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Bicycle maintenance checklist

Check your bike before a ride, keep up with routine care, and find help when something looks wrong.

Use this for inspection and basic maintenance. A complete tune-up can require component-specific work by a mechanic.

Check your bike before a ride

Download PDFCustomize your checklist
Bicycle maintenance checklist · Beginner Bike Repair

Use these checks before a ride and during a basic tune-up. Follow your bike and component manuals for pressures, torque and service intervals.

Date: ____________________ Bike: ____________________

Before a ride

  • Check tire pressure against the tire and rim limits. Look for cuts, bulges or a loose bead.

    What am I looking for?

    Find the tire size and pressure information on the sidewall, then check the rim instructions too. A sidewall maximum is not a target pressure. Look for cuts, bulges and a bead that is not seated.

    Inspect the sidewall and bead. A cut, bulge or exposed casing needs attention. Simplified illustration; not a fit or wear gauge.
    Check your tire-pressure limits

  • Check that both wheels are seated and secured. Spin them and look for rubbing or a wobble.

    What am I looking for?

    Check the wheel is seated and secured using the instructions for its axle. A spin check can reveal rubbing or wobble; it does not confirm axle security.

    When to stop and get help

  • Test each brake separately. The lever should not reach the grip; pads and cables must be secure.

    What am I looking for?

    Rim-brake pads act on the rim; disc-brake pads act on a rotor at the hub. Check each brake separately. Use its maker’s wear marks and limits; the drawing is only for identification.

    Rim brake (left) · disc brake (right). Identify your system before checking its wear limits. Simplified illustration; not a fit or wear gauge.
    Identify the brake problem

  • Check the frame, fork, bars, saddle, cranks and pedals for damage or unexpected movement.

    What am I looking for?

    Look for damage or unexpected movement at the frame, fork, bars, saddle, cranks and pedals. Do not tighten every bolt as a substitute for finding the cause.

    Check the stop-riding conditions

  • Look for a damaged or stiff chain link. Check that shifting is smooth and the chain stays in place.

    What am I looking for?

    Look for stiff or damaged links and a chain that jumps or comes off. Cleanliness is visible; chain wear needs a compatible gauge and the maker’s limit.

    Inspect the links. Appearance alone cannot measure chain wear. Simplified illustration; not a fit or wear gauge.
    Find why the chain skips

  • Secure lights, bags and accessories. If all checks pass, make a cautious low-speed brake check.

    What am I looking for?

    Keep loose bags, lights and straps clear of the wheels and controls. Only make a cautious low-speed check after all safety concerns have been resolved.

    Review when to get help

Routine care and tune-up checks

  • Remove dirt with a method your bike maker permits. Dry the bike and keep cleaners away from brakes.

    What am I looking for?

    Use your bike maker’s cleaning method. Keep cleaners and lubricants off braking surfaces; pay attention to seals and electrical parts.

    Choose a chain-cleaning method

  • Inspect the chain; clean and lubricate as its maker directs. Follow the lube's drying and wipe-off instructions.

    What am I looking for?

    Follow the chain and lubricant instructions for preparation, drying and wiping. Keep lubricant away from pads, rotors and rim braking surfaces.

    Match lubricant to your chain-care routine

  • Check tire, brake-pad and chain wear with the correct markings or gauge and the maker's limits.

    What am I looking for?

    Check the correct wear marks or use a compatible gauge. Tire, pad and chain limits differ; a clean component is not necessarily unworn.

    Check chain wear before replacement

  • Inspect cables, hoses and fasteners. Record work needed and check model-specific service intervals.

    What am I looking for?

    Look for damage, leaks or fraying and record the work needed. Use the specific model’s time, mileage or operating-hour schedule.

    Find tools for an identified repair

Stop and get help

Do not ride with weak brakes, a loose wheel or control, structural damage, a damaged tire, or a chain that jams or skips. If a check is uncertain, have a qualified mechanic inspect it. E-bikes and suspension need their own manufacturer checks.

A tick records a check, not a guarantee that a bike is safe. This sheet is an inspection guide, not instructions to tighten every bolt or replace parts on a fixed calendar.

Notes: ____________________________________________________________________
beginnerbikerepair.com/beginner-bicycle-maintenance-checklist

Your next steps

0 checked · 0 needing attention or clarification · 10 not checked

No concerns recorded. There are still checks to complete.

Show checks still to do
  • Tires and pressure
  • Wheel security
  • Both brakes
  • Frame and controls
  • Chain and shifting
  • Accessories and final check
  • Cleaning
  • Chain lubrication
  • Wear checks
  • Cables, hoses and service
Checks still to do
  • Tires and pressure
  • Wheel security
  • Both brakes
  • Frame and controls
  • Chain and shifting
  • Accessories and final check
  • Cleaning
  • Chain lubrication
  • Wear checks
  • Cables, hoses and service

No notes recorded.

Notes stay on this page until you reset or reload. Print your summary to keep a copy.

Extra checks for wet weather, storage or your bike type

What does your bike need today?

Customize your checklist

Choose your situation and bike type for extra checks after wet weather, storage or a new problem.

1 · Why are you checking?
2 · What is fitted?

Your maintenance board

Two choices create the task order

Choose two options to get started

Your tailored checks will appear here. You can also use the printable checklist above.

When to check again

Before every ride
Check tires, wheel security, brakes, controls, chain and accessories. Resolve any failed or uncertain safety check before riding.
After rain, mud or dust
Clean as the bike and component makers direct, dry, inspect the chain and keep cleaners and lubricant away from brakes.
During routine care
Measure wear, inspect cables and hoses, and check the model-specific service schedule. Conditions and use affect how often work is needed.
After storage, an impact or a new problem
Look for damage and changes before riding. Check time-based service requirements even when the bike has not been used.

Find help for a specific problem

Tires and wheels
Brakes
Chain and shifting
Bearings and suspension

Tools for the checks you need to do

Cleaning supplies

Start with the cleaning method your components allow and the supplies you already own.

When to stop and get help
  • A tire bead is displaced; casing is cut, bulged or exposed; a rim is damaged; or pressure will not hold.
  • A wheel, axle, handlebar, stem, headset, saddle, crank, pedal, rack, child seat or other load-bearing part is loose or its retention procedure is unknown.
  • Either brake cannot stop the bicycle, reaches the grip, leaks, is contaminated, is loose, or contacts the tire.
  • The frame, fork, handlebar, stem, wheel, crank or another structural part is cracked, severely corroded, impact-damaged or making an unexplained new sound.
  • The chain, derailleur, cable, housing, shifter or electronic control is damaged, jammed, skipping, or able to enter the spokes, wheel or frame.
  • An e-bike battery is swollen, hot, impacted, leaking, smoking, unusually odorous or paired with damaged wiring or a serious system warning.
  • A suspension unit leaks, binds, has abnormal play, shows deep stanchion damage or has an unknown safety-critical service state.
  • Any check feels uncertain, conflicts with the current manufacturer instructions, or requires a professional-only service procedure.

Sources and scope

This is an inspection guide, not a mechanical certification or a substitute for your bike and component manuals. Illustrations identify areas to inspect; they do not establish fit, wear limits or a safe pressure.