User Guide

6
Make sure your bicycle is in proper working condition.
Spend a few moments before each ride to check your bike’s systems against the
following checklist:
Check that your wheels are straight.
Spin each wheel to check that the rim doesn’t wobble up and down or from side
to side, and that the wheels are centered in the bicycle frame and fork. To do this, watch
the rim as it passes through the brake pads, or the frame. If one or both wheels fail this
test, take your bike to your Fisher dealer for service.
Check your tire inflation.
Inflate your tires to the air pressure recommended on the tire sidewalls (Fig.
4). Within the recommended range, higher pressures usually give the best perfor-
mance on hard surfaces like pavement while lower pressures work best for off-road
riding.
The weight of the rider (and any load) is also a consideration in
selecting tire pressure. Within the recommended inflation rates,
lighter riders may find lower pressures more comfortable, while higher
pressures may better support larger loads or heavier riders and help
prevent pinch flats.
Use a hand-operated pump with an appropriate gauge. Gas station
hoses inflate bicycle tires too rapidly and the pressure they indicate is
often inaccurate.
Check your brakes.
Hand brakes
Press each brake lever to make sure that the brakes move freely and
stop the bike.
The brake pads should be adjusted so they are 1 to 2 mm away from
the rim when the brakes are not applied. Brake pads should be centered
on the rim (Fig. 5). If your brakes are too tight, too loose, or not centered on the rim, refer
to the Brake System section of Chapter 3.
The toe-in shown in Fig. 5 is to prevent squealing of the brakes. It may not be necessary
to toe in used brake pads, or some new direct pull or V type brakes.
BEFORE EVERY RIDE- CHECKLIST
Fig. 4
WARNING
This is not a comprehensive maintenance program. Check the
entire bicycle carefully. If you spot a problem, do not ride the bike
until it has been corrected. If you are not certain if your bike has a
problem, take your bike to your Gary Fisher dealer.
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Pad and rim should be
parallel
Brake pad aligned with
the rim surface
Direction of rim
rotation
Fig. 5
0.5 - 1mm toe in