User manual GIANT BICYCLES GIANT V8.0

[. . . ] VERSION 8. 0 WELCOME, AND CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase of a new Giant bicycle; the fun of pedaling your new Giant bicycle is only moments away. Safety First. We strongly encourage you to read through the owner's manual before you take your new Giant bicycle for a spin. By doing so you will have a greater understanding for the general operation of the various components found on your new bike. You will learn many of the components you once recognized as part of a bicycle have changed significantly. Safe riding instructions are equally important and shouldn't be overlooked. [. . . ] Instead of jerking the brake lever to the position where you think you'll generate appropriate braking force, squeeze the lever, progressively increasing the braking force. If you feel the wheel begin to lock up, release pressure just a little to keep the wheel rotating just short of lockup. It's important to develop a feel for the amount of brake lever pressure required for each wheel at different speeds and on different surfaces. To better understand this, experiment a little by walking your bike and applying different amounts of pressure to each brake lever, until the wheel locks. When you apply one or both brakes, the bike begins to slow, but your body wants to continue at the speed at which it was going. This causes a transfer of weight to the front wheel (or, under heavy braking, around the front wheel hub, which could send you flying over the handlebars). A wheel with more weight on it will accept greater brake pressure before lockup; a wheel with less weight will lock up with less brake pressure. So, as you apply brakes and your weight is transferred forward, you need to shift your body toward the rear of the bike, to transfer weight back on to the rear wheel; and at the same time, you need to both decrease rear braking and increase front braking force. This is even more important on descents, because descents shift weight forward. Two keys to effective speed control and safe stopping are controlling wheel lockup and weight transfer. This weight transfer is even more pronounced if your bike has a front suspension fork. Front suspension "dips" under braking, increasing the weight transfer (see also Section 4. F). Practice braking and weight transfer techniques where there is no traffic or other hazards and distractions. 24 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. Shifting gears Your multi-speed bicycle will have a derailleur drivetrain (see 2. below), an internal gear hub drivetrain (see 3. below) or, in some special cases, a combination of the two. How a derailleur drivetrain works If your bicycle has a derailleur drivetrain, the gear-changing mechanism will have: · a rear cassette or freewheel sprocket cluster · a rear derailleur · usually a front derailleur · one or two shifters · one, two or three front sprockets called chainrings · a drive chain a. Shifting Gears There are several different types and styles of shifting controls: levers, twist grips, triggers, combination shift/brake controls and push-buttons. Ask your dealer to explain the type of shifting controls that are on your bike, and to show you how they work. [. . . ] 2. 4 For other Giant parts (including paint and clear coat), for as far as they have not been mentioned in article 3. 1, a guarantee for the period of 2 years after date of delivery is valid. For parts of third parties the relevant guarantee conditions of that producer are valid and applicable to these parts. 2. 5 For batteries and other electronical equipment a guarantee of a year after date of delivery is valid. Article 3 Exceptions 3. 1 The guarantee does not apply to parts that are subject to normal wear and tear, such as tyres, chains, blades, brakes, cables, gearwheels in the circumstance that there are no assembly ­ or material defects. 3. 2 The guarantee lapses in the event: A. [. . . ]