1. DL manuals
  2. Raleigh
  3. Bicycle
  4. 2008
  5. Owner's Manual

Raleigh 2008 Owner's Manual

Manual is about: single-speed bicycles

Summary of 2008

  • Page 1

    Owner’s manual for single-speed bicycles 3 rd edition, 2003 this manual contains important safety, performance and service information. Read it before you take the first ride on your new bicycle, and keep it for reference. An important message to parents: this manual contains important safety inform...

  • Page 2

    2 a special note for parents: as a parent or guardian, you are responsible for the activities and safety of your minor child, and that includes making sure that the bicycle is properly fitted to the child; that it is in good repair and safe operating condition; that you and your child have learned a...

  • Page 3: Contents

    3 contents general warning p. 2 a special note for parents p. 2 1. First a. Bike fit p. 4 b. Safety first p. 4 c. Mechanical safety check p. 4 d. First ride p. 5 2. Safety a. The basics p. 6 b. Riding safety p. 6 c. Off road safety p. 7 d. Wet weather riding p. 8 e. Night riding p. 7 f. Bicycling in...

  • Page 4

    4 1. First note: all operators must read and understand all sections of this owner’s manual before their initial operation of the bicycle. If after reading this manual in its entirety you have any questions, please contact your authorized dealer for clarification or an explanation of specific topics...

  • Page 5

    5 tires & wheels: make sure tires are correctly inflated (see section 4.G.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 ...

  • Page 6

    6 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 bic...

  • Page 7

    7 know and obey the laws. 2. You are sharing the road or the path with others — motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists. Respect their rights. 3. Ride defensively. Always assume that others do not see you. 4. Look ahead, and be ready to avoid: • vehicles slowing or turning, entering the road or yo...

  • Page 8

    8 to make sure that you can slow down and stop safely in wet conditions, ride more slowly and apply your brakes earlier and more gradually than you would under normal, dry conditions. See also section 4.A. E. Night riding riding a bicycle at night is many times more dangerous than riding during the ...

  • Page 9

    9 ! Warning: do not remove the front or rear reflectors or reflector brackets from your bicycle. They are an integral part of the bicycle’s safety system. Removing the reflectors may reduce your visibility to others using the roadway. Being struck by other vehicles may result in serious injury or de...

  • Page 10

    10 we recommend against this type of riding because of the increased risks; but if you ignore this recommendation, at least: • take lessons from a competent instructor first • do stunts, racing or fast downhill riding only in areas designated for this type of riding • start with easy learning exerci...

  • Page 11

    11 ! Warning: if your bicycle does not fit properly, you may lose control and fall. If your new bike doesn’t fit, ask your dealer to exchange it before you ride it. A. Standover height standover height is the basic element of bike fit (see fig. 2). It is the distance from the ground to the top of th...

  • Page 12

    12 note: if your bicycle is equipped with a suspension seat post, periodically ask your dealer to check it. ! Warning: after any saddle adjustment, be sure that the saddle adjusting mechanism is properly tightened before riding. A loose saddle clamp or seat post binder can cause damage to the seat p...

  • Page 13

    13 your legs and attempt to twist the handlebar/stem assembly. If you can twist the stem in relation to the front wheel, turn the handlebars in relation to the stem, or turn the bar end extensions in relation to the handlebar, the bolts are insufficiently tightened. D. Control position adjustments t...

  • Page 14

    14 lever controlling the front brake. Note: if your bicycle is equipped with both front and rear brakes, most effective braking is achieved by using both brakes and apply them simultaneously. (see also par.3.Braking technique, below). ! Warning: sudden or excessive application of the front brake may...

  • Page 15

    15 released position, the brakes are inoperative . Ask your dealer whether you have a quick release on your brakes; and if you do, make sure that you understand the way the brake quick release works, and check each time to make sure both brakes work correctly before you get on the bike. ! Warning: s...

