5
GENERAL RIDING INFORMATION
Riding a bicycle can be dangerous. You must keep this in mind and be cautious at all times.
See and be seen. Use lights and reflective clothing in low light conditions.
Always wear a helmet when riding. It can save your life.
Always conduct a pre-ride check (detailed information can be found further in this manual).
Never ride the bicycle if you observe any technical problems or have any doubts about the proper
functioning of any elements in the bicycle.
Keep the bike clean and well maintained.
Carry a pump, spare inner tube, patch kit, and a basic tool kit - you may need this in the case of a flat
tire of other common mechanical problem that is usually easy to fix if you have the right tools. Ask your
dealer for advice on this issue.
If your bicycle is equipped with gears, you can choose a gear combination that is most comfortable for
the riding conditions.Gears will allow you to maintain a constant rate of pedaling. Use lower gears for
going uphill and higher gears for going downhill. Ease up on your pedaling pressure when you shift
gears. Ask your dealer to give you more advice on this issue.
Be careful with the brakes - they can be powerful and if activated too aggressively, may cause a crash.
You should spend some time to get a better feel of the brakes on a side road or empty parking lot before
the first ride. Avoid riding too fast, especially downhill. It is easy to loose control of the bicycle and crash
at high speeds, and also you will find it very difficult to slow down especially if the hill is steep.
If your bike has been equipped with suspension, the increased speed you may develop will also increase
the risk of injury. For example, front of the bike may dive on the suspension fork while hard braking. You
can easily lose control and fall if you are not prepared for this. Please, learn how to operate your suspen-
sion system safely.
Thanks to the suspension the wheels can follow the terrain better, which improves control and comfort.
This improved capacity may provide opportunity for riding faster, but you should be careful not to mistake
the enhanced capabilities of the bicycle for your own riding skills. Improving skills takes time and
practice.
Protect your bike from theft. Purchase a lock and never leave your bike unlocked while unattended, even
if you are planning to be away from it for just a few minutes.