Currier Tech Ezip, Owner'S Manual, Page: 113 / 123

113
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Brakes are designed to control your speed, not just to stop the bike. Maximum braking force for each wheel occurs at the
point just before the wheel “locks up” (stops rotating) and starts to skid. Once the tire skids, you actually lose most of your
stopping force and all directional control. You need to practice slowing and stopping smoothly without locking up a wheel.
The technique is called progressive brake modulation. Instead of jerking the brake lever to the position where you think you’ll
generate appropriate braking force, squeeze the lever, progressively increasing the braking force. If you feel the wheel begin
to lock up, release pressure just a little to keep the wheel rotating just short of lockup. It’s important to develop a feel for the
amount of brake lever pressure required for each wheel at different speeds and on different surfaces. To better understand this,
experiment a little by walking your bike and applying different amounts of pressure to each brake lever, until the wheel locks.
WaRninG: Some bicycle brakes, such as linear-pull and disc brakes, are extremely powerful. You should take extra care
in becoming familiar with these brakes and exercise particular care when using them. Applying these brakes too hard or
too suddenly can lock up a wheel, which could cause you to lose control and fall.
When you apply one or both brakes, the bike begins to slow, but your body wants to continue at the speed at which it was
going. This causes a transfer of weight to the front wheel (or, under heavy braking, around the front wheel hub, which could
send you flying over the handlebars). A wheel with more weight on it will accept greater brake pressure before lockup; a wheel
with less weight will lock up with less brake pressure. So, as you apply brakes and your weight shifts forward, you need to shift
your body toward the rear of the bike, to transfer weight back on to the rear wheel; and at the same time, you need to both
decrease rear braking and increase front braking force. This is even more important on steep descents, because descents shift
weight forward. The keys to effective speed control and safe stopping are controlling wheel lockup and weight transfer. Practice
braking and weight transfer techniques where there is no traffic or other hazards and distractions.
Everything changes when you ride on loose surfaces or in wet weather. Tire adhesion is reduced, so the wheels have less
cornering and braking traction and can lock up with less brake force. Moisture or dirt on the brake shoes reduces their ability to
grip. The way to maintain control on loose or wet surfaces is to go more slowly to begin with.
2. adjusting your brakes
If either brake lever on your bike fails the Mechanical Safety Check you can restore brake lever travel by turning the brake
cable adjusting barrel counterclockwise, then lock the adjustment in by turning the barrel’s lock nut clockwise as far as it will go.
If the lever still fails the Mechanical Safety Check, or you have any question about whether your brakes are working properly
have your dealer check the brakes.
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