Operation Manual

6
PART I
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 diering by model and component, the correct
tightening force or torque cannot be generalized.
To make sure that the many fasteners on your bicycle
are correctly tightened. See page 78.
Always refer to the torque specications in the
instructions provided by the manufacturer of a
component in question.
Correctly tightening a fastener requires a calibrated
torque wrench. A professional bicycle mechanic
with a torque wrench should torque the fasteners
on you bicycle. If you choose to work on your own
bicycle, you must use a torque wrench and the correct
tightening torque specications from the bicycle or
component manufacturer or from your dealer. If you
need to make an adjustment at home or in the eld,
we urge you to exercise care, and to have the fasteners
you worked on checked by your dealer as soon as
possible.
Note that there are some components which require
special tools and knowledge. In Sections 3 and 4,
we discuss the items which you may be able to adjust
yourself. All other adjustments and repairs should be
done by a qualied bike mechanic.
WARNING
CORRECT TIGHTENING FORCE ON
FASTENERS –NUTS, BOLTS, SCREWS–
ON YOUR BICYCLE IS IMPORTANT.
Too little force, and the fastener may not hold
securely. Too much force, and the fastener can
strip threads, stretch, deform or break. Either
way, incorrect tightening force can result in
component failure, which can cause you to loose
control and fall.
Make sure nothing is loose. Lift the front wheel o the
ground by two or three inches, then let it bounce on
the ground. Anything sound, feel or look loose? Do
a visual and tactile inspection of the whole bike. Any
loose parts or accessories? If so, secure them. If you’re
not sure, ask someone with experience to check.
Tires & Wheels
Make sure tires are correctly inated (see SECTION
4.G.1). Check by putting one hand on the saddle, one
on the intersection of the handlebars and stem, then
bouncing your weight on the bike while looking at tire
deection. Compare what you see with how it looks
when you know the tires are correctly inated; and
adjust if necessary.
Tires in good shape? Spin each wheel slowly and look
for cuts in the tread and sidewall. Replace damaged
tires before riding the bike.
Wheels true? Spin each wheel and check for brake
clearance and side-to-side wobble. If a wheel wobbles
side-to-side even slightly, or rubs against or hits the
brake pads, take the bike to a qualied bike shop to
have the wheel trued.
CAUTION
Wheels must be true for the brakes to work
eectively. Wheel trueing is a skill which requires
special tools and experience. Do not attempt
to true a wheel unless you have the knowledge,
experience and tools needed to do the job
correctly.