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Wheels and tires
The wheel consists of hub, spokes and rim.
The tire is mounted onto the rim so that it
encases the tube. There is a rim tape run-
ning around the base of the rim to protect the
sensitive tube against the spoke nipples and
the edges of the rim base, which are often
sharp.
. The wheels
The wheels are subject to considerable stress
through the weight of the rider and his or her
baggage as well as through bumpy road sur-
faces or ground. Although wheels are manu-
factured with great care and delivered accu-
rately trued, this does not prevent the spokes
and nipples from losing a little tension on the
first kilometres. Ask your MERIDA dealer to
true up the wheels after you have run them in
over around 200 to 400 kilometres. Check the
wheels regularly after running them in. It will
rarely be necessary to tighten the spokes.
. Tires, tubes, rim tape, valves,
tire pressure
The tires provide the friction needed for carry-
ing the bike forward on the riding surface.
At the same time they should afford minimum
rolling friction and enhance the rider’s com-
fort by absorbing small shocks. The suitability
of a tire for road surfaces or cross-country
cycling is determined by its inner structure,
also referred to as its carcass, as well as by
the type of tire profile. Your MERIDA dealer
will be pleased to help you choose among the
numerous different types available for various
cycling purposes.
If you want to replace a tire, you need to
know the dimensions of the old tire. These
are written on the side of the tire. There are
two designations, the more precise of which
uses millimetres. The number sequence 37-
622 means that the tire is 37 mm wide when
fully inflated and has an inner diameter of
622 millimetres. The other designation for this
tire reads 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8, which refers
to inches.
Only use tires of the appropriate
diameter. If you mount a bigger tire,
there may be a danger of your foot colliding
with the front wheel – risk of accident!
