Owner`s manual

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The braking action of a bicycle is a function of the friction between the brake surfaces -- usually the brake shoes and the
wheel rim. To make sure that you have maximum friction available, keep your wheel rims and brake shoes clean and free of
lubricants, waxes or polishes.
Make sure that your hands can reach and squeeze the brake levers comfortably. If your hands are too small to operate the
levers comfortably, consult your dealer before riding the bike. The lever reach may be adjustable; or you may need a different
brake lever design.
Most brakes have some form of quick release mechanism to allow the brake shoes to clear the tire when a wheel is removed or
reinstalled. When the brake quick release is in the open position, the brakes are inoperative. Make sure that you understand the
way the brake quick release works on your bike and check each time to make sure both brakes work correctly before you get
on the bike.
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. You need to practice slowing and stopping smoothly without locking up a wheel.
The technique is called progressive brake modulation. Instead of jerking the brake lever to the position where you think you’ll
generate appropriate braking force, squeeze the lever, progressively increasing the braking force. If you feel the wheel begin
to lock up, release pressure just a little to keep the wheel rotating just short of lockup. It’s important to develop a feel for the
amount of brake lever pressure required for each wheel at different speeds and on different surfaces. To better understand this,
experiment a little by walking your bike and applying different amounts of pressure to each brake lever, until the wheel locks.
WARNING: Some bicycle brakes, such as linear-pull and disc brakes, are extremely powerful. You should take extra care
in becoming familiar with these brakes and exercise particular care when using them. Applying these brakes too hard or
too suddenly can lock up a wheel, which could cause you to lose control and fall.
When you apply one or both brakes, the bike begins to slow, but your body wants to continue at the speed at which it was
going. This causes a transfer of weight to the front wheel (or, under heavy braking, around the front wheel hub, which could
send you flying over the handlebars). A wheel with more weight on it will accept greater brake pressure before lockup; a wheel
with less weight will lock up with less brake pressure. So, as you apply brakes and your weight shifts forward, you need to shift
your body toward the rear of the bike, to transfer weight back on to the rear wheel; and at the same time, you need to both
decrease rear braking and increase front braking force. This is even more important on steep descents, because descents shift
weight forward. The keys to effective speed control and safe stopping are controlling wheel lockup and weight transfer. Practice
braking and weight transfer techniques where there is no traffic or other hazards and distractions.
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