Must do before riding: “m” check method to help you ride safely

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Source: for ordinary cyclists, it’s best to conduct a basic but comprehensive safety inspection of bicycles before each long-distance ride.

If you ride often, check it at least once a week.

(if you have a dedicated technician to check for you, it’s okay, boss…) the “M-type” inspection method summarized in this article can help you find out the possible problems of your bike in an organized and easy to remember way.

This method is equally applicable to road vehicles, mountain bikes, electric power hybrid bicycles, newly purchased bicycles, daily bicycles and bicycles that have not been ridden for a long time.

▲ “m” inspection method what is m inspection method? M inspection is a set of inspection methods designed for the basic safety and performance of bicycles.

Start from the front flower drum, move upward along the front fork, then move backward, pass through the frame, and finally check the rear flower drum one by one, draw the shape of the letter M, you can traverse the main working parts of the bicycle and complete the inspection of the whole vehicle.

This method can help you quickly check all kinds of problems in the main parts of your bike.

After proficiency, it only takes a few minutes to thoroughly inspect a bicycle.

Here is a brief description of each step of M check.

Check the front wheel, brake and flower drum ▲ typical flower drum quick disassembly length.

First, check whether the wheel set is fixed firmly.

In recent years, the most commonly used way to lock the wheel set on bicycles is to use quick disassembly or barrel shaft.

If your bicycle uses quick release, first loosen and open the quick release, then press the quick release lever down, and then turn the nut on the other side of the quick release until the nut is close to the front fork (or the rear fork of the frame).

Then, open the quick release and screw the nut in for about one turn.

Now your wheel set can be reliably locked in the claws of the front fork (or rear fork of the frame) without being too tight.

When doing this inspection and adjustment, putting the bicycle on the ground can better ensure the middle position of the wheel set, which is better than putting it on the repair frame or professional workbench.

▲ there are many kinds of barrel shafts.

The locking structure of some barrel shafts is similar to the quick release cam lever, and some are simply locked with threads.

Their functions are the same.

The barrel shaft usually runs through the whole flower drum from one side of the front fork and is locked on the opposite front fork or rear fork through threads.

Before riding, it is necessary to confirm that the barrel shaft has been safely locked according to the requirements of the manufacturer’s instructions.

After locking, shake the wheel set to both sides to check whether the flower drum is in good condition and whether there is clearance or lateral shaking.

Turn the wheel set.

If there is a creaking sound or the sound of rotation is very rough, the bearing may need to be maintained or replaced.

When you rotate the wheel set, check whether the brake edge of the brake disc or rim will rub against the brake clamp.

If you rub, you need to adjust the clamp or the whole braking system.

Finally, pinch the brake handle to ensure that the brake works normally.

If you find that your oil pressure disc brake feels soft.

Then you may need to fill it with oil.

▲ the oil pressure disc brake needs to be filled with oil regularly.

If you use the wire pull disc brake, it doesn’t feel right.

It’s not as good as before.

Then you may need to adjust the tension of the brake line or replace the brake pads.

Check the tire ▲ check the tire edge in contact with the rim.

The tire needs to be correctly installed on the rim.

Check the tire edge in contact with the rim.

Make sure the tire edges look uniform everywhere.

If there are problems in some places, they need to be removed and reinstalled.

After completing the inspection of tire installation.

Next, we check whether there is excessive wear and damage on the tread pattern and side wall of the tire in contact with the ground.

It is dangerous to use tires with excessive wear or damage such as cracks.

If you find any doubt and uncertainty on the tires, we recommend replacing the tires.

Unlike automobile and motorcycle tires, bicycle tires have no fixed replacement rules and obvious replacement indication marks.

So you need to decide whether you need to change the tire.

For road vehicle tires, if you find that some parts have been ground flat, or some parts of the rubber begin to fall off, it is very certain that the tire needs to be replaced.

For mountain bike tires, the bulge on the tire will gradually disappear with wear.

If the bulge wear is already very serious, then this tire can no longer be used for mountain bikes.

If you use a vacuum tire system and haven’t ridden this car for some time.

Then you need to take off the tire a little and see if the self rehydration of the vacuum tire is dry.

Although the inner tube will leak slowly over time.

But if you suddenly find that your bicycle tire is completely flat one day, it is likely to be caused by a puncture rather than time.

Don’t ride out with full air again.

After all, you don’t want to stop halfway to deal with the problem of tire leakage.

So take some time to solve this problem before you leave.

You also need to inflate the tires to the right pressure before riding.

Different models such as road bike and mountain bike, including the road you are going to ride, will have different optimal tire pressure.

Check the shock absorber.

Check your front fork for hair like cracks or other forms of damage.

If you use a shock absorber front fork, check whether the inner pipe of your shock absorber front fork is scratched and whether there is oil leakage around the oil seal and seal locking parts.

It is normal to have a small amount of grease on the inner pipe of the front fork, so you don’t need to worry too much.

If the front / rear shock absorber you use is an oil-gas structure, you need to check whether the preloading setting is correct about once a month.

Check the head tube and handle group ▲ check whether the bowl group has an open space.

Shake the front fork back and forth when holding the front brake to check whether there is an obvious open space in the bowl group..