Appendix B - The lifespan of
your bike and its components
1 | Nothing lasts forever, including your bike.
When the useful life of your bike or its components is over, continued use is hazardous. Every
bicycle and its component parts have a nite, limited useful life. The length of that life will vary
with the construction and materials used in the frame and components; the maintenance and
care the frame and components receive over their life; and the type and amount of use to which
the frame and components are subjected. Use in competitive events, trick riding, ramp riding,
jumping, aggressive riding, riding on severe terrain, riding in severe climates, riding with heavy
loads, commercial activities, and other types of non-standard use can dramatically shorten the
life of the frame and components. Any one or a combination of these conditions may result in an
unpredictable failure.
Given that all aspects of use are identical, lightweight bicycles and their components will usually
have a shorter life than heavier bicycles and their components. In selecting a lightweight bicycle or
components you are making a tradeo, favoring the higher performance that comes with lighter
weight over longevity. So, if you choose lightweight, high performance equipment, be sure to have
it inspected frequently.
You should have your bicycle and its components checked periodically by your dealer for indi-
cators of stress and/or potential failure, including cracks, deformation, corrosion, paint peeling,
dents, and any other indicators of potential problems, inappropriate use or abuse. These are im-
portant safety checks and very important to help prevent accidents, bodily injury to the rider, and
shortened product life.
2 | Perspective
Today’s high-performance bicycles require frequent and careful inspection and service. In this Ap-
pendix, we try to explain some underlying basic science of materials and how they relate to your
bicycle. We discuss some of the trade-os made in designing your bicycle and what you can expect
from your bicycle; and we provide important, basic guidelines on how to maintain and inspect it.
We cannot teach you everything you need to know to properly inspect and service your bicycle;
and that is why we repeatedly urge you to take your bicycle to your dealer for professional care
and attention.
Frequent inspection of your bike is important to your safety.
Follow the Mechanical Safety Check in Section 7.A of this Ma-
nual before every ride. Periodic, more detailed inspection of your
bicycle is important. How often this more detailed inspection is
needed depends upon you. You, the rider/owner, have control and
knowledge of how often you use your bike, how hard you use it and
where you use it. Because your dealer cannot track your use, you must
take responsibility for periodically bringing your bike to your dealer
for inspection and service. Your dealer will help you decide what
Warning
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