ https://bikeleague.org/videos/basic-bike-check/ >Air: Be sure you have enough air in your tires >Brakes: Look to see that your brake pads are not worn >Chain and Cranks: Pull on your cranks to see that they are not loose and look to see that the chain is not rusted and it is free of gunk Newer bikes add: >Quick Release: Make sure all quick releases are closed and it's a good idea to: Check: Take a slow brief ride to check that your bike is working properly and of course the recommendation has always been to take a bike in to a bike shop in the spring before resuming riding. The notable mechanical failure I had was a broken gear on the rear cassette (and this in a lifetime of riding which has included a couple of bike tours, a lot of general riding, and a couple of years of almost exclusively commuting by bike (which I'm hoping to get back to)) --- fortunately, was able to pick up the pieces, set the bike on a particular gear, then continue riding --- getting hit by a car on the first day of summer vacation when I was 14 was far more momentous.
secondcoming 2y ago
Flaking paint is usually a sign of a hairline fracture
kqr 2y ago
I don't have any specific knowledge about this, but one of the things I do when buying bicycles second hand is lift them up and give them a good shake. Any noise should be easy to attribute and once addressed, it should be quiet. This helps discover weak joints between components. I also visually inspect the frame – especially on the underside and around the bottom bracket and head tube, and look for any deformations or cracks. I have always wanted to try to apply bending forces to the frame and listen for creaking, but I haven't figured out a good technique to do so with a stationary bicycle. The best I can achieve is a test ride where I try things like accelerating hard on a high gear, doing little front-wheel hops, etc.

So what is the procedure for checking a bike? I've been very into bikes my whole life, never had one fail, and I confess I do not know how to test anything other than looking and riding one.

WillAdams 2y ago

The classic check is just "ABC" https://bikeleague.org/videos/basic-bike-check/ https://bikeleague.org/videos/basic-bike-check/ >Air: Be sure you have enough air in your tires >Brakes: Look to see that your brake pads are not worn >Chain and Cranks: Pull on your cranks to see that they are not loose and look to see that the chain is not rusted and it is free of gunk Newer bikes add: >Quick Release: Make sure all quick releases are closed and it's a good idea to: Check: Take a slow brief ride to check that your bike is working properly and of course the recommendation has always been to take a bike in to a bike shop in the spring before resuming riding. The notable mechanical failure I had was a broken gear on the rear cassette (and this in a lifetime of riding which has included a couple of bike tours, a lot of general riding, and a couple of years of almost exclusively commuting by bike (which I'm hoping to get back to)) --- fortunately, was able to pick up the pieces, set the bike on a particular gear, then continue riding --- getting hit by a car on the first day of summer vacation when I was 14 was far more momentous.

secondcoming 2y ago

Flaking paint is usually a sign of a hairline fracture

kqr 2y ago

I don't have any specific knowledge about this, but one of the things I do when buying bicycles second hand is lift them up and give them a good shake. Any noise should be easy to attribute and once addressed, it should be quiet. This helps discover weak joints between components. I also visually inspect the frame – especially on the underside and around the bottom bracket and head tube, and look for any deformations or cracks. I have always wanted to try to apply bending forces to the frame and listen for creaking, but I haven't figured out a good technique to do so with a stationary bicycle. The best I can achieve is a test ride where I try things like accelerating hard on a high gear, doing little front-wheel hops, etc.