OWNER’S MANUAL For multi–speed racing bicycles Cervélo Owner’s Manual 1
Cervélo Owner’s Manual For multi-speed racing bicycles IMPORTANT: This manual contains important safety, performance and service information. Read it before you take the first ride on your new bicycle, and keep it for reference. Your Cervélo bicycle will be delivered to you fully assembled by your authorized Cervélo dealer to the requirements set out in this manual.
CONTENTS GENERAL WARNING A special note to parents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1. First A. Bike Fit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B. Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. Mechanical Safety Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D. Intended Use. .
GENERAL WARNING: Like any sport, bicycling involves risk of injury and damage. By choosing to ride a bicycle, you assume the responsibility for that risk, so you need to know — and to practice — the rules of safe and responsible riding and of proper use and maintenance. Proper use and maintenance of your bicycle reduces risk of injury.
1. FIRST B. Safety First NOTE: We strongly urge you to read this Manual in its entirety before your first ride. At the very least, read and make sure that you understand each point in this section, and refer to the cited sections on any issue which you don’t completely understand. Please note that not all bicycles have all of the features described in this Manual. Ask your dealer to point out the features of your bicycle. 1.
C. Mechanical Safety Check Routinely check the condition of your bicycle before every ride. Nuts, bolts screws & other fasteners: Because manufacturers use a wide variety of fastener sizes and shapes made in a variety of materials, often differing by model and component, it is not possible for this Manual to specify correct torque (tightening force) for each specific fastener on your bicycle.
need adjustment. Do not ride the bike until the brakes are properly adjusted by a professional bicycle mechanic. Quick Releases: Make sure the front wheel, rear wheel and seat post quick releases are properly adjusted and in the locked position. See Section 4.B. Handlebar and saddle alignment: Make sure the saddle and handlebar stem are parallel to the bike’s center line and clamped tight enough so that you can’t twist them out of alignment. See Sections 3.B and 3.C.
Check out the handling and response of the bike; and check the comfort. If you have any questions, or if you feel anything about the bike is not as it should be, consult your dealer before your next ride. 2. SAFETY A. The Basics WARNING: Many countries require specific safety devices. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the laws of the region where you ride and to comply with all applicable laws, including properly equipping yourself and your bike as the law requires.
3. Look ahead, and be ready to avoid: • Vehicles slowing or turning, entering the road or your lane ahead of you, or coming up behind you. • Parked car doors opening. 8. Never carry a passenger, unless it is a small child wearing an approved helmet and secured in a correctly mounted child carrier or a childcarrying trailer. 9. Never carry anything which obstructs your vision or your complete control of the bicycle, or which could become entangled in the moving parts of the bicycle.
C. Wet Weather Riding WARNING: Wet weather impairs traction, braking and visibility, both for the bicyclist and for other vehicles sharing the road. The risk of an accident is dramatically increased in wet conditions. Under wet conditions, the stopping power of your brakes (as well as the brakes of other vehicles sharing the road) is dramatically reduced and your tires don’t grip nearly as well. This makes it harder to control speed and easier to lose control.
gear. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to have proper equipment and to be familiar with course conditions. While riding at dawn, at dusk or at night: • Ride slowly. • Avoid dark areas and areas of heavy or fast-moving traffic. • Avoid road hazards. • If possible, ride on familiar routes. If riding in traffic: • Be predictable. Ride so that drivers can see you and predict your movements. • Be alert. Ride defensively and expect the unexpected.
remember that your weight is positioned further forward than normal, with more weight on the front wheel. Caution should be exercised when braking from this position as the forward weight bias makes it more likely for you to flip over the front wheel if the front brake is applied too strongly. Regarding handling, the bike is more difficult to steer from the aero hand position as you are steering with your elbows instead of hands, and with a narrower total width as compared to standard handlebars.
additional performance fitting requirements, please consult with your dealer. WARNING: If your bicycle does not fit properly, you may lose control and fall. If your new bike doesn’t fit, ask your dealer to exchange it before you ride it. A. Standover Height fig. 2 Standover height is the basic element of bike fit (see fig. 2). It is the distance from the ground to the top of the bicycle’s frame at that point where your crotch is when straddling the bike.
