Is your bike safe after a crash or fall?
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Your answers
Look along the frame, the fork (the two arms holding the front wheel) and the handlebars.
Can you see a crack, a dent, a kink, or paint that has split or crinkled?
How hard was it?
Check these in order, and pick the first that isn’t right:
Squeeze each brake and push the bike; look at the handlebars against the front wheel; feel for anything loose; spin each wheel; look at the gear mechanism from behind.
What feels loose?
Hold the front wheel between your knees and try to turn the handlebars. Then push down hard on the ends of the bars.
Does anything move?
Squeeze the front brake hard and gently rock the bike forwards and back, with the fingers of your other hand round the joint where the fork meets the front of the frame, just below the handlebars.
Do you feel or hear a clunk there?
Look where the wheel fixes to the frame.
Is its lever folded flat against the frame (or, with no lever, do the axle nuts sit flat against it), and is the gap the same on each side of the tyre?
With the bike standing still, hold a pedal arm near the pedal and push it firmly sideways, towards the bike and away. Do the same with the pedal itself, then both again on the other side.
Does anything move or clunk?
Gently squeeze pairs of spokes all the way round the wheel.
Is one broken, or much looser than the rest?
Hold the frame still and push the top of the wheel firmly from side to side.
Does the whole wheel clunk or move?
How big is the wobble?
Stand behind the bike and look at the gear mechanism under the back gears.
Does it hang straight down, or lean in towards the spokes?
Don’t ride it until a bike shop has inspected it.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
A cracked, dented or bent frame, fork or handlebar can fail without warning.
Carbon fibre can be damaged inside with little showing.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What it needs
We recommend taking your bike to a bike shop to be inspected.
Don’t ride it until a bike shop has inspected it.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
A hard hit can crack or bend parts out of sight, especially carbon fibre.
- How sure we are
- Needs a look
We can’t tell from here. Someone needs to see the bike.
- What it needs
We recommend taking your bike to a bike shop to be inspected.
Don’t ride it until the brakes are fixed.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
A fall can bend a brake lever, knock a brake out of line or bend a disc.
- How sure we are
- One of a few causes
This fits what you’ve described, but so do other things. A Spoke will check before starting.
- What it needs
The job: Brake adjustment
This is a high-risk job, so Spokes don’t offer it yet. Until they do, we recommend taking your bike to a bike shop.
It could also need: disc rotor truing or replacement (not on spoked yet).
Don’t ride it
The bolts need tightening to the right setting, so it isn’t a quick fix to do yourself.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
Probably knocked out of line, often in a fall, or the bolts have loosened.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What it needs
The job: Stem or handlebar swap
This is a high-risk job, so Spokes don’t offer it yet. Until they do, we recommend taking your bike to a bike shop.
It could also need: headset service or replacement (not on spoked yet).
Don’t ride it
You could lose control.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
The bolts that clamp the handlebars, or hold them to the fork, have probably worked loose.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What it needs
The job: Stem or handlebar swap
This is a high-risk job, so Spokes don’t offer it yet. Until they do, we recommend taking your bike to a bike shop.
It could also need: headset service or replacement (not on spoked yet).
Don’t ride it
It gets worse, and affects steering and braking.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
Most often a loose headset (the bearings the fork turns in); sometimes the front brake’s mounting or a suspension fork.
- How sure we are
- One of a few causes
This fits what you’ve described, but so do other things. A Spoke will check before starting.
- What it needs
The job: Headset service or replacement
This is a high-risk job, so Spokes don’t offer it yet. Until they do, we recommend taking your bike to a bike shop.
Don’t ride it until it’s been checked.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
A knock at the front is usually the headset, the front brake’s mounting or the front wheel.
- How sure we are
- Needs a look
We can’t tell from here. Someone needs to see the bike.
- What it needs
The job: Headset service or replacement
This is a high-risk job, so Spokes don’t offer it yet. Until they do, we recommend taking your bike to a bike shop.
It could also need: brake adjustment (not on spoked yet).
Don’t ride it until it’s been checked.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
Nothing obvious from here, but handlebars that feel loose need a proper look.
- How sure we are
- Needs a look
We can’t tell from here. Someone needs to see the bike.
- What it needs
The job: Stem or handlebar swap
This is a high-risk job, so Spokes don’t offer it yet. Until they do, we recommend taking your bike to a bike shop.
It could also need: headset service or replacement (not on spoked yet).
Don’t ride it
A saddle that drops or tips suddenly can throw you off.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
The saddle clamp has probably worked loose, or the seatpost is slipping.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What to ask for
Saddle or seatpost fitting
Don’t ride it
A wheel that isn’t secure can come out. Walk it.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
The wheel may not be fully in the frame, or its lever or axle nuts may not be tight.
- How sure we are
- One of a few causes
This fits what you’ve described, but so do other things. A Spoke will check before starting.
