Mountain Bike Pre-Ride Checklist: 10 Essential Tips for a Safe Ride

A pre-ride check only takes a few minutes: tires and pressure, brakes, chain and shifting, bolts, suspension, then your gear, water and route. Skipping one of these is how a small problem turns into a long walk home.

Each step below says what to look for. For the bigger picture, see our mountain biking safety tips.

Also read: Best trails and destination in the USA 

 

Mountain Bike Pre-Ride Checklist

Here are 10 things you should check before taking your bike for a ride.

 

1. Check Your Bike Tires

Your tire pressure is the most important thing that you want to look up to. The pressure shouldn’t be too much or too little. Also, it depends on where you want to ride.

For example, on technical terrains, you will usually land between 18 and 28 PSI on tubeless tires. On smooth, fast trails you can run a couple of PSI higher for less rolling resistance.

What to do:

Check tire pressure: You want to use a gauge and make sure there is suitable pressure in your bike’s tire depending on your body weight and terrain type.

As mentioned before, a simple starting point is your body weight in pounds divided by 7 for the front tire, then 2 to 3 PSI more for the rear. A 175 lb rider would start near 25 front and 28 rear on 2.4 inch tubeless tires, then change it 1 PSI at a time. Tubes need a few more PSI to avoid pinch flats.

Lower pressure gives you more traction and control on rough ground, while a bit more pressure rolls faster on smooth trails.

Inspect for wear and damage: You also want to look for any cracks or tears on your tire. It can also cause problems during the ride. So, you can not ignore it.

Verify tubeless sealant: If you ride tubeless, then you want to shake your wheel and confirm the sealant is there. If it sounds dry, then it’s time to refill it. Sealant dries out over time, so plan to top it up every few months.

Also read: How to fix flat mountain bike tire on trail

 

2. Test Your Brakes

It can be scary if your brake doesn’t work during the ride. That’s why Checking your brakes is another crucial pre-ride check of your mountain bike.

What to do:

Squeeze brake levers: You want to make sure that your bike’s front and rear brakes work properly. They shouldn’t feel like spongy. If they do, then you need to fix it before the ride.

Inspect brake pads: You should also look at pads for wear and ensure they are not too thin. SRAM says to replace pads when the pad material plus the metal backing plate measures 3 mm or less, and Shimano pads are worn out when the friction material drops to roughly 1 mm. Check your own brake maker’s spec.

Check for alignment: You also want to ensure that the rotors are not rubbing against the brake pads. Spin each wheel and listen. A constant scraping sound means the caliper needs aligning.

 

3. Inspect the Drivetrain

Your bike’s drivetrain needs to be well-maintained, as you cannot even imagine a good ride without it. That’s why make sure your drivetrain is clean and well-maintained for a smooth ride.

What to do:

Clean and lube the chain: You want to use dry or wet lubricant, depending on what type of trail you want to ride on and what the condition is. Besides this, you need to wipe off extra lube from the chain to prevent dirt. 

Check chain wear: You want to use a chain checker tool and make sure the chain is not too stretched; it can cause premature wear on your cassette and chainrings. If it does happen, get ready to pay money to replace it. Most riders replace the chain at about 0.5% wear on the checker, since a new chain costs far less than a new cassette.

Test shifting: You want to run through all the gears to make sure they are working properly. You are not feeling problems while shifting them.

If the chain is skipping or you’re having trouble shifting, it means there is a problem with your bike’s cable tension, derailleur alignment, or even chain wear. Our mountain bike gear shifting guide explains how to fix most shifting problems.

Shifting can feel fine in the stand and still skip once you pedal hard, especially on full-suspension bikes. So test it under load on the first few minutes of the ride, not just while spinning the cranks.

Also read: How to lubricate and maintain your mountain bike Chain (Complete guide)

 

4. Tighten Bolts and Components

You also want to make sure that all the bolts and components are tight. If they are not, then they can cause cracks, poor performance, or even crash. 

What to check:

Stem and handlebars: Ensure that your bike’s handlebars are secure and they do not twist under pressure.

Pedals and cranks: You can grab each crank arm and wiggle your pedals to make sure they are tight.

Seatpost: You want to make sure the saddle is in the right place, depending on your height and inseam length. 

Pro tip: You can also check your bike’s user manual for more settings. Most stems, handlebars and seatposts list a torque value, and a small torque wrench stops you from overtightening, which can crack carbon parts.

Headset: Hold the front brake and rock the bike forward and back. If you feel a knock at the top of the fork, the headset is loose, and it gets worse quickly, so tighten it before you ride.

Thru-axles and rotor bolts: Make sure both wheels are fully seated with the axles tight, and check the bolts that hold each brake rotor.

Linkage bolts (full suspension): Check the bolts that hold the rear shock and the frame pivots. Most are 4 mm, 5 mm or T25, so carry a multi-tool that has all three.

 

5. Inspect Suspension Settings

The bike suspension is very important. You want to make sure it is working properly and can bear your weight, depending on the trail condition. You can set the setting.

What to do:

Check sag: First of all, sit on your bike and check the suspension sag. Most trail bikes run about 25% to 30% sag, and cross-country bikes run a bit firmer at roughly 20% to 25%. Our suspension sag calculator helps you set it.