4), the seat post may break, which could cause you to lose control and fall. Note that some seatposts also have a second insertion mark entitled “Maximum Insertion”. If present on your bicycle, your seatpost should never be lowered into the frame beyond the “Maximum Insertion” point, meaning that this line must always be visible above the frame once the saddle is properly adjusted.
saddle adjustment or a different saddle. cause you to lose control and fall. C. Handlebar Height and Angle Your bike is equipped with a “threadless” stem, which clamps on to the outside of the steerer tube. Your dealer may be able to change handlebar height by moving height adjustment spacers from below the stem to above the stem, or vice versa. Otherwise, you’ll have to get a stem of different length or rise. Consult your dealer. Do not attempt to do this yourself, as it requires special knowledge.
4. TECHNICAL It’s important to your safety, performance and enjoyment to understand how things work on your bicycle. We urge you to ask your dealer how to do the things described in this section before you attempt them yourself, and that you have your dealer check your work before you ride the bike. If you have even the slightest doubt as to whether you understand something in this section of the Manual, talk to your dealer. See also Appendix A, pp. 29. A.
which can cause serious injury or death. Therefore, it is essential that you: fig. 5 1. Ask your dealer to help you make sure you know how to install and remove your wheels safely. 2. Understand and apply the correct technique for clamping your wheel in place with a quick release. 3. Each time, before you ride the bike, check that the wheel is securely clamped. The wheel quick release uses a cam action to clamp the bike’s wheel in place (see fig. 5).
device. As its name implies, it serves as a back-up for a critical adjustment. If the quick release is not adjusted correctly, the secondary retention device can reduce the risk of the wheel disengaging from the fork. Removing or disabling the secondary retention device may also void the warranty. disengage it and go to step (5). If your front fork has an integral secondary retention device, loosen the tension adjusting nut enough to allow removing the wheel; then go to the next step.
force. If you can fully close the quick release without wrapping your fingers around the fork blade for leverage, and the lever does not leave a clear imprint in the palm of your hand, the tension is insufficient. Open the lever; turn the tension adjusting nut clockwise a quarter turn; then try again. (5) If the lever cannot be pushed all the way to a position parallel to the fork blade, return the lever to the OPEN position.
The rear wheel must be secured to the bicycle frame with sufficient force so that it cannot be pulled forward by the chain, even under the greatest pedaling force. If the wheel moves under pedaling force, the tire can touch the frame, which can cause you to loose control and fall. (6) If the lever cannot be pushed all the way to a position parallel to the chainstay or seatstay tube, return the lever to the OPEN position. Then turn the adjusting nut counterclockwise one-quarter turn and try tightening again.
make sure that you have maximum friction available, keep your wheel rims and brake pads clean and free of dirt, lubricants, waxes or polishes. Brakes are designed to control your speed, not just to stop the bike. Maximum braking force for each wheel occurs at the point just before the wheel “locks up” (stops rotating) and starts to skid. Once the tire skids, you actually lose most of your stopping force and all directional control.
There are several different types and styles of shifting controls: levers, twist grips, triggers, combination shift/brake controls and push-buttons. Ask your dealer to explain the type of shifting controls that are on your bike, and to show you how they work. The vocabulary of shifting can be pretty confusing. A downshift is a shift to a “lower” or “slower” gear, one which is easier to pedal. An upshift is a shift to a “higher” or “faster”, harder to pedal gear.
d. Which gear should I be in? The combination of largest rear and smallest front gears (fig. 10) is for the steepest hills. The smallest rear and largest front combination is for the greatest speed. It is not necessary to shift gears in sequence.
2. Some bicycles come equipped with pedals that have sharp and potentially dangerous surfaces. These surfaces are designed to add safety by increasing grip between the rider’s shoe and the pedal. If your bicycle has this type of high-performance pedal, you must take extra care to avoid serious injury from the pedals’ sharp surfaces. Based on your riding style or skill level, you may prefer a less aggressive pedal design, or chose to ride with shin pads.
F. Tires and Tubes the pressure in your tire very rapidly, which could cause the tube to explode. fig. 11 1. Tires Bicycle tires are available in many designs and specifications, ranging from general-purpose designs to tires designed to perform best under very specific weather or terrain conditions. If, once you’ve gained experience with your new bike, you feel that a different tire might better suit your riding needs, your dealer can help you select the most appropriate design.
tread pattern is designed to work better in one direction than in the other. The sidewall marking of a unidirectional tire will have an arrow showing the correct rotation direction. If your bike has unidirectional tires, be sure that they are mounted to rotate in the correct direction. fig. 12 Schraeder valve of a Presta valve, open up the valve stem lock nut and depress the valve stem. turn locknut Presta valve WARNING: Patching a tube is an emergency repair.
