frogbikes.com
Frog Bikes
Owner’s Manual
3
rd
Edition
2014
The combination of largest rear and smallest front gears is for the steepest hills.
The smallest rear and largest front combination is for the greatest speed. It is not
necessary to shift gears in sequence. Instead, find the “starting gear” which is right
for your level of ability — a gear which is hard enough for quick acceleration but
easy enough to let you start from a stop without wobbling — and experiment with
upshifting and downshifting to get a feel for the different gear combinations. At first,
practice shifting where there are no obstacles, hazards or other traffic until you’ve built
up your confidence. Learn to anticipate the need to shift, and shift to a lower gear
before the hill gets too steep. If you have difficulties with shifting, the problem could
be mechanical adjustment. See your stockist for help.
WARNING
: Never shift a derailleur onto the largest or the smallest sprocket if the
derailleur is not shifting smoothly. The derailleur may be out of adjustment and the
chain could jam, causing you to lose control and fall.
v. What if it won’t shift gears?
If moving the shift control one click repeatedly fails to result in a smooth shift to the
next gear the mechanism needs adjustment. Take the bike to your stockist to have
it adjusted.
D2. How an Internal Gear Hub Drivetrain Works
If your bike has an internal gear hub drivetrain, the gear changing mechanism will
consist of:
• a 3, 5, 7, 8, 12 speed or possibly an infinitely variable internal gear hub
• one, or sometimes two shifters
• one or two control cables
• one front sprocket called a chain-ring
• a drive chain
i. Shifting internal gear hub gears
Shifting with an internal gear hub drivetrain is simply a matter of moving the shifter to
the indicated position for the desired gear ratio. After you have moved the shifter to the
gear position of your choice, ease the pressure on the pedals for an instant to allow
the hub to complete the shift.
ii. Which gear should I be in?
The numerically lowest gear (1) is for the steepest hills. The numerically largest gear
is for the greatest speed. Shifting from an easier, “slower” gear to a harder, “faster”
gear is called an upshift. Shifting from a harder, “faster” gear to an easier, “slower”
gear is called a downshift. It is not necessary to shift gears in sequence. Instead,
find the “starting gear” for the conditions — a gear which is hard enough for quick
acceleration but easy enough to let you start from a stop without wobbling — and
experiment with upshifting and downshifting to get a feel for the different gears.
Practice shifting where there are no obstacles, hazards or other traffic until you’ve built
up your confidence. Learn to anticipate the need to shift, and shift to a lower gear
before a hill gets too steep. If you have difficulties with shifting the problem could be
mechanical. See your stockist for help.
iii. What if it won’t shift gears?
If moving the shift control one click repeatedly fails to result in a smooth shift to the
next gear the mechanism needs adjustment. Take the bike to your stockist to have
it adjusted.
iv. How to adjust a single-speed drivetrain
If your bike has a single speed drivetrain, the chain requires tension to make sure
it doesn’t come off the sprocket or chain-ring. Chain tension requires a fine-tuned
adjustment. We recommend chain tension is adjusted by your stockist.
E. Pedals
1. Toe overlap is when your toe can touch the front wheel when you turn the
handlebars to steer while a pedal is in the forwardmost position. This is common on
small-framed bikes and is avoided by keeping the inside pedal up and the outside
pedal down when making sharp turns. On any bike this technique will also prevent
the inside pedal from striking the ground in a turn.
WARNING
: BMX pedals are designed to provide greater grip capability of the
pedal tread surface than that provided by an ordinary pedal. This can result in the
pedal tread surface being very rough and containing sharp edges. To avoid injury,
riders should not ride barefoot and should always wear a pair of shoes with thick
soles to ensure adequate protection.
WARNING
: Toe overlap could cause you to lose control and fall. Ask your
stockist to help you determine if the combination of frame size, crank arm length,
pedal design and shoes you will use results in pedal overlap. Replacement of
crank arms or tyres can result in a reduction in toe overlap clearance. Whether
you have overlap or not, you must keep the inside pedal up and the outside pedal
down when making sharp turns.
2. Some bikes come equipped with pedals that have sharp and potentially dangerous
surfaces. These surfaces are designed to add safety by increasing grip between
the rider’s shoe and the pedal. If your bike has this type of high-performance pedal,
you must take extra care to avoid serious injury from the sharp surfaces. Based
on your riding style or skill level, you may prefer a less aggressive pedal design, or
chose to ride with shin pads. Your stockist can show you a number of options and
make suitable recommendations.
3. Toeclips and straps are a means to keep feet correctly positioned and engaged
with the pedals. The toeclip positions the ball of the foot over the pedal spindle,
which gives maximum pedaling power. The toe strap, when tightened, keeps the
foot engaged throughout the rotation cycle of the pedal. While toeclips and straps
give some benefit with any kind of shoe, they work most effectively with cycling
shoes designed for use with toeclips. Your stockist can explain how toeclips and
straps work. Shoes with deep treaded soles or welts which might make it more
difficult for you to insert or remove your foot should not be used with toeclips and
straps.
WARNING
: Getting into and out of pedals with toeclips and straps requires skill
which can only be acquired with practice. Until it becomes a reflex action, the
technique requires concentration which can distract your attention and cause
you to lose control and fall. Practice the use of toeclips and straps where there
are no obstacles, hazards or traffic. Keep the straps loose and don’t tighten them
until your technique and confidence in getting in and out of the pedals warrants
it. Never ride in traffic with your toe straps tight.
4/ TECHNICAL INFORMATION