  • Page 16

    16 retention devices are not a substitute for correct wheel clamping. Secondary retention devices fall into three basic categories (see figs. 12a, b & c): a. The clip-on type is a part which the manufacturer adds to the front wheel hub or front fork (fig. 12a). B. The integral type is molded, cast o...

  • Page 17

    17 adjustable wrench, loosen the two axle nuts. C. If your front fork has a clip‑on type secondary retention device, disengage it and go to step (4). If your front fork has an integral or a washer type secondary retention device, loosen the axle nuts enough to allow removal of the wheel; then go to ...

  • Page 18

    18 6. Removing a bolt-on rear wheel with coaster brake a. Disengage the coaster brake arm from its frame bracket (see fig. 15). B. With a correctly sized socket, box, open end or adjustable wrench, loosen the two axle nuts. C. Push the wheel forward to slacken the chain, and remove the chain from th...

  • Page 19

    19 becomes a reflex action, but always make sure that there is sufficient tension to prevent unintended release of your foot from the pedal. ! Warning: clipless pedals are intended for use with shoes specifically made to fit them and are designed to firmly keep the foot engaged with the pedal. Using...

  • Page 20

    20 e. Tires and tubes 1. Tires bicycle tires are available in many designs and specifications, ranging from general-purpose designs to tires designed to perform best under very specific weather or terrain conditions. If, once you’ve gained experience with your new bike, you feel that a different tir...

  • Page 21

    21 2. Tire valves 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 schraeder valve (fig. 17) is like the valve on a car tire. To inflate a schraeder valve...

  • Page 22

    22 recommended lubrication frequency for your area. 4. After every long or hard ride or after every 10 to 20 hours of riding: • squeeze the front brake (if you have one) and rock the bike forward and back. Everything feel solid? If you feel a clunk with each forward or backward movement of the bike,...

  • Page 23

    23 ! Warning: like any mechanical device, a bicycle and its components are subject to wear and stress. Different materials and mechanisms wear or fatigue from stress at different rates and have different life cycles. If a component’s life cycle is exceeded, the component can suddenly and catastrophi...

  • Page 24

    24 appendix a teaching your child the rules in addition to the basics (page 6), riding safely (page 7), off road safety (page 8), wet weather riding (page 9), night riding (page 9), bicycling in traffic (page 10 and appendix b) and downhill, stunt and competition biking (page 10), kids need to be ta...

  • Page 25

    25 do they signal. The key factor here is neglecting to look to the rear. If the cyclist had looked, he/she would have seen the danger coming up from behind. What can you do? Of course, you ought to teach your child not to ride across busy streets - at least until the child has had some advanced tra...

  • Page 26

    26 appendix b bicycling in traffic.

  • Page 27

    27.

  • Page 28

    28 appendix c wheel and seat post quick release mechanisms a. Quick release wheels 1. How a wheel quick release works ! Warning: riding with an improperly adjusted wheel quick release can allow the wheel to wobble or disengage from the bicycle, causing serious injury or death to the rider. Therefore...

  • Page 29

    29 a matching hole in the front fork dropout (fig. 12c). Ask your dealer to explain the particular secondary retention device on your bike. ! Warning: removing or disabling the secondary retention device is extremely dangerous and may lead to serious injury or death. It also may void the warranty. 2...

  • Page 30

    30 (5) if the lever cannot be pushed all the way to a position parallel to the fork blade, return the lever to the open position. Then turn the tension adjusting nut counterclockwise one- quarter turn and try tightening the lever again. (6) re-engage the brake quick-release mechanism to restore corr...

  • Page 31

    31 ! Warning: the full force of the cam action is needed to clamp the seatpost securely. Holding the nut with one hand and turning the lever like a wing nut with the other hand until everything is as tight as you can get it will not clamp the seatpost safely. ! Warning: if you can fully close the qu...

  • Page 32

    32 raleigh bicycles are distributed by raleigh america, inc. Raleigh america, inc. Bicycle limited warranty it is the owner’s responsibility to thoroughly read and understand the owner’s manual and regularly examine the product to determine the need for professional, authorized service or replacemen...