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Chapter 1:
pter 1:
pter 1:
pter 1:
pter 1: R
R
R
R
Read me Fir
ead me Fir
ead me Fir
ead me Fir
ead me First!
st!
st!
st!
st!
Always wear an ANSI or Snell approved helmet
Yes, with their lower center of gravity and feet-first position, re-
cumbents are significantly safer than upright bicycles. You still
need to protect your most valuable body part. Modern bicycle
helmets are light, cool, and offer lifesaving protection.
Check your bike carefully before each ride
Spend a few moments before each ride inspecting your VISION
for problems.
*Check all the nuts, bolts and other fasteners to make sure none
are loose.
*The tires should be inflated to the pressure moulded on the
sidewall, and free of cuts or imperfections.
*The wheel quick release skewers should be clamped shut with
at least 20 pounds (14kgf) of force, and a sharp blow to the top of
the tire should not knock the wheel loose. Study the quick release
skewer operation diagram - the skewer handle has a curve in it
that will face the tire when properly closed. The skewer nut sets
the tension of the system; it should be adjusted so that it takes
20-45 pounds of force to close the handle as shown. Generally,
proper adjustment is achieved when the nut is set so that the handle
starts to resist movement about 1/2 way through it's travel.
Open
Close here
with 20 - 45
lbs force
Rotate here to
tighten/loosen
Skewer
Handle
Skewer
Nut
Wheel / Seat Skewer Operation
Closed
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you’re not about to take a long ride on a short pier—practice
swinging your head to the left and right, taking quick glances
behind you. The first time you do this you will inevitably shift
your weight and hand position, causing the bike to swerve. Don’t
panic, this is why we are practicing in the park instead of a con-
gested street. While many riders like to use a helmet or bicycle
mounted mirror—and we sell a beautiful unit that mounts onto
the handlebar, see Chapter four of this manual—it’s important to
be able to actually look around behind you. This not only gives
you options on checking out traffic, but practicing this will in-
crease your skills and confidence on the bike.
At this point you should be feeling pretty good about life, zoom-
ing along nice and comfortable, relaxed and thinking about how
much fun you are going to have on this thing. Well don’t get too
cocky yet. Before you hit the open road there are a some more
exercises you should do. Practice circling, both to the right and
to the left. Start out with gentle curves, and progress to tighter
and tighter radius “U” turns. You should really try to master turn-
ing slowly in as tight a curve as possible quite a few times, this
gets you ready for the real world of poor directions and detours.
If you find yourself wobbling or jerking the handlebars around,
you are probably too tense. Relax, let your hands grasp the bars
in a light but firm manner. Let your shoulders droop, relax your
neck, don’t “death-clench” your teeth. Once you relax you will
have more control over the bike.
Next, you should practice using the brakes. Stop and take off a
few times, getting a feel for how much pressure on the lever it
takes to slow down or stop the bike. Remember to always use
both brakes together, with gentle pressure at first to stop the bike
smoothly. Drop both your feet to the pavement while giving the
brakes the final squeeze to stop the bike. Lean forward a bit and
stand up, while reaching behind you for the seat frame to steady
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Chapter 3:
pter 3:
pter 3:
pter 3:
pter 3: Riding the
Riding the
Riding the
Riding the
Riding the VISION
VISION
VISION
VISION
VISION