1. Break-in Period: Your trike will last longer and work better if you break it in before
riding it hard. Control cables and wheel spokes may stretch or “seat” when a new trike
is first used and may require readjustment by your dealer. Your Mechanical Safety
Check (Section 1.C) will help you identify some things that need readjustment. But
even if everything seems fine to you, it’s best to take your trike back to the dealer or a
bike mechanic for a checkup. Dealers typically suggest you bring the trike in for a 30
day checkup. Another way to judge when it’s time for the first checkup is to bring the
trike in after three to five hours of hard off-road use, or about 10 to 15 hours of on-
road or more casual off-road use. But if you think something is wrong with the trike,
take it to your dealer before riding it again.
2. Before every ride: Mechanical Safety Check (Section
1.C
)
4. After every long or hard ride or after every 10 to 20 hours of riding:
• Squeeze the front brake and rock the trike forward and back. Everything feel solid?
If you feel a clunk with each forward or backward movement of the trike, you
probably have a loose headset. Have your dealer check it.
• Lift the front wheel off the ground and swing it from side to side. Feel smooth? If
you feel any binding or roughness in the steering, you may have a tight headset.
Have your dealer check it.
• Take a look at the brake funbction. Starting to look worn or not hitting the wheel
rim squarely? Time to have the dealer adjust or replace them.
• If so, have your dealer replace them.
• Squeeze each adjoining pair of spokes on either side of each wheel between your
thumb and index finger. Do they all feel about the same? If any feel loose, have your
dealer check the wheel for tension and trueness.
• Check the tires for excess wear, cuts or bruises. Have your dealer replace
them if necessary.
• check the wheel rims for excess wear, dings, dents and scratches. Consult
your dealer if you see any rim damage.
• Check to make sure that all parts and accessories are still secure, and
tighten any which are not.
• Check the frame, particularly in the area around all tube joints; the handlebars; the
stem; for any deep scratches, cracks or discoloration. These are signs of stress-caused
fatigue and indicate that a part is at the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced.
See also Appendix B.
WARNING: Like any mechanical device, a Trike and its components
are subject to wear and stress. Different materials and mechanisms
wear or fatigue from stress at different rates and have different life
cycles. If a component’s life cycle is exceeded, the component can
suddenly and catastrophically fail, causing serious injury or death to
the rider. Scratches, cracks, fraying and discoloration are signs of
stress- caused fatigue and indicate that a part is at the end of its
useful life and needs to be replaced. While the materials and
workmanship of your Trike or of individual components may be
covered by a warranty for a specified period of time by the
manufacturer, this is no guarantee that the product will last the term
of the warranty. Product life is often related to the kind of riding you
do and to the treatment to which you submit the Trike. The Trike’s
Summary of Contents for Commuter 2.3
Page 30: ...Connect Mainframe ...
Page 31: ...Handle Bar Connection ...
