Jamis Bicycle Owner's Manual - page 6
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2. Safety
A. The Basics
WARNING: The area in which you ride may require specific safety devices. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the laws
of the area where you ride and to comply with all applicable laws, including properly equipping yourself and your bike as the law
requires.
Observe all local bicycle laws and regulations. Observe regulations about bicycle lighting, licensing of bicycles, riding on sidewalks,
laws regulating bike path and trail use, helmet laws, child carrier laws, special bicycle traffic laws. It’s your responsibility to know and
obey the laws.
1. Always wear a cycling helmet which meets the latest certification standards and is appropriate for the type of riding you
do. Always follow the helmet manufacturer’s instructions for fit, use and care of your helmet. Most serious bicycle injuries
involve head injuries which might have been avoided if the rider had worn an appropriate helmet.
WARNING: Failure to wear a helmet when riding may result in serious injury or death.
2. Always do the Mechanical Safety Check (Section 1.C) before you get on a bike.
3. Be thoroughly familiar with the controls of your bicycle: brakes (Section 4.C.); pedals (Section 4.E.); shifting (Section 4.D.)
4. Be careful to keep body parts and other objects away from the sharp teeth of chainrings, the moving chain, the turning pedals and cranks,
and the spinning wheels of your bicycle.
5. Always wear:
• Shoesthatwillstayonyourfeetandwillgripthepedals.Makesurethatshoelacescannotgetintomovingparts,andneverride
barefoot or in sandals.
• Bright,visibleclothingthatisnotsoloosethatitcanbetangledinthebicycleorsnaggedbyobjectsatthesideoftheroadortrail.
• Protectiveeyewear,toprotectagainstairbornedirt,dustandbugs—tintedwhenthesunisbright,clearwhenit’snot.
6. Don’t jump with your bike. Jumping a bike, particularly a BMX or mountain bike, can be fun; but it can put huge and unpredictable stress on
the bicycle and its components. Riders who insist on jumping their bikes risk serious damage, to their bicycles as well as to themselves.
Before you attempt to jump, do stunt riding or race with your bike, read and understand Section 2.F.
7. Ride at a speed appropriate for conditions. Higher speed means higher risk.
D. First ride
When you buckle on your helmet and go for your first familiarization ride on your new bicycle, be sure to pick a controlled environment, away
from cars, other cyclists, obstacles or other hazards. Ride to become familiar with the controls, features and performance of your new bike.
Familiarize yourself with the braking action of the bike (see Section 4.C). Test the brakes at slow speed, putting your weight toward the rear and
gently applying the brakes, rear brake first. Sudden or excessive application of the front brake could pitch you over the handlebars. Applying
brakes too hard can lock up a wheel, which could cause you to lose control and fall. Skidding is an example of what can happen when a wheel
locks up.
If your bicycle has toeclips or clipless pedals, practice getting in and out of the pedals. See paragraph B.4 above and Section 4.E.4.
If your bike has suspension, familiarize yourself with how the suspension responds to brake application and rider weight shifts. See paragraph
B.6 above and Section 4.F.
Practice shifting the gears (see Section 4.D). Remember to never move the shifter while pedaling backward, nor 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 you ride again.