There’s a moment that every truck-owning cyclist knows well. It’s 6:30 in the morning. Coffee’s in the thermos. Bike’s in the truck. You’re twenty minutes down the road feeling great about life, and then it hits you. Did I grab the floor pump? Is the rear wheel actually tied down? Where’s my helmet?
Nothing kills the buzz of a good ride faster than showing up at the trailhead and realizing you forgot something critical. Or worse, arriving and finding out your bike shifted during the drive and something got bent or scratched.
This checklist covers everything you need to think about before you leave the driveway. Bookmark it, screenshot it, print it out and tape it to your garage wall. Whatever works. The point is to make your trailhead runs smooth, stress-free, and fully prepared every single time.
Part 1: The Bike
Before the bike even goes in the truck, give it a quick once-over. This takes about two minutes and can save you a wasted trip.
Tire pressure. Squeeze both tires. You don’t need a gauge for this step. You’re just checking that neither tire has gone flat overnight. If you’re running tubeless and one tire feels soft, you might have a slow leak from a dried-out sealant or a bead that unseated. Better to catch it in the garage than at the trailhead with no pump.
Brakes. Pull both brake levers. They should feel firm and engage smoothly. If a lever feels spongy or pulls all the way to the bar, you’ve got air in the hydraulic line or worn pads. Either way, that needs attention before you ride.
Chain and drivetrain. Spin the cranks and shift through a few gears. The chain should move smoothly between rings and cassette without skipping, grinding, or hesitating. If the drivetrain sounds crunchy or feels rough, a quick clean and lube might be all it needs. If it’s skipping under light pedal pressure, you might have a worn chain or cassette that needs replacing.
Quick releases and thru-axles. Make sure both wheels are properly secured. Give each wheel a firm side-to-side shake to check for play. A loose wheel at highway speed in the back of a truck is a bad situation, and it’s even worse if it comes loose while you’re riding.
Suspension. If you’re on a full-suspension bike, bounce the front and rear. Both should compress and rebound smoothly. Check for any oil leaking from the stanchions or shock body. A blown seal is no fun on the trail, but it’s better to discover it at home.
Part 2: Loading the Bike
You’ve checked the bike. It’s good to go. Now get it into the truck properly.
Roll the bike into the WheelWally and strap it in. The WheelWally mounts to the front rail and sits as far forward as possible. Roll your bike in and use the included straps to secure the bike to the rack. The straps contact the tires and rims, holding the bike upright and steady.
For detailed loading and installation instructions, visit our Installation page.
Secure the rear end. This is the step that gets skipped most often, and it’s the one that matters most on rough roads. Every WheelWally comes with a Rear Wheel Tie Down Kit included. If you’ve upgraded to the Off-Road Kit, connect it and make sure the lateral support is snug. Either way, don’t skip this step.
Give the whole bike a shake. Grab the frame and try to move it. Push it side to side. Push it front to back. Pull it up. The bike should feel solid in every direction. If there’s play, tighten your straps before you drive.
Check clearances. Make sure the handlebars aren’t hitting the cab wall. Make sure pedals aren’t rubbing against the bed wall. Small clearance issues become bigger problems when highway vibration gets involved.
Part 3: The Gear
The bike is loaded and strapped in. Now make sure you’ve got everything else you need.
Helmet. This one is obvious but it’s also the most commonly forgotten item. Some riders keep a dedicated helmet in the truck so they never have to remember to grab it from the house.
Gloves. Riding without gloves is fine until you crash or until your hands go numb on a cold morning descent. Throw a pair in the truck and leave them there.
Shoes. If you ride clipless pedals, your cycling shoes are non-negotiable. If you ride flat pedals, a good pair of sticky-sole shoes makes a noticeable difference. Either way, don’t forget them.
Eye protection. Sunglasses or clear lenses depending on conditions. Catching a branch or a bug in the eye at speed is a ride-ender.
Water and nutrition. Full water bottles or a hydration pack. A couple of bars or gels. For rides under an hour, you can probably get away with just water. For anything longer, you’ll want calories too.
Spare tube and repair kit. Even if you’re running tubeless, carry a tube as a backup. A tire plug kit is worth having too. Add tire levers, a multi-tool, and a CO2 inflator or mini pump, and you’re covered for the most common mechanical issues.
