First Ride 9
1. First Ride
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 which 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
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
differing 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.
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 off 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 effectively.
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.
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