Planning on dusting off the saddle and going on a ride this weekend?

Then make sure you’re ready for any scenario with our solutions to some common disasters on the bike.

Dropped chain

You’re giving it your all on an uphill sprint, when suddenly you lose all of your pedal power! Chances are your feet have already hit the floor, so make sure you’re in a safe place away from traffic before taking a closer look at the problem.

Once you’ve dismounted, pull the bottom half of the chain along the smallest chainring in the crank. Then simply reset the shifters on your handlebars to the same gear the chain is in. This should get you back on the road in no time! If the chain is still stuck, you may have to put out a red alert for rescuing and take it to the bike shop for an expert eye.

The nudge

Cycling with friends? Great! But you might be all too familiar with the inevitable ‘nudge’. When you’re riding in a group, it’s possible that you might make contact with the back wheel of the rider in front of you. In this instance, most people instinctively apply their brakes, when you’re most likely to end up flying over your handlebars!

Instead, apply pressure to your front wheel to as a counterbalance, and you should see the bike in-front ride on without an accident. If you do end up coming off the saddle, even if you’re physically okay, make sure you give your bike a thorough once over to make sure it’s fit for riding.

Flat tyre

This is probably one of the most common incidents to occur for cyclists, so you probably already ride with the basics on board. But if you aren’t carrying around a tube, pump and tire levers, you’ll want to make sure they’re in your saddle bag from now on! Once you get a flat, take out the inner tube, replace it with the new one, inflate it and off you go…

*Top Tip: Run your fingers through the entire new tyre first and feel for anything sharp that might leave you road-side once more. If you come across anything you could be at risk of another puncture.

Get ready for anything

To avoid the risks whilst riding, it’s best practice to keep up with routine bike maintenance. Try to get a full service at least once a year, and if you’re a regular cyclist there are quick fixes you can do more regularly to ensure you finish your ride scot-free. Pump up your tyres weekly, and make sure that you are regularly lubing your chains and that your derailleurs (aka gears) are configured.

For more help and advice related to cycling and the how-to’s by the roadside, head to our Advice Centre!