12
MAINTENANCE
The following table lists only supplemental maintenance items. Please consult your Cannondale Bicycle
Owner’s Manual for more information on basic bike maintenance. Consult with your Cannondale Dealer to
create a complete maintenance program for your riding style, components, and conditions of use. Follow
the maintenance recommendations given by the component manufacturers for the various non-Cannondale
parts of your bike.
WHAT TO DO
HOW OFTEN
CHECK CHAINS, DERAILLEURS, HEADSETS AND TIRES
on
Tandems experience greater wear and tear than on single bikes.
These items should be maintained as on your single bike, but
more frequently and more carefully.
BEFORE AND AFTER EACH
RIDE
CHECK THE STOKER HANDLEBAR SYSTEM.
See page 13.
BEFORE EVERY RIDE
TANDEM TIRE PRESSURE
is critical. Low tire pressure invites
pinch-cut flats, while high pressure improves your performance
and makes the tires last longer. Use the maximum pressure
named on the tire sidewall.
CHECK CONTROL CABLES
are critical. Because of their length on
tandems, cables are vulnerable to poor performance friction or
poor routing. Have damaged (worn, frayed, stretched, broken)
cables replaced with new ones before riding.
EVERY FEW RIDES
CHECK THE TIMING CHAIN TENSION
- The timing chain—
between the two cranksets—is unique to tandems. It stretches in
normal use, and must be kept tight. A loose timing chain can flop
sideways and snag a crank arm, or it can come off entirely. See
pages 14.
Buy a chain wear indicator to know when to replace both chains. A
tandem has a lot of expensive chainwheels and cogs, so the chain
wear indicator will quickly pay for itself.
WARNING
ANY PART OF A POORLY MAINTAINED BIKE CAN BREAK OR MALFUNCTION LEADING TO AN
ACCIDENT WHERE YOU CAN BE KILLED, SEVERELY INJURED OR PARALYZED.
Please ask your Cannondale Dealer to help you develop a complete maintenance
program, a program which includes a list of the parts on your bike for YOU to check
regularly. Frequent checks are necessary to identify the problems that can lead
to an accident.