G. Tightening of Fasteners Your Cervélo bicycle is equipped with precision components which require precise adjustment and care in order to function properly. Whenever components are changed or adjusted on the bicycle, it is critical for safety and performance reasons that all fasteners be tightened in accordance with the listed values below. It is recommended that you permit your dealer to perform the following adjustments, as they have the proper tools and experience to ensure it is done correctly.
• Round Road Seatposts (R3, R5, Rca) - refer to seatpost manufacturer’s instructions • Seattube collar: • Carbon TT seattube collar( P5) - 4 Nm • Wedge type seattube collar (S2, S3, S5, S5vwd, P2, P3) - 8 Nm • Non-round seattube collar (R3, R5, Rca) - 6 Nm Note that collar & bolt must be greased; aluminum seatposts greased, carbon seatposts coated in carbon assembly compound. • Pedals – 30 to 35 Nm • Wheels – Measured torque is not used for quick release wheels.
owner, and require no special tools or knowledge beyond what is presented in this manual. The following are examples of the type of service you should perform yourself. All other service, maintenance and repair should be performed in a properly equipped facility by a qualified bicycle mechanic using the correct tools and procedures specified by the manufacturer. 1. Break-in Period: Your bike will last longer and work better if you break it in before riding it hard.
• Check to make sure that all parts and accessories are still secure, and tighten any which are not. • Check the frame, particularly in the area around all tube joints; the handlebars; the stem; and the seatpost for any deep scratches, cracks or discoloration. These are signs of stress-caused fatigue and indicate that a part is at the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced. See also Appendix A. WARNING: Like any mechanical device, a bicycle and its components are subject to wear and stress.
WARNING: Failure to select and properly install suitable, genuine replacement parts may lead to unforeseen changes in the safety and performance characteristics of your bicycle. It is recommended that you use dealer-recommended OEM replacement parts for any components of your bicycle that require replacement. Your Cervélo was carefully designed and tested with the components provided, and changes to these parts can result in different performance characteristics.
WARNING: Frequent inspection of your bike is important to your safety. Follow the Mechanical Safety Check in Section 1.C of this Manual before every ride. Periodic, more detailed inspection of your bicycle is important. How often this more detailed inspection is needed depends upon you. You, the rider/owner, have control and knowledge of how often you use your bike, how hard you use it and where you use it.
components is irrelevant to what happens to your body. What should you expect from your metal frame? It depends on many complex factors, which is why we tell you that crashworthiness cannot be a design criteria. With that important note, we can tell you that if the impact is hard enough the fork or frame may be bent or buckled. On a steel bike, the steel fork may be severely bent and the frame undamaged. Aluminum is less ductile than steel, but you can expect the fork and frame to be bent or buckled.
It may not a be a crack, but whatever is causing the noise should be fixed promptly. • CORROSION SPEEDS DAMAGE. Cracks grow more quickly when they are in a corrosive environment. Think about the corrosive solution as further weakening and extending the crack. SIMPLE RULE 2: Clean your bike, lubricate your bike, protect your bike from salt, remove any salt as soon as you can. • STAINS AND DISCOLORATION CAN OCCUR NEAR A CRACK. Such staining may be a warning sign that a crack exists.
Factors that lengthen product life: The composites with the best strength-to-weight ratios are made of carbon fiber in a matrix of epoxy plastic. The epoxy matrix bonds the carbon fibers together, transfers load to other fibers, and provides a smooth outer surface. The carbon fibers are the “skeleton” that carries the load.
If You Hit Something Or Have A Crash, What Can You Expect From Your Carbon Fiber Bike? Let’s say you hit a curb, ditch, rock, car, other cyclist or other object. At any speed above a fast walk, your body will continue to move forward, the momentum carrying you over the front of the bike. You cannot and will not stay on the bike and what happens to the frame fork and other components is irrelevant to what happens to your body.
bicycle will be very quiet and free of creaks and squeaks. Investigate and find the source of any noise. It may not be a crack or delamination, but whatever is causing the noise must be fixed before riding. WARNING: Do not ride a bicycle or component with any delamination or crack. Riding a delaminated or cracked frame, fork or other component could lead to complete failure, with risk of serious injury or death. components that are original equipment on your bike.