- What to ask for
Diagnosis: what’s wrong and what to order
Don’t ride it
A wheel that moves sideways in the frame isn’t safe until someone has looked at it.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
The bearings in the middle of the wheel (the hub) may be loose or worn, or the axle broken.
- How sure we are
- Needs a look
We can’t tell from here. Someone needs to see the bike.
- What to ask for
Diagnosis: what’s wrong and what to order
It could also need: hub service.
Don’t ride it
A loose pedal arm quickly damages what it fits onto, and one that fails can throw you.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
A loose pedal arm, or worn bearings where the pedal arms turn (the bottom bracket).
- How sure we are
- Needs a look
We can’t tell from here. Someone needs to see the bike.
- What to ask for
Diagnosis: what’s wrong and what to order
It could also need: bottom bracket service or replacement.
Don’t ride it
A pedal working loose can strip the arm’s thread or come off. If the thread is already damaged, a new pedal arm isn’t on spoked yet.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
The pedal is probably loose in the arm, or its own bearings are worn.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What to ask for
Pedal fitting or replacement
It could also need: diagnosis: what’s wrong and what to order.
Don’t ride it until it’s found.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
Something has worked loose.
- How sure we are
- Needs a look
We can’t tell from here. Someone needs to see the bike.
- What to ask for
Diagnosis: what’s wrong and what to order
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
Probably a loose fitting on the mudguard, rack, light or lock mount.
Get it fixed soon. Until then, ride only if it feels right, and stop if it gets worse. If a mudguard or its stays are loose near the spokes, don’t ride it until it’s fixed.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What to ask for
Lights, mudguards, rack or kickstand fitting
Don’t ride it
A brake that sticks on or won’t come on is dangerous.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
The brake cable may be rusty or frayed, or the lever or brake loose or needing a service.
- How sure we are
- One of a few causes
This fits what you’ve described, but so do other things. A Spoke will check before starting.
- What it needs
The job: Brake cable & outer replacement
This is a high-risk job, so Spokes don’t offer it yet. Until they do, we recommend taking your bike to a bike shop.
It could also need: brake adjustment (not on spoked yet).
Don’t ride it
The wheel weakens quickly and a loose end can catch. Spokes come in many lengths, so a Spoke measures before you buy.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
Probably a broken spoke.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What to ask for
Diagnosis: what’s wrong and what to order
It could also need: broken spoke replacement, wheel truing.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
The wheel probably needs truing: tightening and loosening its spokes until it runs straight.
Get it fixed soon. Until then, ride only if it feels right, and stop if it gets worse. A wobble that touches the brake changes how it bites.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What to ask for
Wheel truing
Don’t ride it while it hits the frame or brake.
A new wheel isn’t on spoked yet.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
Probably a bent rim, often from a pothole or a knock.
Truing rarely straightens a bent rim; a Spoke can tell whether it will, or whether the rim or wheel needs replacing.
- How sure we are
- One of a few causes
This fits what you’ve described, but so do other things. A Spoke will check before starting.
- What to ask for
Diagnosis: what’s wrong and what to order
It could also need: wheel truing.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
Possibly a bent gear hanger: the small metal bracket that holds the gear mechanism to the frame.
It’s made to bend in a knock, and when it does the gears go out of line.
Get it fixed soon. Until then, ride only if it feels right, and stop if it gets worse. Keep out of the easiest gear (the biggest back gear) until it’s checked: a bent mechanism can catch in the spokes. If it touches the spokes, stop riding. If the hanger needs replacing, it’s made for your frame: the Spoke will name it.
- How sure we are
- One of a few causes
This fits what you’ve described, but so do other things. A Spoke will check before starting.
- What to ask for
Derailleur hanger straighten or replace
It could also need: gear adjustment (indexing).
Don’t ride it
A bent mechanism can go into the spokes, lock the wheel and wreck it. Walk it.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
The gear mechanism, or the hanger that holds it, is probably bent.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What to ask for
Diagnosis: what’s wrong and what to order
It could also need: derailleur hanger straighten or replace, derailleur replacement.
This is based only on your answers. Nobody has seen your bike. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t ride it.
- What might be wrong
Nothing obvious from your checks.
If the bike feels wrong in any other way, don’t ride it. If anything feels different when you ride, stop and check again. Gears often go out of line after a fall: if they start slipping, start again with “Gears”.
- How sure we are
- Most likely
This is the usual cause of what you’ve described.
- What it needs
Nothing to book.
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What usually causes it
- Probably knocked out of line, often in a fall, or the bolts have loosened.
- A cracked, dented or bent frame, fork or handlebar can fail without warning.
- A fall can bend a brake lever, knock a brake out of line or bend a disc.
- A hard hit can crack or bend parts out of sight, especially carbon fibre.
The checker gives general information from your answers. It isn’t an inspection and doesn’t tell you a bike is safe. Nothing here limits liability the law doesn’t let us limit, including for death or personal injury caused by negligence.