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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 Specifications in Appendix D of this manual or to the torque specifications
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 specifications from the bicycle or component manufacturer or from
your dealer. 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.
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 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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