HP Velotechnik Spirit - Manual (Page 26)

HP
Velotechnik
24
Learning the new riding technique
Your new bicycle has been assembled by your
specialist dealer and adjusted together with
you as described on the previous pages under
"Adjusting your new bicycle". Before you
mount your bike and take your first ride plea-
se make yourself familiar with the instructions
on the riding technique and the handling.
To ride this recumbent you will have to make
yourself acquainted with the different riding
position. Make sure that you and all other fu-
ture users of this bicycle will have read this
manual carefully prior to the first ride. If you
are in doubt please consult your local dealer.
Before the first ride, the users of this recum-
bent have to practice and make themselves fa-
miliar with the different handling.We recom-
mend to practice riding your Spirit on a quiet
road away from traffic. Before you ride the bi-
cycle in traffic you must master the handling
completely.
Go to a road where you can ride straight ahe-
ad without being hindered. Hold your bike at
the handlebar and pull a break.Then sit down
on your bicycle and lean back. Leave one foot
on the ground and put one on the pedal.
Therefore, rotate the crank in the top position
so that you can later pedal with power.
Try to keep your balance in that position.
Assure yourself that you can stop whenever
you want to and hold the bicycle with one
foot on the ground.When you feel safe put
pressure on the pedal, loosen the brake, pedal
with a lot of force and immediately put your
second foot on the other pedal.
Do not care on which side of pedal you are
currently pedaling in the beginning. Hold the
handlebar loose but steady. Do not pull at it.
Accelerate with a few pedal strokes.Your bicy-
cle needs speed to stabilize.
Look ahead in the direction where you want
to ride, not at the handlebar, at your feet or
the front wheel.
In order to stop, brake carefully with both bra-
kes until the bicycle has come to a complete
stop. Only then you put a foot on the ground
and keep the balance.
Learning the new riding technique
Danger! Never touch the ground with your
feet while the bicycle is still moving.The feet
could be caught on the ground and be pulled
backwards which could lead to a serious in-
jury.
Danger! With a compact recumbent like
the Spirit it is possible that a foot of the ri-
der contacts the front wheel when riding
sharp corners with a pedal in the front posi-
tion.You will have to avoid this situation at
all times since in extreme situations it may
lead to a fall and injuries.
To control the bicycle you will therefore ha-
ve to apply the following cornering techni-
que: when you ride a curve stretch the leg
on the outside of the curve, stop pedaling,
only then start steering into the curve. Only
when you ride straight ahead again may you
resume pedaling.