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• Lift the front wheel off the ground and swing it from side to side. Feel
smooth? If you feel any binding or roughness in the steering, you may have a
tight headset. Have your dealer check it.
• Grab one pedal and rock it toward and away from the centerline of the
bike; then do the same with the other pedal. Anything feel loose? If so, have
your dealer check it.
• Take a look at the brake pads. Starting to look worn or not hitting the
wheel rim squarely? Time to have the dealer adjust or replace them.
• Carefully check the control cables and cable housings. Any rust? Kinks?
Fraying? If so, have your dealer replace them.
• Squeeze each adjoining pair of spokes on either side of each wheel
between your thumb and index nger. Do they all feel about the same? If any
feel loose, have your dealer check the wheel for tension and trueness.
• Check to make sure that all parts and accessories are still secure, and
tighten any which are not.
• Check the frame, particularly in the area around all tube joints; the
handlebars; the stem; and the seatpost for any deep scratches, cracks or
discoloration. These are signs of stress-caused fatigue and indicate that
a part is at the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced. See also
Appendix A.
WARNING: Like any mechanical device, a bicycle and its components
are subject to wear and stress. Different materials and mechanisms wear
or fatigue from stress at different rates and have different life cycles. If
a component’s life cycle is exceeded, the component can suddenly and
catastrophically fail, causing serious injury or death to the rider. Scratches,
cracks, fraying and discoloration are signs of stress-caused fatigue and
indicate that a part is at the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced.
While the materials and workmanship of your bicycle or of individual
components may be covered by a warranty for a specied period of time
by the manufacturer, this is no guarantee that the product will last the term
of the warranty. Product life is often related to the kind of riding you do and
to the treatment to which you submit the bicycle. The bicycle’s warranty is
not meant to suggest that the bicycle cannot be broken or will last forever. It
only means that the bicycle is covered subject to the terms of the warranty.
Please be sure to read Appendix A, Life expectancy of your bicycle and its
components, starting on page 33.
5. As required: If either brake lever fails the Mechanical Safety Check
(Section 1.C), don’t ride the bike. Have your dealer check the brakes.
If the chain won’t shift smoothly and quietly from gear to gear, the
derailleur is out of adjustment. See your dealer.
6. Every 25 (hard off-road) to 50 (on-road) hours of riding: Take your bike
to your dealer for a complete checkup.
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