13
PART 1
Tires & Wheels
Section 1. First
GT Bicycle Owner’s Manual
If you need to make an adjustment at home or in
the field, we urge you to exercise care, and to
have the fasteners you worked on checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
Note that there are some components which
require special tools and knowledge.
In Sections 3 and 4, we discuss the items which
you may be able to adjust yourself. All other
adjustments and repairs should be done by a
qualified bike mechanic.
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 inflated (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 deflection.
Compare what you see with how it looks when
you know the tires are correctly inflated; 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
qualified bike shop to have the wheel trued.
CAUTION
Wheels must be true for the 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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