Bontrager WHEEL - Chapter 1- Wheels Overview; Special Instructions; Useful Life of Wheels

6 7
Useful Life of Wheels
Wheels are not indestructible. As with anything mechanical, every part of a wheel has a limited
useful life due to wear, stress, and fatigue. Fatigue is a lowstress force that, when repeated
over a large number of cycles, can cause a material to crack or break. If you ride hard or
aggressively, you must replace the wheel and/or its parts more frequently than riders who ride
gently or carefully. Several factors can change the condition of your wheels: weight, speed,
skill, terrain, maintenance, environment (humidity, salinity, temperature, and more). Because
there are many variables, it is not possible to give an accurate timetable for replacement. To
be safe, replace the wheel or parts more frequently. If you are not sure, speak to your dealer.
Light-weight, high-performance wheels and parts require better care and more frequent
inspections even though in some cases they have a longer life than heavier ones. With wheels,
remember that a rim wears as you use your brakes, so the rim must be replaced occasionally.
For more information about Use Conditions, visit our web site at http://www.bontrager.com.
The wheels of a bicycle (Figure 1) let the bicycle roll down the road smoothly. On many
bicycles, the quickrelease mechanism (Figure 2) attaches the wheels to the bicycle. Also,
many bicycles use the wheels as part of the brake system. The integrity and strength of the
wheels is important for your safety. These instructions tell how to use, adjust, and lubricate the
wheels of a bicycle.
Special Instructions
Some models of Bontrager wheels have special properties, so special maintenance is
necessary. If your wheels include any of these features, read these extra sections carefully:
+
Disc brakes
+
Tubular (sew-up) tires
+
Carbon rims
+
Tubeless tires
+
Fixed-gear (track) hubs
Figure 1. Bicycle wheels and parts:
1. Rim
2. Hub
3. Spokes
Figure 2. Hub and quick-release
1. Hub
2. Quick-release (for parts of the
quick-release, see Figure 28)
Chapter 1—
Wheels Overview
1
1
2
3
2