Is Your Bike Ready To Roll?

One of the best things about Boulder is the fact that there is no shortage of places to ride your bike. From long and winding mountain paths to bike lanes galore, it’s easy to roll through the region. The more you ride, the more wear and tear your bike will take, and it’s imperative to maintain your bike so that you don’t end up in a Colorado bicycle accident. Before your next ride, make sure to take care of the following tasks so that your bike doesn’t become the cause of a crash.

• Tighten it up. Make sure all the screws, bolts, cables, etc., on your bike are tight and snug. An easy way to do this is to purchase a multi-tool that you can slip into your backpack and take with you on every ride.
• Loosen it up. Just as you need to stay hydrated on the trail, your bike must stay lubricated. Make sure your chain, derailleur assembly, brake cables, shifter levels, pedals, etc., move freely and won’t jam. Be careful not to over-lubricate, as this can also cause damage to components.
• Pump it up. Check your tires for signs of damage and worn tread. Pay close attention to the sidewall, which can get easily damaged by curbs, rocks, etc. This damage is often overlooked, and it can cause a blowout. Further, use a tire gauge and make sure the tires hold the proper PSI. A simple way to test this is to inflate them, record the PSI, then test them again the next day to see if there are any leaks.
• Stop it cold. Make sure your brake cables are tight and that the pads aren’t worn away. You will also want to give your brakes a short road test on your street to confirm they function properly before you hit the road. As a general rule, if it takes more than 20 feet to come to a cold stop at up to 25 mph, your brakes are too loose.
• Fix it up. If seats, handlebars, forks, reflectors, etc., are damaged, or welds have come loose, replace the damaged component before your next ride.

Need more bike safety tips? Contact the Colorado bicycle accident lawyers at Sloat, Nicholson & Hoover, P.C. by calling (303) 447-1144. It’s our pleasure to tell you more about some of the maintenance issues we’ve seen contribute to bike crashes along the Front Range.