owner’s manual
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GENERAL WARNING: Like any sport, cycling involves risk of injury and damage. By choosing to ride a bicycle, you assume the responsibility for that risk, so you need to know — and to practice — the rules of safe and responsible riding and of proper use and maintenance. Proper use and maintenance of your bicycle reduces risk of injury. This Manual contains many “Warnings” and “Cautions” concerning the consequences of failure to maintain or inspect your bicycle and of failure to follow safe cycling practices.
1. First NOTE: We strongly urge you to read this Manual in its entirety before your first ride. At the very least, read and make sure that you understand each point in this section, and refer to the cited sections on any issue which you don’t completely understand. Please note that not all bicycles have all of the features described in this Manual. Ask your dealer to point out the features of your bicycle. A. Bike Fit 1. Is your bike the right size? To check, see Section 3.A.
Tires & Wheels: Make sure tires are correctly inflated (see Section 4.F.1). Check by putting one hand on the saddle, one on the intersection of the handlebars and stem, then bouncing your weight on the bike while looking at tire deflection. Compare what you see with how it looks when you know the tires are correctly inflated; and adjust if necessary. Are both tires in good shape? Spin each wheel slowly and look for cuts in the tread and sidewall. Replace damaged tires before riding the bike.
pedal backwards immediately after having moved the shifter. This could jam the chain and cause serious damage to the bicycle. Check out the handling and response of the bike; and check the comfort. If you have any questions, or if you feel anything about the bike is not as it should be, consult your dealer before your next ride. 2. Safety A. The Basics WARNING: Many countries require specific safety devices.
• Pedestrians stepping out. • Children or pets playing near the road. • Pot holes, sewer grating, railroad tracks, expansion joints, road or sidewalk construction, debris and other obstructions that could cause you to swerve into traffic, catch your wheel or cause you to have an accident. • The many other hazards and distractions which can occur on a bicycle ride. 4.
WARNING: Reflectors are not a substitute for required lights. Riding at dawn, at dusk, at night or at other times of poor visibility without an adequate bicycle lighting system is dangerous and may result in serious injury or death. Bicycle reflectors are designed to pick up and reflect car lights and street lights in a way that may help you to be seen and recognized as a moving bicyclist.
your limits and always wear a helmet and other appropriate safety gear. Even with state-ofthe-art protective safety gear, you could be seriously injured or killed when riding downhill at speed or in competition. CAUTION: Bicycles and bicycle parts have limitations with regard to strength and integrity, and this type of riding can increase the likelihood of exceeding those limitations. F.
The saddle can be adjusted in three directions: 1. Up and down adjustment. To check for correct saddle height: • Sit on the saddle; • Place one heel on a pedal; • Rotate the crank until the pedal with your heel on it is in the down position and the crank arm is parallel to the seat tube. If your leg is not completely straight, your saddle height needs to be adjusted. If your hips must rock for the heel to reach the pedal, the saddle is too high.
WARNING: Some people have claimed that extended riding with a saddle which is incorrectly adjusted or which does not support your pelvic area correctly can cause short-term or longterm injury to nerves and blood vessels, or even impotence. If your saddle causes you pain, numbness or other discomfort, listen to your body and stop riding until you see your dealer about saddle adjustment or a different saddle. C.
assembly of the bicycle, and perform any adjustments required to make it fit you. It is strongly recommended that you allow your dealer to perform the assembly and fitting operations, as it requires specific knowledge of each part, appropriate tools, and understanding of the interactions of various materials. Your bicycle is a high performance machine, much like a racing car, and as such requires skilled maintenance in order to function safely and effectively.
a. Adjusting the Quick Release Mechanism The wheel hub is clamped in place by the force of the quick release cam pushing against one dropout and pulling the tension adjusting nut, by way of the skewer, against the other dropout. The amount of clamping force is controlled by the tension adjusting nut. Turning the tension adjusting nut clockwise while keeping the cam lever from rotating increases clamping force; turning it counter-clockwise while keeping the cam lever from rotating reduces clamping force.
(3) Holding the quick-release lever in the OPEN position with your right hand, tighten the tension adjusting nut with your left hand until it is finger tight against the fork dropout. (4) While pushing the wheel firmly to the top of the slots in the fork dropouts, and at the same time centering the wheel rim in the fork, move the quick-release lever upwards and swing it into the CLOSED position. The lever should now be parallel to the fork blade and curved toward the wheel.
fall. (6) If the lever cannot be pushed all the way to a position parallel to the chainstay or seatstay tube, return the lever to the OPEN position. Then turn the adjusting nut counter clockwise one-quarter turn and try tightening again. (7) Push the rear derailleur back into position.
braking and weight transfer techniques where there is no traffic or other hazards and distractions. Everything changes when you ride on loose surfaces or in wet weather. Tire adhesion is reduced, so the wheels have less cornering and braking traction and can lock up with less brake force. Moisture or dirt on the brake pads reduces their ability to grip. The way to maintain control on loose or wet surfaces is to go more slowly to begin with. D.
The front derailleur, which is controlled by the left shifter, shifts the chain between the larger and smaller chainrings. Shifting the chain onto a smaller chainring makes pedaling easier (a downshift). Shifting to a larger chainring makes pedaling harder (an upshift). d. Which gear should I be in? The combination of largest rear and smallest front gears is for the steepest hills. The smallest rear and largest front combination is for the greatest speed. It is not necessary to shift gears in sequence.
benefit with any kind of shoe, they work most effectively with cycling shoes designed for use with toeclips. Your dealer can explain how toeclips and straps work. Shoes with deep treaded soles or welts which might make it more difficult for you to remove your foot should not be used with toeclips and straps. WARNING: Getting into and out of pedals with toeclips and straps requires skill which can only be acquired with practice.
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, check inflation as described in Section 1.
non-lithium type grease. Torque wrenches with scale appropriate for the particular torque setting are strongly recommended for tightening all threaded fasteners. Vitus strongly recommends the use of carbon assembly compound/friction paste for all areas of clamping to carbon fibre, such as the seatpost to frame, the stem to fork, and the handlebar to stem joints. Benefits to using this paste include reduced corrosion potential, and a decrease in required clamping force needed to support a given load.
4. After every long or hard ride or after every 10 to 20 hours of riding: • Squeeze the front brake and rock the bike forward and back. Everything feel solid? If you feel a clunk with each forward or backward movement of the bike, you probably have a loose headset. Have your dealer check it. • Lift the front wheel off the ground and swing it from side to side. Feel smooth? If you feel any binding or roughness in the steering, you may have a tight headset. Have your dealer check it.
C. Replacement Parts: Over time due wearout of components or a desire to upgrade, it is likely that one or more components of your bicycle will need to be replaced. Please consult your dealer when choosing replacement parts – it is very important that suitable, genuine parts are selected and properly installed in order to maintain the safety and performance characteristics of your Vitus bicycle.
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