I.
Introduction: A word about this Owner’s Manual and your
safety…
Dear Customer, (And anyone else that looks at this page…)
We like you a lot. You bought our bike! For geeky engineering and electric bike people
like us-- that makes you one of our favorite people. Thanks!
Preventing injury is what reading this manual is all about.
Cycling (electric or otherwise) can be a hazardous activity, no matter what type of
bicycle you ride. Traffic, weather, distractions, and many other factors can endanger you
while using any type of bicycle or vehicle. Mistakes and accidents (and bad luck) can
lead to severe injury or death. (We hate those words, but they must be said.).
Electric bikes have several kinds of energy and one of them is kinetic energy. This means
that when the bike (and rider, and stuff attached to the bike) is in motion, it tends to stay
in motion, and if you make a mistake piloting the vehicle, or failed to maintain the bike,
kinetic energy is going to slam you into something – a car, the pavement, etc. (Cars have
kinetic energy also – a lot more that bikes do! So caution around cars is a first priority.)
We have worked hard to provide a quality product, well designed and free from defects.
That’s our responsibility. You have a responsibility also – learn how to operate your new
bike safely and correctly. Keep it in good shape by maintaining it and making sure that
anyone who uses it knows how to operate it safely.
Please take the time to read and understand the following warnings and cautions.
Throughout this manual we will attempt to reinforce the guidelines that we have
summarized below. This is important. If your bike is used by others, please show this
section to them so that they are aware of these important guidelines to help avoid
accidents and reduce the severity of injuries when they occur. Thank you.
•
Helmets
: There is no single factor that works better at reducing the severity of
injuries sustained in bicycle accidents more than a quality bicycle helmet. Please
don’t ever ride your bike without one. You won’t look like a geek; you’ll look
like someone who cares about himself. (Lance Armstrong does NOT look like a
geek, and he is usually seen in a helmet.)
•
It’s not a tandem
: Your bike was engineered to carry one (1), [that is a single
rider,] person safely. The rack on the back is for luggage or a battery, not your
buddy. Overloading the bike with a second rider is a bad idea that can lead to
severe injury or death! (Yeah, the bad words again.) Not to mention the fact that
you will severely impact the performance of the bike. Talk your buddy into
buying his own Tres Terra Bike.
4
