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5.0 Riding your ICE B1
We recommend the use of ‘clipless’ pedals. There is more information in section 8 of this manual. They are a
safe way of attaching you feet to the pedals.
5.1 Getting on and off the bike.
Getting on
Begin by standing in beside the bike and lifting your leg over the frame in the space between the handlebars and
the seat. The handlebars will fold forward if you need a little more space. Now sit gently on the seat and pull the
handlebars towards you until they hit the stop. Try not to push or pull on the handle bars as you get on
and off.
Getting Off
This is much like getting on, but in reverse order. Sit forward on the seat and put your feet firmly on the ground.
Push the handlebars forward if you need a bit of extra space. Stand up and swing your leg over the main frame
of the bike.
5.2 Initial test ride
Start on a flat piece of road or path preferably away from traffic. Sit on the bike and make sure you know where
the brakes are and that they stop you from moving. Don’t clip into the pedals until you are comfortable stopping
and starting the bike. Put one foot up on the pedals and start off with a confident push. Before you have ridden
more than a few yards, check the front brakes. MAKE SURE YOU CAN STOP! You should do this before
each ride, as well as checking your brakes for damage and wear.
Steering is very easy and natural and you will soon become unaware of the movements required. Many
beginners find the bike to be ‘twitchy’ or unstable, but this is usually the case of the rider providing too much
steering input to the handlebars. Try holding the bars lightly between your fingers and thumbs, it doesn’t require
a death-grip to control the bike.
Gear changing - As with any derailleur system you can only change gear when you are pedalling and moving
forward. It is easier to change gear if you are not putting a lot of force on the pedals, particularly when changing
from a high to a low gear. The rear derailleur is operated by the right shifter, and the front using the left shifter.
You should not try to change into the lowest gear (largest rear sprocket) unless you are on the middle or lowest
(smallest) chain wheel, because the chain will put strain on the rear derailleur.
TIP - Try to get into the habit of not crossing over the gears at the
extremes – don’t run on the biggest chain ring and the biggest rear
sprocket or the smallest chain ring and the smallest rear sprocket. This
will help prolong the life of the transmission. Also try to anticipate hills
and change to a lower (easier) gear before you get onto the steep part of
the hill hence avoiding changing gear under pressure.
Do not change gear when the bike is rolling backwards, as the chain will jam in the rear derailleur and likely
damage it. When you are riding, you can make minor adjustments to the indexing of the gears using the
adjusters located where the cables exit the shifters.
5.3 Stopping in a low gear
As with any bicycle it is best to get into the habit of shifting into an easier gear as you slow down to stop, so that
you can pull away easily when you start again.
5.4 Relax
Whilst riding sit back and relax. DO NOT PULL ON THE HANDLEBARS; just hold them lightly. The bike will
tend to steer itself in a straight line depending on the road surface and camber.
TIP – The steering of the bike runs on ball bearings so it is very smooth and
requires minimal effort to steer. Like all recumbent bicycles, it is almost
impossible to steer no-handed. This is normal and we do not recommend
riding without holding at least one of the handle bars or you will not have
proper control of the bike.
Summary of Contents for B1
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