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2. Hand Brakes
a. How hand brakes work
A bicycle with hand brakes may have one hand lever which
operates a rear brake, or two hand levers, one of which operates on
the front wheel and the other on the rear wheel. If your bicycle has
two hand brakes, it’s important to your safety that you instinctively
know which brake lever controls which brake on your bike. In Canada and the
U.S., bikes are required to be set up with the right brake lever controlling
the rear brake, and the left lever controlling the front brake.
b. Brake controls and features
It’s very important to your
safety that you learn and
remember which brake lever
controls which brake on your
bike.
Make sure that your hands
can reach and squeeze the
brake levers comfortably. If
your hands are too small to
operate the levers comfortably,
consult your dealer before
riding the bike. The lever
reach may be adjustable;
or you may need a different
brake lever design.
Most brakes have some form
of quick-release mechanism
to allow the brake pads to clear the tire when a wheel is removed or reinstalled.
When the brake quick-release is in the open position, the brakes are inopera-
tive. Ask your dealer to make sure that you understand the way the brake quick-
release works on your bike (see figs. 12 - 15) and check each time to make
sure both brakes work correctly before you get on the bike.
3. How brakes work
The braking action of a bicycle is a function of the friction between the brake
surfaces — usually the brake pads and the wheel rim. To make sure that you
have maximum friction available, keep your wheel rims or disc rotors and brake
pads clean and free of lubricants, waxes or polishes.
Make sure that your hands can reach and squeeze the brake levers comfort-
ably. If your hands are too small to operate the levers comfortably, consult your
dealer before riding the bike. The lever reach may be adjustable; or you may
need a different brake lever design.
Fig. 13
Fig. 15
Fig. 12
Fig. 14
4. Tech
Summary of Contents for multi-speed bicycles
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