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1. FIRST
NOTE: We strongly urge you to read this Manual in its entirety before your rst ride.
At the very least, read and make sure that you understand each point in this section,
and refer to the cited sections on any issue that you don’t completely understand.
Please note that not all bicycles have all of the features described in this Manual. Ask
your dealer to point out the features of your bicycle.
A. Bike Fit
1. Is your bike the right size? To check, see Section 3.A. If your bicycle is too large
or too small for you, you may lose control and fall. If your new bike is not the right
size, ask your dealer to exchange it before you ride it.
2. Is the saddle at the right height? To check, see Section 3.B. If you adjust your
saddle height, follow the Minimum Insertion instructions in Section 3.B.
3. Are saddle and seat post securely clamped? A correctly tightened saddle will
allow no saddle movement in any direction. See Section 3.B.
4. Are the stem and handlebars at the right height for you? If not, see Section 3.C.
5. Can you comfortably operate the brakes? If not, you may be able to adjust their
angle and reach. See Section 3.D and 3.E.
6. Do you fully understand how to operate your new bicycle? If not, before your
rst ride, have your dealer explain any functions or features which you do not
understand.
B. Safety First
1. Always wear an approved helmet when riding your bike, and follow the helmet
manufacturer’s instructions for t, use and care.
2. Do you have all the other required and recommended safety equipment? See
Section 2. It’s your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the laws of the areas
where you ride, and to comply with all applicable laws.
3. Do you know how to correctly secure your front and rear wheels? Check Section
4.A.1 to make sure. Riding with an improperly secured wheel can cause the
wheel to wobble or disengage from the bicycle, and cause serious injury or
death.
4. If your bike has toeclips and straps or clipless (“step-in”) pedals, make sure you
know how they work (see Section 4.E). These pedals require special techniques
and skills. Follow the pedal manufacturer’s instructions for use, adjustment, and
care.
5. Do you have “toe overlap”? On smaller framed bicycles your toe or toeclip may
be able to contact the front wheel when a pedal is all the way forward and the
wheel is turned. Read Section 4.E. to check whether you have toeclip overlap.
6. Does your bike have suspension? If so, check Section 4.F. Suspension can
change the way a bicycle performs. Follow the suspension manufacturer’s
instructions for use, adjustment and care.
C. Mechanical Safety Check - Check 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 diering 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, refer to
the Fastener Torque Specications in Appendix D of this manual or to the torque
specications in the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the 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 specications 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 that require special tools and knowledge. In Sections 3 and 4
we discuss the items that you may be able to adjust yourself. All other adjustments
and repairs should be done by a qualied bicycle 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 inated (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 deection. Compare
what you see with how it looks when you know the tires are correctly inated; 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 qualied bike shop to have the wheel trued.
CAUTION: Wheels must be true for rim brakes to work eectively.
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.
• Whe el r ims cle an a nd un dam ag ed? M ake s ur e t he r ims a re c le an a nd u nd amage d
at the tire bead and, if you have rim brakes, along the braking surface. Check to
make sure that any rim wear indicator marking is not visible at any point on the
wheel rim.
