Making It Easier:

Before every ride:

• Do a quick check of all the major bolts on your bike: crank bolts, chainrings, headset, fork, pivots.
• Make sure your chain is well lubed. Use a quality chain lube like TriFlow or something like that.
• Check air pressure. In your tires, your fork, your shock. Proper air pressure helps your bike’s components perform the way they were meant to.
• Check your brakes. Nothing’s worse than getting to the trailhead and finding your hydro lines have a leak or your v-brakes have burned a hole in the sides of your rim.
• Check quick releases. There’s nothing more unsettling than riding down a trail and noticing the skewer on your front wheel is dangling loose.

Every few rides:

• Wipe off mud from your frame and check for cracks. Chances are low that you’ll actually have a fracture but you’re better to be safe than sorry.
• Clean your drivetrain. Dirt and grit are the biggest contributors to a prematurely worn drivetrain. And with a high-end drivetrain (rings, chain, cassette) running between $200 and $300, milking it for a couple extra months gives you better value for your cash.