Giant 2002 Motorized Bicycle 3.5Mechanicalsafetychecks, Helmet, Nuts & bolts, Tyres & wheels

3.4.3 Helmet

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

3.5Mechanicalsafetychecks

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.

3.5.3 Brakes

Squeeze the brake levers. Brake levers should engage brake shoes at approximately half way through their arc, or within about

2.5cm. (an inch) of handlebar grip. To check proper brake lever travel, encircle the hand grip with your thumb and forefinger, then squeeze the brake lever with the remaining three fingers of each hand. If you can squeeze the levers so that they touch your forefinger, you should have a qualified service centre adjust your brakes.

Make sure that the brake’s brake shoes are contacting the rim’s braking surface fully (see fig. 15). Also check that the shoes are not coming into contact with the tyre’s side wall whilst applying the brake. Riding the bike with brake shoes contacting the side wall can cause the tyre to be damaged and the inner tube to puncture, which may cause you to lose control and fall. Do not ride the bike until the brakes are properly adjusted. See section 6.4: “Brakes” for details.

WARNING:

Riding with improperly adjusted brakes or

worn brake shoes is dangerous and can result

in serious injury.

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