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ever ride a bike if you are not
certain the brakes are working
properly, or you if suspect a
problem with the brake cables
or hydraulic hose.
Malfunctioning brakes can
cause you to lose control and
fall. Inspect the brakes
thoroughly before every ride. If
your brakes are not working
properly, re-adjust them or take
the bike to your dealer for
service.
Figure 5- Brake pad alignment
A- Brake pad aligned with rim
surface
B- Pad and rim should be
parallel
C- Direction of rim rotation
D- 0.5-1.0 mm toe-in
Disc brakes and discs get very
hot during use and could burn
skin. Also, the disc edges may
be sharp and could cut skin.
Avoid touching the disc or disc
brake when hot, or when
rotating.
threaded through the ends of the frame or fork. For information about adjustment and
closure of the wheel attachment devices on your bicycle, see Chapter 3.
Test for proper wheel attachment. Pick up the bike and sharply hit the top of the tire
(Figure 4). The wheel must not come off, be loose, or move from side to side. Further
tests are provided in
Check the tire inflation
Inflate the tires to the air pressure recommended on the tire sidewalls.
Check the brakes
Follow the inspection instructions for the type of brake
on your bike:
Hand-rim brake- a hand lever connected to the brake
by a cable causes the brake pads to squeeze the rim.
When the brakes are not applied, the brake pads
should be 1 to 2 mm from the rim.
Squeeze each brake lever toward the handlebar to
make sure the brake moves freely and stops the bike.
If the brake lever can be pulled to the handlebar, the
brake is too loose. If the brake pads are too close to
the rim, the brake is too tight. Brake pads should be
aligned with the rim surface (Figure 5).
Disc brake- a hand lever connected to the brake
by a cable or hydraulic hose squeezes a disc
mounted on the wheel hub.
Squeeze each brake lever toward the handlebar to
make sure the brake moves freely and stops the
bike. If the brake lever can be pulled to the
handlebar, the brake is too loose. The brake pads
should be 0.25-0.75 mm away from the disc when
the brakes are not applied. If the pads are too
close, the brake is too tight, or mis-aligned.