Giant Model Year 2002 owner manual Mechanical safety checks

3.4.2 Reflectors

Reflectors are important safety devices which are designed as an integral part of Lafree. The reflectors are designed to pick up and reflect street lights and car lights in a way that helps you to be seen and recognised as a moving bicyclist.

Caution: Check reflectors regularly to make sure that they are clean, straight, unbroken and securely mounted. Have your dealer replace damaged reflectors and straighten or tighten any that are bent or loose.

3.4.3 Helmet

Our advice is to wear a good quality helmet at all times whilst riding your bike.

3.5 Mechanical safety checks

3.5.1 Nuts & bolts

Inspect the bike closely from front to rear for any obvious signs of worn or broken components. Grasp the handlebar with both hands and lift the front wheel off the ground 5-10 cm. (two or three inches), then let it drop firmly on the ground while still holding the handlebar. If anything sounds, feels or looks loose, do a quick visual and tactile inspection of the whole bike. Try to find the source of noise or any obvious loose components, and secure them. If you’re not sure, ask someone with experience to check, or take your Lafree Twist to your authorised Lafree dealer.

3.5.2 Tyres & wheels

Check proper tyre inflation by placing your hand directly on top of each tyre individually. With a straight arm and direct downward pressure, push on the tyre with downward body weight and watch the spot where the tyre is contacting the ground. There should be very little tyre compression. If your tyres need inflating, use a standard bicycle floor pump (see section 6.6.1: “Tyres”). If you must use a high-volume compressor like those found at automotive service stations, add air in small amounts as these compressors are designed to fill auto tyres which have much larger volumes than bicycle tyres. Adding too much pressure all at once could cause the inner tube to explode, which can cause severe damage to the tyre and serious injury.

Spin each wheel slowly and look for cuts in the tyre’s tread and side wall. Replace damaged tyres before riding the bike.

Spin each wheel and check for brake clearance and side-to-side wobble of the rim. If a wheel wobbles side to side or contacts the brake shoes, take the bike to a qualified bike shop to have the wheel aligned.

CAUTION:

Wheels must be “true” (aligned) for the brakes to work effectively. Wheel truing is a skill which requires special tools and experience. Do not attempt to true a wheel unless you have the knowledge and tools needed to do the job correctly.

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