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| English
English |
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Chain Maintenance
It’s all that simple: Proper lubrication makes for enjoyable riding. What counts
is, however, not the quantity, but the distribution and regular application of lubri-
cant.
• Clean your chain from dirt and lubricant with an oily rag from time to time.
There is no need to use special degreasers.
• Having cleaned the chain as thoroughly as possible, apply chain oil, wax or
grease to the chain links.
• To lubricate the chain, drip the lubricant onto the rollers while you turn the
crank. Once this is done, turn the chain a few more times. Let the STEVENS
bicycle then rest for a few minutes so that the lubricant can disperse in the
chain.
• Finally rub off excess lubricant with a rag so that it does not spatter around or
attract dirt during riding.
Danger:
Make sure that the rotor and/or the brake pads remain free of dleaning
agent or lubricants. In case this happens nevertheless, clean the rotor
immediately with pure isopropyl alcohol. Once a brake rotor is soiled, it will
never be as effective as the original one.
Chain Wear
Although the chain is one of the wearing parts of your bicycle, there are still
ways of influencing its service life. Make sure that the chain is lubricated regularly,
especially after riding in the rain. Try to only use gears which run the chain in the
straightest line between the sprockets and chainrings and get in the habit of high
cadence pedalling. Chains running on derailleur gears are often worn out as early
as after about 1,000 to 3,000 km (600 to 1,800 miles). Heavily stretched chains
impair the operation of derailleur gears. Cycling with a worn-out chain also accel-
erates the wear of the sprockets and chainrings. Replacing these components is
relatively expensive compared with the costs of a new chain.
It is therefore advisable to check the wear condition of the chain at regular
intervals. For this purpose shift the chain on the large chainring. Take the chain
between your thumb and index finger and try to lift it off the teeth. If you can lift it
off clearly, it is seriously lengthened and probably in need of replacement.
Your STEVENS dealer has accurate measuring instruments for precise chain
inspection. Replacing the chain should be left to an expert, as some of the modern
chains are not equipped with a master link. Instead they often have a continuous
design and require special-purpose tools for mounting. If you need help, ask your
STEVENS dealer to select and mount a chain appropriate to your gear system.
Note:
For the sake of the
environment, only
use biodegradable
lubricants. Bear in
mind that some of the
lubricant can end up on
the ground, especially in
wet conditions.
Danger:
An improperly joined,
insufficiently locked or
heavily worn chain can
break and result in a fall.
Have the chain replaced
by your STEVENS dealer.
The Wheels
The wheels of your bicycle create the contact to the road or track you are
riding on. They are subject to considerable stress through the weight of rider,
the luggage and through bumpy road surfaces or ground. Although the wheels
are manufactured with great care and delivered accurately trued, this does not
prevent the spokes from losing a little tension on the first kilometres. Ask your
STEVENS dealer to true up the wheels after a short “break-in” period of about 100
to 300 kilometres (60 to 180 miles) already. Check the wheels regularly after this
“break-in” period. It will rarely be necessary to tighten the spokes.
The wheel consists of hub, spokes and rim. The tyre is mounted onto the rim
so that it encases the inner tube. There is a rim tape running around the base of
the rim to protect the sensitive inner tube against the spoke nipples and the edges
of the rim base, which are often sharp.
Tyres, Tubes, Rim Tapes, Valves, Inflation Pressure
The tyres provide grip and traction on the road which is absolutely necessary
for braking, accelerating and taking turns.
In addition, they provide smooth running and riding comfort by absorbing infe-
rior shocks. The cross-country mobility or the inclination of the road depends on
the nature of the tyre carcass and the tyre tread. As some of the requirements are
mutually exclusive, there are many different tyre types for different uses. Ask your
STEVENS dealer to inform you about the best tyre for you.
If you want to replace a tyre, you have to consider the actual size of the old
tyre. It is marked on the side of the tyre. There are two designations: One of the
sizes is the standardised size in millimetres which is more precise, the number
sequence 28-622 means that the tyre is 28 mm wide when fully inflated and has
an inner diameter of 622 millimetres. The other designation for the same tyre is
indicated in inches and reads 700c x 28 or 28 x 700c. Tyres have to be inflated to
the correct air pressure in order to work properly. Adequately inflated tyres are also
more resistant to flats. An insufficiently inflated inner tube can easily get pinched
("snake-bitten”), when it goes over a sharp kerb.
The air pressure recommended by the manufacturer is given on the side of the
tyre or on the type label. The lower limit of the two pressure specifications means
maximumg suspension comfort and is therefore best for off-road cycling. Rolling
resistance decreases with growing pressure, but so does comfort. A high tyre
pressure is therefore most suitable for riding on tarred roads. A higher pressure
hardly means a lower resistance, it only makes the tyre harder.
Conversion table for
tyre pressure psi in bar
psi
bar
45
3.1
50
3.4
55
3.8
60
4.1
65
4.5
70
4.8
75
5.2
80
5.5
85
5.9
90
6.2
95
6.6
100
6.9
