ENGLISH
9
Keep your bicycle clean.
To keep your bicycle in proper working condition, keep it clean. If your frame or a component
is dirty, clean it with a soft damp cloth and Wrench Force® bike cleaner or a similar product. If
you hear a grinding or "sandy" noise coming from any bearings, your bearings need
maintenance. Take your bicycle to your dealer for service.
Avoid high pressure washing systems, like those at most car washes. The high pressure can
bypass bearing seals, letting water into the bearings. Water will make the bearings rust and
lose their smoothness.
Avoid leaving your bicycle out in the weather.
When not riding, keep your bike in a location where it will be protected from rain, snow, sun,
etc. Rain and snow can cause your bicycle to corrode. The ultraviolet radiation from the sun can
fade the paint, or crack any rubber or plastic on the bicycle.
Use proper storage for your bicycle.
Improper storage is very hard on a bicycle. Before storing your bike for an extended period of
time, clean and lubricate it, and polish the frame with Wrench Force® frame polish or a similar
frame protectant. Hang the bicycle off the ground with the tires at approximately half pressure.
Do not store near electric motors, as ozone from motors destroys rubber and paint. Before
riding the bicycle again, be certain it is in good working order.
Protect your bicycle from theft.
· Keep a record of the serial number in a safe place. See page 1 for the location of the serial
number on your bike. Also make sure you return your warranty card; we will keep your bike's
serial number on file.
· Register the bicycle with your local police department.
· Purchase a lock that is effective against bolt cutters and saws, and follow the recommended
locking procedures.
· Use your lock. Never leave your bike unlocked while unattended, not even for a minute.
· With quick release wheels, lock both of your wheels as well as your frame. If you have a
quick release seatpost binder, when locking your bike you may want to remove your seat and
seatpost to prevent theft. However, avoid allowing water to enter your bicycle frame through
the open seat tube of your bike.
Protect your bike from accidental damage.
Park your bike in a place where it will be out of the way, and make sure it cannot fall over. Do
not lay the bike on its derailleurs, as you may bend the rear derailleur or get dirt on the
drivetrain. Don't let the bike fall down, as this may cut the handlebar grips, or tear the seat.
Incorrect use of bike racks can bend your wheels, as can riding over some obstacles. These are
just a few of the potential hazards you and your bike may encounter. If you suspect your bicycle
has been damaged or tampered with in any way, ensure that there is no problem, or take it to
your dealer for inspection and repair.
Prevent handlebar impact damage to your frame.
With some bicycles it is possible for part, or parts, of the handlebar to contact the frame as
the front wheel turns to extreme angles. If a sharp edge on any part of the handlebar were to
make contact with the frame with sufficient force, it could damage the frame.
Check to see if your handlebar contacts the frame in such a way that this could happen.
Prevent such damage by padding the handlebar parts, the frame, or both at the points of
contact. See your dealer for recommended protection devices or materials.
Never modify your fork, frame, or components.
Your bike's parts have been carefully designed to meet the strength and function
requirements of safe riding. Modifying these parts in any way may make your bike unsafe. Any
modification of your frame, fork, or components means that your bike no longer meets our
specifications and will therefore void the bike's warranty.
As an example, some bike frames have special surface treatments which add strength and
these could be removed through poor paint stripping techniques. Removing the redundant
wheel retention tabs on fork tips or peg-and-eyelet style redundant retention devices is another
example of how modifying a bicycle could make it less functional.
Only dual suspension frames manufactured after 1996 are compatible with double crown,
triple clamp suspension forks because these forks put extra stress on the frame. Hardtail
diamond frames (with no rear suspension) are not compatible with triple clamp forks. Do not
8
BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER EVERY RIDE
TAKE CARE OF YOUR BIKE
WARNING
Never modify your frameset in any way, including sanding, drilling, filing,
removing redundant retention devices from forks, or by any other technique.
Such modifications will void your warranty, may cause your frame to fail, and
may contribute to loss of control resulting in personal injury.
Learning to ride a bicycle is one of the joys of childhood. Our supervision
of young children as they learn about bikes, safety, and cycling rules of the
road is critical to our children's education. Take the time to explain the
material in this, Chapter 1, to your child as he or she enters the world of
cycling. And instill in your children this cardinal rule for all cyclists:
Wear a helmet whenever you ride your bike.
Training Wheels
Young children may not be able to ride a bicycle without assistance of
some kind so some models of bicycles come equipped with training wheels
(Fig. 18). As your child learns to ride a bicycle with training wheels, make
sure the child has the skills necessary to stop the bike. Until this skill is
mastered, the child should never ride the bike without supervision.
The training wheels can be adjusted to promote the learning of skills
such as balancing and turning. To do this, place the bike on a flat, smooth
surface and then check that the tires are correctly inflated. Follow the
procedures in the Drivetrain section of Chapter 3 to loosen the rear axle
nuts. Stand the bike up very straight and then adjust the training wheels so
that there is approximately 1/4 inch (6 mm) between the training wheels
and the ground (Fig. 19). With the bike completely upright, the training
wheels should be evenly spaced from the ground. Adjust the chain tension
and retighten the axle nuts as shown in the Drivetrain section of Chapter 3,
and inspect the wheel attachment as shown in the Wheels section of
Chapter 3. As the child's skill level grows, gradually increase the clearance
between the training wheels and the ground until the training wheels are
no longer required.
CHILD SAFETY AND TRAINING WHEELS
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
install triple clamp forks on diamond construction hardtail frames. If you are unsure what type
of frame you have, or what a triple clamp fork is, consult your dealer.
Care of aluminum or carbon frame or fork
Bicycles use a variety of materials in the construction of frames and forks. If you have purchased a
bicycle frame or fork of aluminum or carbon fiber composite, your frame or fork may require special
attention in its care and maintenance. See page 26 for information about your frame or fork.
