Operation Manual

33
Shifting from an easier, “slower” gear (like 1) to a
harder, “faster” gear (like 2 or 3) is called an upshift.
Shifting from a harder, “faster” gear to an easier,
“slower” gear is called a downshift. It is not necessary
to shift gears in sequence. Instead, nd the “starting
gear” for the conditions — a gear which is hard
enough for quick acceleration but easy enough to
let you start from a stop without wobbling — and
experiment with upshifting and downshifting to get
a feel for the dierent gears. At rst, practice shifting
where there are no obstacles, hazards or other trac,
until you’ve built up your condence. Learn to
anticipate the need to shift, and shift to a lower gear
before the hill gets too steep. If you have diculties
with shifting, the problem could be mechanical
adjustment. See your dealer for help.
c. What if it won’t shift gears?
If moving the shift control one click repeatedly fails
to result in a smooth shift to the next gear chances are
that the mechanism is out of adjustment. Take the
bike to your dealer to have it adjusted.
4.E - PEDALS
1. Toe Overlap is when your toe can touch the front
wheel when you turn the handlebars to steer while
a pedal is in the forwardmost position. This is
common on small-framed bicycles, and is avoided
by keeping the inside pedal up and the outside
pedal down when making sharp turns. This
technique will also prevent the inside pedal from
striking the ground in a turn.
WARNING
TOE OVERLAP COULD CAUSE YOU TO
LOSE CONTROL AND FALL. ASK YOUR
DEALER TO HELP YOU DETERMINE IF
THE COMBINATION OF FRAME SIZE,
CRANK ARM LENGTH, PEDAL DESIGN
AND SHOES YOU WILL USE RESULTS IN
PEDAL OVERLAP.
Whether you have overlap or not, you must keep
the inside pedal up and the outside pedal down
when making sharp turns.
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. Your dealer can show
you a number of options and make suitable
recommendations.
3. Toeclips and straps are a means to keep feet
correctly positioned and engaged with the pedals.
The toeclip positions the ball of the foot over the
pedal spindle, which gives maximum pedaling
power. The toe strap, when tightened, keeps the
foot engaged throughout the rotation cycle of the
pedal. While toeclips and straps give some benet
with any kind of shoe, they work most eectively
with cycling shoes designed for use with toeclips.
Your dealer can explain how toeclips and straps
work. Shoes with deep treaded soles or welts
which might allow the foot to be trapped should
not be used with toeclips and straps.
WARNING
GETTING INTO AND OUT OF PEDALS
WITH TOECLIPS AND STRAPS
REQUIRES SKILL WHICH CAN ONLY BE
ACQUIRED WITH PRACTICE.
Until it becomes a reex action, the technique
requires concentration which can distract your
attention and cause you to lose control and fall.
Practice the use of toeclips and straps where there
are no obstacles, hazards or trac. Keep the
straps loose, and don’t tighten them until your
technique and condence in getting in and out of
the pedals warrants it. Never ride in trac with
your toe straps tight.
4. Clipless pedals (sometimes called “step-in pedals”)
are another means to keep feet securely in the
correct position for maximum pedaling eciency.
They have a plate, called a “cleat,” on the sole of
the shoe, which clicks into a mating spring-loaded
xture on the pedal.
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