Floor pump. This is the big one that people forget. A mini pump can air up a tire in a pinch, but setting your tire pressure properly before a ride requires a floor pump with a gauge. Keep one in the truck permanently. A decent floor pump costs about $30 to $50, and it’ll last for years.
Part 4: The Truck
Your bike and gear are ready. Now make sure the truck is too.
Fuel. Check your gauge before you leave. Running low and having to stop for gas with a bike in the bed means leaving your bike unattended at a gas station. Fill up the night before or on the way out if you can do it before loading the bike.
Tire pressure. Your truck tires, not your bike tires. If you’re heading down a rough fire road to a remote trailhead, properly inflated truck tires make a big difference in handling and comfort. Some riders air down slightly for dirt roads, which is fine as long as you air back up before hitting the highway on the way home.
Tailgate. Is it up and latched? If you’re using a bed extender with the tailgate down, is the extender secured properly?
Mirrors. Can you see clearly out of both side mirrors and the rearview? If gear is blocking any sightlines, adjust things before you drive.
Cable lock. If you’re going to be leaving the bike in the truck at any point (stopping for coffee, parking at a trailhead while you use the restroom, grabbing food on the way home), a cable lock threaded through the WheelWally and the bike frame gives you basic theft protection. It won’t stop a determined thief with bolt cutters, but it stops opportunistic grabs.
Part 5: The Drive
You’re loaded, geared up, and on the road. A couple of things to keep in mind while driving.
Take it easy on rough roads. If the trailhead access road is unpaved, slow down. Your truck can handle it, but every bump and rut transfers energy to the bike. The WheelWally and your rear tie-down are designed to handle rough conditions, but there’s no reason to blast down a washboard road at 40 miles per hour when 20 will get you there with everything intact.
Check the bike at stops. If you stop for fuel or food on the way, take 10 seconds to look at the bike. Is it still strapped in properly? Has anything shifted? A quick visual check is all you need.
Don’t forget where you parked. At popular trailheads, parking lots can fill up fast. Drop a pin on your phone when you park. After a long ride, the last thing you want is to wander around a crowded lot trying to remember which row your truck is in.
Part 6: At the Trailhead
You made it. Everything’s in one piece. Now get set up efficiently so you can start riding sooner.
Set your tire pressure. This is where that floor pump pays off. Use a gauge and set your pressure based on the trail conditions. Lower pressure for loose, rocky terrain. Higher pressure for hardpack and smooth trails. If you’re not sure, start around 25 to 30 psi for mountain bikes and adjust from there based on feel.
Do a final bike check. Quick squeeze of the brakes. Quick spin of the wheels. Quick bounce of the suspension. Everything good? Good.
Stash your valuables. Phone, wallet, keys. Whatever you’re not bringing on the ride, put it out of sight. Glove box, center console, under the seat. Don’t leave anything visible on the dash or seats.
Lock the truck. Obvious, but worth saying. Lock the doors and close the windows.
Drop a pin and set a time. If you’re riding solo, let someone know where you are and when you expect to be back. A quick text with your location and estimated return time takes five seconds and is just smart practice.
The Printable Quick Version
For easy reference, here’s the condensed checklist:
Bike: Tire pressure. Brakes. Drivetrain. Wheel security. Suspension.
Loading: Bike strapped to WheelWally. Rear secured with R.W.T.D.K. or O.R.K. Full shake test. Clearance check.
Gear: Helmet. Gloves. Shoes. Eye protection. Water and food. Spare tube and tools. Floor pump.
Truck: Fuel. Tire pressure. Tailgate latched. Mirrors clear. Cable lock.
Drive: Easy on rough roads. Check bike at stops.
Trailhead: Set tire pressure. Final bike check. Stash valuables. Lock truck. Tell someone your plan.
The Bottom Line
A great ride starts before you leave the driveway. Taking five minutes to run through this checklist means you show up prepared, your bike arrives in perfect shape, and you don’t waste trail time dealing with problems that could have been caught at home.
Build the habit. Run the list. And then go ride.
Head over to our Store to make sure your WheelWally setup is complete, and check out our O.R.K. vs. R.W.T.D.K. comparison to pick the right rear security for your kind of driving.
See you at the trailhead.