Felt Bicycle - What to Bear in Mind When Braking with Carbon Wheels

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Protect the exposed areas of your carbon frame (e.g. steerer tube, under-
side of the down tube etc.) against rubbing cables or stone chips with
special pads ((c) on page 26) your FELT dealer keeps for sale. Also keep
in mind that carbon is sensitive to pressure. Do not lean your FELT bike
carelessly against a post or such like.
If you intend to equip your carbon frame with components, such as mudguards,
pannier racks, kick-stands and lighting sets, you will need the component manu-
facturer specifications to determine if they are carbon compatible. In general, only
frames with special threaded eyes can be equipped with additional accessories.
Do not mount a carbon frame in the holding jaws of a workstand! It is
better to mount it instead by clamping the frame by using a spare alu-
minium seat post inserted in the frame (a).
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What to bear in mind when braking with carbon wheels
There are some special features with carbon braking surfaces (b). Only use brake
pads that are suitable for carbon wheels. It is always advisable to use the brake
pads of the wheel manufacturer.
Carbon brake pads usually wear down faster than conventional brake pads.
Keep in mind that the braking response of the rims needs getting used to, in par-
ticular under wet conditions. Test your brakes in an area free of traffic until you have
full control of your bike.
The brake surfaces of the carbon rims are sensitive to heat. Therefore, when you
are riding in the mountains, avoid any drag braking. Riding downhill for example
with a permanently activated rear wheel brake might lead to a heating up of the
material and thus to a deformation. The rim may suffer serious damage, the tire
might burst, thus causing an accident.
Always use both brakes simultaneously and release them intermittently to allow
the material to cool off.
Adapt your riding behaviour to the particularities of braking on carbon
material, in particular in the mountains.
Check the condition of the brake pads at short intervals, as the wear
might be more pronounced as with aluminium rims.
Note that your bike‘s braking power is greatly reduced in wet conditions.
Avoid, as far as possible, riding on your bike in damp weather or with
imminent rain. If you ride, nevertheless, on wet or moist roads, be particu-
larly cautious and do not ride as fast as under dry conditions.
a b