53
When riding downhill, get used to braking hard
(a)
and then releasing
the brake again, whenever the road surface and the situation allows for
it. If you are in doubt about the braking action, stop and let the brake
system cool down.
G
The assignment of brake lever to brake calliper can vary,
e.g. left lever acts on front brake. Have a look at the bicycle
card and check whether the brake lever of the front brake
is on the side you are used to (right or left)
(b)
. If it is not,
ask your WHEELER bicycle dealer to switch the brake levers
before you set off for the first time.
G
Be careful while getting used to the brakes. Practise emer-
gency stops in a place clear of traffic until you are comfort-
able controlling your WHEELER bicycle. This can save you
from having accidents.
G
Wet weather reduces your braking power and the road grip
of the tyres. Be aware of longer stopping distances when
riding in the rain, reduce your speed and actuate the brakes
carefully.
G
Ensure that the braking surfaces and brake pads are abso-
lutely free of wax, grease and oi
(c)
.
risk of accidents!
A
When replacing any parts be sure to only use parts that
bear the appropriate mark and, to be on the safe side, origi-
nal spare parts
(d)
. Your WHEELER bicycle dealer will be
pleased to help you.
RIM BRAKES
V-Brakes
operation and Wear
V-brakes
(e)
have two brake arms mounted separately on either side
of the rim. When actuating the brake lever, both arms are pressed to-
gether by the cable, the pads touching the rim.
The friction generated by braking causes wear to the brake pads as
well as to the rims. Frequent rides in the rain and dirt and over hilly
terrain can accelerate wear on both braking surfaces. Some rims are
provided with wear indicators, e.g. grooves or circular indentations. If
the rim is worn down to the point where the grooves or indentations are
no longer visible, it needs to be replaced. Once the abrasion of the rim
has reached a certain critical point, the rim may break under the tyre
pressure. This can make the wheel jam or the inner tube burst, both of
which can cause an accident!
danger of an accident!
Functional Check
Check whether the brake pads
(f)
are accurately aligned with the rims
and still sufficiently thick. You can judge the wear of the brake pads by
the appearance of grooves. If the pads are worn down to the bottom
of the grooves
(g)
, it is time to replace them. Be sure to observe the
according instructions of the respective manufacturer.
See your WHEELER bicycle dealer and ask them to examine the remain-
ing thickness of the rims when you have worn through your second set
of brake pads at the latest
(h)
. He has special measuring devices to
determine the remaining thickness of the rims.
The brake pads must hit the rim simultaneously, first touching it with
the front portion of their surface. At the moment of first contact the rear
portion of the pads should be a millimetre away from the rim. Viewed
from the top the brake pads form a “V“ with the trough pointing to the
front. This setting is to prevent the brake pads from screeching when
applied.
The brake lever must always remain clear of the handlebars. You should
not even be able to pull them all the way to the handlebars in the event
of an emergency stop. If this is the case, however, observe the following
chapter
“Synchronising and readjusting”
.
Only a successful passing of all these points will ensure a correctly
adjusted brake.
a
b
c
d
52
e
f
g
h
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