Adjust rebound and compression: You want to adjust your suspension depending on what type of trail you want to ride; in general, set rebound so the bike returns without bouncing or feeling slow, and start from the settings chart for your fork.

Look for leaks: You can also inspect fork and rear shock seals and make sure there is no leakage problem to save your oil and avoid dirt buildup.

 

6. Pack Essential Tools and Spares

You never know what can happen on the trail, especially when you are riding the whole day or covering longer distances. That’s why you want to carry some tools and spare parts.

What to carry:

• Multi Tool with hex 
• Chain breaker, spare quick link and derailleur hanger
• Spare tube
• Tire levers and a mini pump or CO2 inflator, 
• Tubeless repair kit

Also check: Essential gear for mountain biking 

7. Hydration and Nutrition

If you don’t want to feel tired, then you should always carry some nutrition like snacks and a hydration pack.

When your body is properly hydrated, you can perform better because dehydration or lack of energy can make you feel cramped. During the mid-journey, it’s just very frustrating to feel tired. 

What to do:

Hydration: First of all, you need to have a hydration pack or a water bottle, and you need to fill it up depending on how long you are going to ride.

If you are going for a whole day during the summer season, you can even carry two water bottles.

In my opinion, you need to have water even if the ride is longer than one hour. A common guide is about 16 to 24 ounces of water per hour, and more in the heat. Besides this, you can also add some electrolytes to your water.

Snacks: You can carry energy bars, gels, sandwiches, snacks, etc. Especially for longer routes.

 

8. Dress based on the trail Conditions

Weather conditions can change drastically, so first of all, you want to make sure you know where you are going to ride and, depending on the trail condition, how you want to dress.

For example, if there is a chance of rain, you can carry a waterproof jacket. Or if you see, there is a little bit of heat during noon, but in the evening, the weather will get chill, so you can carry an extra layer of clothes to protect yourself.

What to check:

Helmet: It is the number one thing you want to make sure your helmet is not even slightly damaged. If it is, then replace it as soon as possible. Our mountain bike helmet guide explains how to check fit and when to replace one.

Clothing: You can wear a moisture-wicking layer. And besides this, you can also bring some lightweight jackets to protect yourself from rain and cold weather conditions, as I mentioned before as well.

Shoes and gloves: Shoes are really important for a comfortable ride. Besides this, you also want to have gloves for better grip and hand protection.

Also read: What to wear for Mountain biking 

 

9. Check Your Lights and Navigation

You first want to make sure where you are going, and depending on that, if you know that you will have to ride in low light conditions, you need to carry a headlight for your bike.

What to do:

Bike lights: Make sure your light is fully charged, the front light is working properly for visibility, and the rear light is for safety.

Navigation tools: You can carry a spare GPS device or simply download Google Maps from your phone.

Most importantly, you should also download maps offline because, in some places, you may not get a good internet connection. And if you are traditional, you can also have a paper map.

 

10. Plan Your Route and Let Someone Know

It is for your safety. You always want to make sure somebody knows, especially someone who is close to you, like a friend or family member, where you are going to ride and what your plan is.

What to do:

Route planning: Most importantly, you need to choose the trails which are suitable for your skill level. If you are a beginner, you shouldn’t go on technical trails which are designed for pro riders.

On the other hand, as a pro rider, you are free to go anywhere. Beginner, intermediate, and hard trails.

Communicate your plan: Tell any of your friends or a family member where you are going to ride and when you will come back home.

Emergency tools: If you are gonna ride in a remote area, then it’s good to carry a personal locator beacon or even a whistle.

 

Bonus Tip: Perform a Quick Test Ride

Okay, so now we have discussed mountain bike pre-ride checklists. So, once you know everything is done, you want to test a short ride around your street to make sure everything is working properly. 

Most importantly, you want to check your bag and ensure there is a water bottle, extra clothes if needed, a GPS device, snacks like a protein bar, etc. Five minutes of warm-up exercises before you set off helps too.

 

Conclusion

Imagine being halfway along a 10 mile trail with a flat tire and no tube or tool. A few minutes of preparation prevents that: carry a spare tube, pump or CO2, a multi-tool, water and snacks, and make sure your brakes, suspension and lights are working. The whole check takes under 20 minutes and can save you hours of struggling.

How do I know if my mountain bike is ready for the trail?

The simplest method is to make a note and write everything one by one, like tires, brakes, drive train, suspension, snacks, water bottles, etc.

And after that, you need to check whether you have done all these things or not. If yes, then you need to check mark it. It is the simple way.

After that, you want to take a short ride in your locality before going on the main trail route. If you feel something wrong, then first get it done, and then go for a ride.

 

What should I do if I get a flat tire mid-ride?

If you’re riding tubeless, use a plug from your repair kit to seal the puncture. If the hole is too large or you’re running tubes, replace the damaged tube with a spare.

Always carry tire levers, a pump or CO2 inflator, and a patch kit for emergencies.

If you are riding tubeless and you get a flat tire during the ride, then you will need to seal the puncture, but only if the hole is small.

But if it is large, you may need to replace the tube with a spare tube. Therefore, you always need to carry a tire lever, a CO2 Inflator, and a patch kit for an emergency.