Items to Check
1. Check your bicycle helmet, and all riding gear (i.e. protective glasses, gloves). Make sure all are in good condition. Wear appropriate shoes for pedaling. Make sure you are wearing appropriate clothing for the ride. Do not wear loose clothing of items that could become entangle in the bicycle. If your bicycle is equipped with racks, make sure all carry items are within the weight limits and secured properly on the racks.
2. Check the seatpost and handlebar stem. Make sure both are securely fastened. Twist the handlebars firmly from side to side while holding the front wheel between your knees. The stem must not move in the steering tube. Similarly, the seatpost must be secure inside the frame seat tube, so it cannot move or twist.
View complete Folding Handlebar Instructions.
3. Check wheels and tires. Are your wheels’ properly fastened in the dropouts? Are they in good condition, no dents cracks or loose spokes? Be sure to read the "About Wheels" section in your Owner's Manual on proper operation installation of the wheels.
Check the tire pressures. Adjust tire
pressure
within the recommended range found on the tire sidewall.
Make
sure tires are undamaged in good condition. The tread should
be within wear limits.
4. Inspect your bike. See
“Inspect
for Safety” in your Owner's Manual.
5. Are you visible to motorists? If
you are riding at dusk, dawn or at night, you must make yourself
visible to motorists. Use front and rear lights and a strobe
or blinker. Reflectors alone do not provide adequate visibility.
Wear reflective clothing.
If your E-bike is equipped with drive system operated lighting (i.e brake lights, headlights, and number plate illumination) , make sure these lights are each functioning normally. Make sure the number plate is clean and readable.
6. Is it raining or wet? If
so,
be more cautious. Your braking distances will increase, and
your
tires’ grip on the road will decrease. Remember that motorists’
visibility decreases with bad weather.
7. Are your wheels true? Lift
each end of the bike and spin each wheel. Does the space
between
the brake disc and the brake pads, or the tire and the
frame, remain nearly the same size as the wheel turns? Are
your
spokes tight?
8. Check the brakes. Make
sure
both front and rear brakes are working well, functioning
normally.
Brake systems of E-bikes wear more quickly compared with
pedal
only bikes. This requires frequent inspection and replacement.
Follow the instructions in the brake system manufacturer’s
manuals.
9. Confirm the drive chain/shifting is in good condition. The
chain should be clean and well-lubricated. Chain wear of
E-bikes
is greater compared with pedal-only bikes. This requires
frequent
inspection and replacement. Make sure the bike shifts normally
through all available gears. Test in a safe areas before
riding
out.
10. Inspect condition of exposed electrical wires and cables. There
must not be any kinks, sharp bend or cuts present. You should
see no signs of binding fraying stretching or abrasive wear
occurring.
Check cables/wires at dropout ends and frame attachment point.
Wires and cables must not be in contact with any moving part
of the bicycle or they may become damaged. The drive system
or
lighting can malfunction if this happens.
11. Do you have a full battery charge? Make
sure the battery is fully charged, and mounted securely.
Follow
the drive system charging instructions. Battery charge and
discharge
capacity will decline with usage. Have an older battery replaced
when it fails to charge in the time indicated, and operate
the
drive system as normally expected.
Test the drive-assist system, make sure the drive system
functions
normally.
