In downhill and at the bike park, your bike takes on enormous stress: hard braking, landings, vibrations. A poorly prepared bike means at best a wasted day, at worst a crash. Before you board the first chairlift, this ten-minute check makes all the difference.
Brakes: your absolute priority
In DH, you brake hard and long. Check:
- Pad thickness: worn pads overheat and lose bite. Change them before, not during.
- Firm lever: a lever that comes to the grip = air in the circuit or end-of-life pads. Bleed if needed (see hydraulic disc brake adjustment).
- Rotors: no warping, no blueing, not too thin.
Suspension: SAG and rebound
A properly tuned fork and shock give grip and control. Check the SAG (compression under rider weight) and rebound (return speed). Too fast, the bike bounces; too slow, it feels pinned. Our guides on MTB suspension setup and shock maintenance explain the method.
Wheels and tires
- Pressure suited to terrain and weight: too low, you hit the rim; too high, you lose grip. See the pressure chart.
- Thru-axle tightness and spoke tension (a loose-sounding spoke signals a buckle).
- Tire condition: tread and sidewalls, especially tubeless.
