Cannondale Synapse Carbon, Owner'S Manual

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44
PaRt ii
RidinG at niGht, dUsk, daWn
WaRninG
RidinG at niGht/dUsk oR at daWn is veRy
hazaRdoUs.
avoid riding at night. if you
choose to ride at night:
■
Install front and rear lights.
■
Install a blinker or strobe light.
■
Check your state or national laws. Lights
are required for riding at dusk, night, or
dawn.
■
Wear reflective clothing.
■
Stay alert, others may not see you.
■
Make sure your bicycle is equipped with
all required reflectors, lights, strobes, or
blinkers.
Required Reflectors
The location and type of each reflector on your
bike is required by a national authority, in the US,
the US Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC). Your Cannondale bike must be delivered
with: 1. A front mounted forward facing reflector
2. A rear mounted, rear facing reflector, 3. A
spoke mounted reflector on each wheel, 4. Front
and rear facing reflectors on the left and right
pedal.
do not Remove, BloCk, oR CoveR
RefleCtoRs.
much higher Risks at night
The risk of an accident, particularly being struck
by a motor vehicle, is much higher at night. If
you choose to accept this higher risk, improve
your odds with a proper lighting system,
strobe light, light colored reflective clothing
and careful riding. Seek the advice of an
experienced bicycle commuter at your retailer.
mountain Biking at night
Mountain biking at night is risky. Take the
challenges outlined in SECTION C. and add
another level of difficulty and risk. Seeing
the terrain is much more difficult at night.
Mountain biking at night is only for skilled
mountain bikers, on familiar terrain, with
excellent light systems, riding with other skilled
mountain bikers, and riding cautiously.
adding lighting
RefleCtoRs aRe not a sUBstitUte foR
PRoPeR liGhts. it is yoUR ResPonsiBility
to eQUiP yoUR BiCyCle With all national,
state and loCally mandated liGhts.
Riding at dawn, at dusk, at night or at other
times of poor visibility without a bicycle
lighting system which meets local and state
laws and without reflectors is dangerous
and may result in serious injury or death.
If you ride your bike before dawn or after
dusk, your bicycle must be equipped with
lights so that you can see the road and avoid
road hazards, and so that others can see
you. Traffic laws treat bicycles like any other
vehicle. That means you must have a white
front and a red rear light operating if you
are riding after dusk. Your bike dealer can
recommend a battery or generator powered
lighting system appropriate to your needs.
flashing (blinker) and strobe lighting
Cannondale also strongly urges you to
use a flashing light or strobe. All of us at
Cannondale who ride at night or in conditions
of lower visibility use flashers. They can
save your life. (Yeah, we know there may
be legal issues with flashers in some areas.
They can save your life. Enough said.)