When preparing for a long-distance mountain biking trek, follow a simple bike safety checklist to guarantee the components of your bike function properly. Equip your mountain bike with a few pieces of essential riding gear, including a headlight and taillight. The outdoor specialists at REI recommend fastening a small wedge pack onto the seat post of your mountain bike. The wedge pack allows you to carry necessary tools such as tire levers and a spoke wrench.
Step 1
Loosen the screws located in the mounting bracket of the headlight using a screwdriver. Align the mounting bracket around the tube of your mountain bike handlebars. Tighten the screws of the mounting bracket to secure the headlight in place.
Step 2
Loosen the screws of the taillight's mounting bracket with the screwdriver. Align the mounting bracket around the seat post of your mountain bike. Tighten the screws to fasten the taillight in place.
Step 3
Pull apart the Velcro straps of the wedge pack. Align the wedge pack over the taillight and wrap the straps around the seat post. Fasten the Velcro straps to secure the wedge pack in place.
Step 4
Unzip your wedge pack and insert a spare tire tube. Place a tire lever and patch kit into the wedge pack. Zip the wedge kit to enclose your supplies.
Step 5
Fill your water bottle with water or a sugar-free sports drink and insert it into the bottle cage of your mountain bike. Fasten a frame-fit air pump onto the seat tube of your mountain bike. Examine the sidewalls of your tires to determine the recommended air pressure.
Step 6
Remove the air valve caps and check the tires with a handheld pressure gauge. Inflate the tires with the air pump if necessary. Squeeze your handbrake levers to ensure the brake pads squeeze the metallic rim of the rear wheel.
Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Headlight
- Taillight
- Wedge Pack
- Spare tube
- Tire lever
- Patch kit
- Water bottle
- Frame-fit air pump
- Pressure gauge
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