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check the front brakes
.
MAKE SURE YOU CAN STOP!
You should do this before each ride, as well as
checking your brakes for damage and wear.
Steering is very easy and natural and you will soon become unaware of the movements required.
Gear changing -
As with any derailleur system you can only change gear when you are pedalling and moving
forward. It is easier to change if you are not putting a lot of force on the pedals, particularly when changing
from a high to a low gear. The rear derailleur is operated by the right shifter, and the front using the left shifter.
You should not try to change into the lowest gear (largest rear sprocket) unless you are on the middle or
lowest (smallest) chain wheel, because the chain will put strain on the rear derailleur.
TIP - Try to get into the habit of not crossing over the gears at
the extremes – don’t run on the biggest chain ring and the
biggest rear sprocket or the smallest chain ring and the smallest
rear sprocket. This will help prolong the life of the transmission.
Also try to anticipate hills and change to a lower (easier) gear
before you get onto the steep part of the hill hence avoiding
changing gear under pressure.
Do not change gear when the trike is rolling backwards, as the chain will jam in the rear derailleur and likely
damage it. When you are riding, you can make minor adjustments to the indexing of the gears using the
adjusters located where the cables exit the shifters.
4.3 Stopping in a low gear
As with an ordinary bicycle it is best to get into the habit of finishing your journey in an easy gear so that you
can pull away easily when you start again.
4.4 Relax
Whilst riding sit back and relax.
DO NOT PULL ON THE HANDLEBARS
; just hold them lightly. The trike will
tend to steer itself in a straight line depending on the road surface and camber.
TIP – The steering of the trike runs on ball bearings so it is very
smooth and requires minimal effort to steer. The gear cables run
forward and backwards and the spring effect in these cables
tend to make the trike slowly turn to the left if you let go of the
handlebars completely. This is normal and we do not recommend
riding without holding at least one of the handle bars or you will
not have proper control of the trike.
4.5 Cornering
Your trike is inherently very stable under normal riding conditions. Cornering at high speed can cause your
trike to lift a wheel, or in worse cases, roll over. Leaning into the corner can help this, and is a fun technique
that all trike riders learn.
Take care on corners which have a ‘reverse camber.’ Reverse camber is where the outside of the corner is
lower than the inside. On a corner with reverse camber, the trike will try to move to the outside of the curve,
which could take you off the edge of the road, or into the oncoming lane.
We recommend that you find a quiet smooth surfaced area (such as a car park or firm grassy field), and get a
feel for handling your trike. Try turning at various speeds to find the point where your trike starts to lift a
wheel. It is better to learn this in a quiet park than a busy street.
When you are negotiating a corner at speed, remember that your weight shifts away from the inside wheel.
You must remember that it is very easy to skid or lock the lightly loaded inside wheel, and that wheel is
contributing less to your ability to brake and steer.