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Introduction
The wheels are what allows your bike to roll down the road smoothly so
the integrity of your bicycle wheels is crucial. Their structural soundness
and their relationship to the performance of your brakes are of great
importance.
The best maintenance of a wheel is
preventative maintenance. Be aware of the things that
can go wrong, so you can stop trouble before it
happens.
Inspection
Before every ride, check that your quick release hubs are in their closed
(locked) position, or that your wheel axle nuts are tight. For further
information on adjusting quick release hubs, see the Adjustment section,
or consult your dealer.
Before installing tires, make sure a rim strip is in place which completely covers the rim web
(wall to wall) so that all spoke holes are completely covered.
Check that the wheels are straight and round by spinning them. If the rim does not spin
evenly, have your wheel trued by your dealer.
Make sure your tires are inflated to the pressure indicated on the tire sidewalls. Use a gauge
and a bicycle pump whenever possible. Avoid filling your tires at gas stations. Because of the
greater pressure and volume of air their pumps release, blowouts are very possible. Inspect
your tires for wear and any other damage. If a tire has any cuts or separations which go
through the tire, making any part of the inner tube visible, or if any part of the tire casing
shows through the tire tread (running surface) or knobs are worn or missing, replace the tire.
Make sure your rims are clean. Dirty or greasy rims render your brakes ineffective. Wipe your
rims with a clean rag or wash them with soap and water, rinse, and let them air dry.
Every week, make sure that there are no loose, damaged, or broken spokes. If a wheel is not
in good condition, both the effectiveness of the brakes and the strength of the wheel are
greatly reduced.
Every month, check that both hub bearings are properly adjusted. Lift the front end of the
bicycle off the ground with one hand and attempt to move the rim laterally, left to right. Look,
feel, and listen for any looseness in the hub bearings. Spin the wheel, and listen for any grinding
or other unusual noises. If the hub feels loose or makes any noise, the hub needs an
adjustment. Repeat these procedures for the rear wheel.
Adjustment
This bicycle may be equipped with a quick release
wheel retention mechanism. The quick release allows the
wheel to be installed and removed without tools. For
proper and safe performance, read and follow these
instructions carefully:
1. Check both wheels of your bicycle before every ride.
2. Move the quick release lever to the
OPEN
position and set the wheel so it firmly touches the inside
of the fork ends.
3. With the lever about halfway between the
OPEN
position and the
CLOSED
position (Fig. 65), tighten
the quick release adjusting nut on the opposite end of the
quick release axle until finger-tight (Fig.66).
4. Place the quick release lever in the palm of your
hand and move the lever in a motion as shown in Figure
67. Move the lever into the
CLOSED
position (Fig. 69
for a front wheel or 70 for a rear wheel). At the halfway
closed position of the quick release lever, you should start
to feel some resistance to this motion.
5. If the lever is moved to the
CLOSED
position with
little or no resistance, clamping strength is insufficient.
Simply return the lever to the
OPEN
position, tighten the
quick release adjusting nut further and close the lever,
testing again for resistance. When the quick release device
is properly tightened, and clamped to the closed position,
the clamping force is adequate to cause metal into metal
engagement (embossing) of the fork surfaces.
WHEELS
WARNING
If there is movement between the axle and the hub, or you suspect the
hub may need an adjustment, do not ride your bicycle. Take your bicycle
to your dealer for service.
Make sure the rim strip covers all of the spoke holes or spoke heads. If
they are exposed they may puncture the inner tube and may cause loss
of control resulting in personal injury.
Fig. 64
· Do not tighten the quick release by using the quick release lever
like a wing nut (Fig. 68). This will not result in sufficient force to hold
the wheel in place.
6. Orient the quick release levers so that they do not interfere
with any other bicycle part or accessory part (such as rack or
fenders) and so that they will not become accidentally snagged by
obstacles in the path of the bicycle (Figs. 69 and 70).
7. Do these two tests to ensure that you have adequately
performed these procedures:
· Pick the front of the bike off of the ground, and give the top of
the tire a sharp downward blow (Fig. 71). The wheel should not come
off, be loose, or move from side to side. If uncertain, repeat the
tightening process, as shown in Steps 2-6 of these instructions.
· With the quick release lever properly adjusted and in a closed
position, you will not be able to rotate the quick release lever in a
circular motion parallel to the wheel (as opposed to the flipping
motion used to open and close the quick release lever- see Fig. 72).
8. For the rear wheel, follow the instructions for the front wheel,
and note the correct position of the quick release lever when closed
(Fig. 70).
If your bicycle is equipped with axle nuts instead of quick release
mechanisms (for bikes with pegs, note following special information), make
sure the axle nuts are tightened to 180-240 lb·in (20.3-27.1 Nm) for a front
wheel, and 240-300 lb·in (27.1-33.9 Nm) for a rear wheel. Use this test to
ensure that you have adequately performed these procedures:
· Pick the front of the bike off of the ground, and give the top of
the tire a sharp downward blow (Fig. 71). The wheel should not come
off, be loose, or move from side to side. Repeat this test again for
the rear wheel.
For BMX bikes with axle nuts, where the front axle does not fit snugly
inside the fork tips, a special two-stage washer must be in place on both
sides of the hub for correct wheel retention (Fig. 73).
Some freestyle bikes have tubular axle extensions, called pegs (Fig 74).
For bikes with pegs, the two-stage washer goes against the fork tip as in
Fig. 73, and additional washers and nut go inside the peg. For axle nuts in
pegs using a 15mm socket, tighten to 220-240 lb·in (24.9-27 Nm). For axle
nuts in pegs using a 19 mm socket, tighten to 350 lb·in (40 Nm).
Use this test to ensure that you have adequately performed these
procedures:
· Pick the front of the bike off of the ground, and give the top of
the tire a sharp downward blow (Fig. 71). The wheel should not come
off, be loose, or move from side to side. Repeat this test again for
the rear wheel.
If you cannot keep the proper pressure in your tires, you probably have a
leak in the tube. The section on page 27, Tire Installation, includes
instructions to fix the tube leak. If you do not have the proper tools, take
the bike to your dealer for repair.
Lubrication
Regrease wheel bearings every year. This requires special tools and
training, so should only be done by your dealer.
Lubricate quick releases once a year. Apply several drops of Wrench
Force® synthetic lube or a similar light oil where the quick release lever
rotates in the quick release body.
Fig. 65
Fig. 66
OPEN
CLOSED
Fig. 67
OPEN
OPEN
OPEN
OPEN
Fig. 68
Fig. 69
Fig. 70
Fig. 71
Fig. 72
Fig. 73
Fig. 74
REFLECTORS
Introduction
Your reflectors are an important part of your bicycle's safety equipment.
Do not remove
the reflectors from your bicycle. They are there for your safety.
Inspection
Every three months, make sure all the nuts and bolts holding the front, rear, pedal, and wheel
reflectors are tight. Check that front and rear reflectors are oriented so that their reflective
surfaces are perpendicular to the ground, and that all reflective surfaces are clean and in good
condition. The front reflector should point directly forward, and the rear should point directly
back. The rear reflector should be at least three inches below the top of the seat.
Adjustment
To adjust the front and rear reflectors, bend the metal bracket, or loosen the attachment
screw on plastic brackets, reposition, and then re-tighten the screw.
Open
Closed
Two-stage
washer
Peg
Axle nut
and washer
Spokes
Tire
Rim
Hub
ENGLISH
