MERIDA USERS MANUAL
Page 5
4. Practice shifting the gears. Remember to never move the
shifter while pedaling backward.
5. Check out the handling and response of the bike; and
check the comfort.
6. If you have any questions, or if you feel anything about
the bike is not as it should be, take the bike back to your
dealer for advice.
2g. RIDING AN ELECTRIC BIKE
Riding an electric bike is similar to riding a non-electric bike
but there are some differences to note. An electric bike is
heavier and requires more time to stop (see section 5e for
information on braking). Your bike is also equipped with a
powerful motor that provides a boost most noticeable
when starting from a stop, riding uphill or into a headwind.
The assist tapers off at approximately 15 mph. The boost is
exhilarating, but you must be comfortable with the sensa-
tion before riding in crowded or congested areas. To maxi-
mize battery life pedal faster, to maximize boost pedal
slower. Your battery is a finite resource and proper mainte-
nance will prolong its performance and usability.
CAUTION: The bike will accelerate rapidly from a stand
still. Also, the motor will continue to drive the bike for 3
seconds after you stop pedaling. Leave extra room for
all starts and stops.
3. SAFETY
3a. THE BASICS
1. Always wear a cycling helmet,
which meets the latest certification
standards. Follow the helmet
manufacturer’s instructions for fit, use
and care of your helmet. Most serious
bicycle injuries involve head injuries
that might have been avoided if the
rider had worn a helmet.
WARNING: Failure to wear a
helmet when riding may result in
serious injury or death.
2. Always do the Mechanical Safety Check (Section 2d)
before you get on a bike.
3. Be thoroughly familiar with the controls of your bicycle:
brakes (Section 5e), pedals (Section 5h) and shifting (Sec-
tion 5a)
4. Be careful to keep body parts and other objects away from
the sharp teeth of chainrings; the moving chain; the turning
pedals and cranks; and the spinning wheels of your bicycle.
5. Always wear:
•
Shoes that will stay on your feet and will grip the ped-
als. Never ride barefoot or while wearing sandals.
•
Bright, visible clothing that is not so loose that it can be
tangled in the bicycle or snagged by objects at the side
of the road or trail.
• Protective eyewear, to protect against airborne dirt, dust
and bugs — tinted when the sun is bright, clear when it’s
not.
6. Don’t jump with your bike. Jumping a bike, particularly a
BMX or mountain bike, can be fun; but it puts incredible
stress on everything from your spokes to your pedals. Rid-
ers who insist on jumping their bikes risk serious damage,
to their bicycles as well as to themselves.
7. Ride at a speed appropriate for conditions. Increased
speed means higher risk.
3b. RIDING SAFETY
1. Observe all local bicycle laws and regulations. Observe
regulations about licensing of bicycles, riding on sidewalks,
laws regulating bike path and trail use, and so on. Observe
helmet laws, child carrier laws and special bicycle traffic
laws. It’s your responsibility to know and obey the laws.
2. You are sharing the road or the path with others — mo-
torists, pedestrians and other cyclists. Respect their rights.
3. Ride defensively. Always assume that others do not see
you.
4. Look ahead, and be ready to avoid:
•
Vehicles slowing or turning, entering the road or your
lane ahead of you, or coming up behind you.
•
Parked car doors opening.
•
Pedestrians stepping out.
•
Children or pets playing near the road.
•
Pot holes, sewer grating, railroad tracks, expansion joints,
road or sidewalk construction, debris and other obstruc-
tions that could cause you to swerve into traffic, catch
your wheel or otherwise cause you to lose control and
have an accident.
•
The many other hazards and distractions which can
occur on a bicycle ride.
5. Ride in designated bike lanes, on designated bike paths
or as close to the edge of the road as possible.
6. Stop at stop signs and traffic lights; slow down and look
both ways at street intersections. Remember that a bicycle
always loses in a collision with a motor vehicle; so be pre-
pared to yield even if you have the right of way.
7. Use approved hand signals for turning and stopping.
8. Never ride with headphones. They mask traffic sounds
and emergency vehicle sirens, distract you from concen-
