User guide

24
WARNING: There is a safety risk in using gas station air hoses or other air compressors. They are
not made for bicycle tires. They move a large volume of air very rapidly, and will raise the pressure in your
tire very rapidly, which could cause the tube to explode.
Tire pressure is given either as maximum pressure or as a pressure range. How a tire performs under different
terrain or weather conditions depends largely on tire pressure. Inflating the tire to near its maximum recommended
pressure gives the lowest rolling resistance; but also produces the harshest ride. High pressures work best on
smooth, dry pavement. Very low pressures, at the bottom of the recommended pressure range, give the best
performance on smooth, slick terrain such as hard-packed clay, and on deep, loose surfaces such as deep, dry
sand. Tire pressure that is too low for your weight and the riding conditions can cause a puncture of the tube by
allowing the tire to deform sufficiently to pinch the inner tube between the rim and the riding surface.
CAUTION: Pencil type automotive tire gauges can be inaccurate and should not be relied upon for
consistent, accurate pressure readings. Instead, use a high quality dial gauge.
Ask your dealer to recommend the best tire pressure for the kind of riding you will most often do, and have the
dealer inflate your tires to that pressure. Then, visually check inflation by sitting on the saddle with your weight and
noticing your tires response. You should also squeeze tires and feel resistance so you’ll know how correctly
inflated tires should look and feel. Some tires may need to be brought up to pressure every week or two. Other high-
performance tires may also have unidirectional treads, similar to the factory tires on your G Plus Genesis: their
tread pattern is designed to work better in one direction than in the other. The sidewall marking of a unidirectional
tire will have an arrow showing the correct rotation direction. When replacing your tires with tires that are
unidirectional, be sure that they are mounted to rotate in the correct direction.
There are primarily two kinds of bicycle tube valves: The Schraeder Valve and the Presta Valve. The bicycle pump
you use must have the fitting appropriate to the valve stems on your bicycle. The G Plus Genesis uses Schraeder
valves. The Schraeder valve is like the valve on a car tire. To inflate a Schraeder valve tube, remove the valve cap
and clamp the pump fitting onto the end of the valve stem. To let air out of a Schraeder valve, depress the pin in
the end of the valve stem with the end of a key or other appropriate object. The Presta valve has a narrower
diameter and is only found on bicycle tires. To inflate a Presta valve tube using a Presta headed bicycle pump,
remove the valve cap; unscrew (counterclockwise) the valve stem lock nut; and push down on the valve stem to
free it up. Then push the pump head on to the valve head, and inflate. To inflate a Presta valve with a Schraeder
pump fitting, you’ll need a Presta adapter (available at your bike shop) which screws on to the valve stem once
you’ve freed up the valve. The adapter fits into the Schraeder pump fitting. Close the valve after inflation. To let air
out of a Presta valve, open up the valve stem lock nut and depress the valve stem.
WARNING: Patching a tube is an emergency repair. If you do not apply the patch correctly or apply
several patches, the tube can fail, resulting in possible tube failure, which could cause you to lose control
and fall. Replace a patched tube as soon as possible.
To remove a tire or tube, follow these instructions (you will need to use the tire levers included with your multi-use
tool kit):
Let all the air out from the tube of the wheel having the replacement.
Remove the wheel as described in detail in the previous sections.
Remove the inner tubes air valve cover.
Pull back the tire bead away from the rim. You will see the tube and the inside of the tire. If it requires
too high pressure to pull back the tire bead, there may be still air in the tube. Check to confirm all the
air is out of the tube.
Using the tire lever from your tool set, insert one tire lever end in between the tire bead and the rim but
make sure the tire lever is on top of the tube and you are not pinching the tube.
Slide the second tire lever about 4-6 inches to the side of the first lever. Be sure not to pinch the tube
and to confirm you have the lever on top of the tube and not under the tube. Slide the lever down the
side of the wheel between the tire bead and rim edge while lifting the tire bead and sidewall over the
rim edge.
If removing only the tube, you can now pull the tube outside the side of the tire wall. If replacing the
tube, you can now install the new tube.
If removing the tire, use the tire levers and repeat the previous steps and remove the opposite side of
the tire’s sidewall bead on the same side of the rim you removed the first tire bead. The tire may easily
come off the rim if you pull the tire bead over the edge of the rim and the tire levers may not have to be
used.