Operation Manual

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PART II
SECTION C.
MOUNTAIN BIKE
RIDING
See also APPENDIX B. Maximum Fork Length.
See also SECTION B. Intended Use.
OFF-ROAD RIDING
O road riding usually involves many, many variables
such as constantly changing traction, obstacles,
changes in line of sight, up hill, down hill, soft
surfaces, dry surfaces, wet surfaces. O road riding
requires managing a complex and constantly changing
rider–to-bicycle feedback loop of traction, weight
distribution, application of power, application of
brakes and steering driven by the conditions one
encounters. The complexity and ever-changing nature
of o road riding requires focus, concentration,
strength, tness and learning to read the trail. The
art of managing all this while surrounded by nature
makes this a challenging and wonderful sport.
If you have ridden your mountain bike on a paved
road, or on a gravel or dirt road, you have done
very little in the way of learning to mountain bike.
Learning to ride o road is a process. It does not
automatically occur because you have a mountain
bike. Learning to ride o road does not come from
watching “extreme” mountain bike videos or TV.
In fact the riders in those lms are professional
entertainers and/or daredevils, not teachers.
WARNING
MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDING IS VERY
DIFFERENT FROM RIDING A BIKE ON
THE ROAD.
For starters, it is almost certain you will
fall o.
Get training! Join a club and nd experienced
people to teach you. It is likely that your retailer
can hook you up with local rides. Practice and
learn to stay in control. Carefully, progressively,
learn to expand your limits, but always ride within
them.
BIKE TYPES
WARNING
PICK A MOUNTAIN BIKE FOR HOW YOU
WILL RIDE.
There are now many dierent kinds of
“mountain bikes.” GT makes mountain bikes
ranging from the light, nimble and designed for
cross country (XC) racing, to our rugged, long-
travel freeride bikes. Cross country (XC) is not
designed for freeride! If you try using your bike
for something it was not intended, you may break
it with risk of serious injury, paralysis or death.
Matching the intended use of any kind of
mountain bike to your expected riding is import.
Read PART II SECTION B. INTENDED USE..
INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE ROUTINES
WARNING
MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDING IS VERY
HARD ON BIKES.
MOUNTAIN BIKES NEED FREQUENT
CLEANING, MAINTENANCE AND
INSPECTION.
Clean your bike after every ride and conduct a
pre-ride inspection before every ride. Detailed
inspection as outlined in PART II SECTION D.
in this manual is needed more often than for road
bikes. Failure to keep up with maintenance and
inspection increases the risk of an accident, with
risk of serious injury, paralysis or death.