10
SECTION: II Safety
that moves will help you get the attention of approaching motorists,
pedestrians and other traffic.
4.
Make sure your clothing or anything you may be carrying on the
bicycle does not obstruct a reflector or light.
While riding at dawn, at dusk or at night:
1.
Ride slowly.
2.
Avoid dark areas and areas of heavy or fast-moving traffic.
3.
Avoid road hazards.
4.
If possible, ride on familiar routes.
F. Downhill or Competition Biking
If you ride downhill at speed or in competition, you voluntarily assume an
increased risk of injury or death. When riding downhill, you can reach
speeds seen on motorcycles, and therefore face similar hazards and risks.
Have your bicycle and equipment carefully inspected by a qualified
mechanic and be sure it is in perfect condition. Consult with expert riders
and race officials on conditions and equipment advisable at the site where
you plan to ride. For mountain biking, wear appropriate safety gear,
including an approved full face helmet, full finger gloves, and body armor.
Ultimately, it is
your
responsibility to have proper equipment and to be
familiar with course conditions.
WARNING:
High-speed downhill or competition riding can lead to serious
accidents. Wear appropriate safety gear and be sure your bike is properly
maintained. Even with state-of-the-art protective safety gear, you could be
seriously injured or killed when riding downhill at speed or in competition.
G. Changing Components or Adding Accessories
There are many components and accessories available to enhance the
comfort, performance and appearance of your bicycle. However, if you
change components or add accessories, you do so at your own risk. The
bicycle’s manufacturer may not have tested that component or accessory
for compatibility, reliability or safety on your bicycle. Before installing any
component or accessory, including a different size tire, make sure that it is
compatible with your bicycle by checking with your dealer. Be sure to read,
understand and follow the instructions that accompany the products you
purchase for your bicycle.
WARNING:
Failure to confirm compatibility, properly install, operate and
maintain any component or accessory can result in serious injury or death.
CAUTION:
Changing the components on your bike may void the warranty.
Refer to your warranty, and check with your dealer before changing the
components on your bike.
b. Shifting the Rear Derailleur
The rear derailleur is controlled by
the right shifter. The function of
the rear derailleur is to move the
drive chain from one gear sprocket
to another. The smaller sprockets
on the gear cluster produce higher
gear ratios. Pedaling in the higher
gears requires greater pedaling ef-
fort, but takes you a greater dis-
tance with each revolution of the
pedal cranks. The larger sprockets
produce lower gear ratios. Using
them requires less pedaling effort,
but takes you a shorter distance
with each pedal crank revolution.
Moving the chain from a smaller
sprocket of the gear cluster to a
larger sprocket results in a down-
shift. Moving the chain from a
larger sprocket to a smaller sprocket
results in an upshift. In order for
the derailleur to move the chain
from one sprocket to another, the
rider must be pedaling forward.
c. Shifting the Front Derailleur:
The front derailleur, which is controlled by the left shifter,
shifts the chain between the larger and smaller chainrings.
Shifting the chain onto a smaller chainring makes pedaling
easier (a downshift). Shifting to a
larger chainring makes pedaling
harder (an upshift).
d. Which gear should I be in?
The combination of largest rear and
smallest front gears (Fig. 21) is for
the steepest hills. The smallest rear
and largest front combination (Fig.
21) 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 abil-
ity — a gear which is hard enough
for quick acceleration but easy
enough to let you start from a stop
without wobbling — and experi-
ment with upshifting and down-
shifting to get a feel for the different
gear combinations. At first, practice
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
SECTION: IV Tech
23
Fig. 21
