Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry Bike Sense - Manual (Page 9)

B I K E S E N S E — T H E W I S C O N S I N B I C Y C L E O P E R A T O R ’ S M A N U A L 9
Regular maintenance and inspection
are important for bicycle safety.
seat forward or backward. You can also change to a shorter or longer
handlebar stem. Don’t raise your handlebars so high that less than two
inches of your handlebar stem extends into the frame. If you have to
raise your handlebars higher than the safe limit, get a taller stem.
Rotate your handlebars so that they put even pressure across the palms
of your hands without bending your wrists in a strange way.
Brakes
Your brakes must be powerful enough so you can easily
bring your bike to a quick stop. You should be able to
quickly and easily reach the brake levers from where you
normally position your hands. Replace your brake pads
before they wear close to the metal holders. Since the
pads wear down, you may have to adjust them
regularly. For small adjustments you can use
the threaded adjustment screws on the
brakes or brake levers.
Sit on your bike and push one pedal all the way down. With the heel
of your foot on the pedal, your knee should be slightly bent and your
leg almost straight. If your hips rock from side to side when you
pedal, your seat’s too high. Don’t raise your seat so high that less
than two inches of your seat post extends into the frame .
Handlebars: After you’ve set your seat height, set your handlebars so
you feel comfortable. Some things to guide you:
Start by raising or lowering your handlebars so they block your view
of the front axle when you’re sitting on your bike with your hands on
the handlebars. In this position, your elbows should be slightly bent
(not locked).
Lower-back pain often means the handlebars are too far away, while
upper-arm or shoulder fatigue often means the handlebars are too
close to you. Try raising or lowering the handlebars, or moving your
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