K2 Bike Bicycle, Owner'S Manual

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Page 2: ...wner s Manual For Multi Speed Bicycles 2003 IMPORTANT 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 ...

Page 3: ...D First Ride 2 Safety A The Basics B Riding Safety C Off Road Safety D Wet Weather Riding E Night Riding F Downhill or Competition Biking G Changing Components Adding Accessories 3 Fit A Standover Height B Saddle Position C Handlebar Height and Angle D Control Position Adjustments E Brake Reach page 7 8 8 8 9 10 11 12 12 13 14 15 15 17 17 18 18 18 20 21 21 ...

Page 4: ...talling Bolt On Wheels B Seatpost Quick Release C Brakes D Shifting Gears E Pedals F Bicycle Suspension G Tires and Tubes H K2 Razorback Setup I K2 Tirade Setup J K2 Lithium Setup K K2 Attack Setup 5 Service A Service Intervals B If Your Bicycle Sustains Impact 6 K2 Bike Support 7 K2 Bike Limited Warranty 8 K2 Bike Warranty Registration 22 22 22 22 22 23 26 28 29 31 35 39 41 44 46 46 49 52 52 52 5...

Page 5: ...afety alert symbol and the word CAUTION indicates a potentially hazardous situation which if not avoided may result in minor or moderate injury or is an alert against unsafe practices The word CAUTION used without the safety alert symbol indicates a situation which if not avoided could result in serious damage to the bicycle or the voiding of your warranty Many of the Warnings and Cautions state y...

Page 6: ...so make sure that your child understands that a bicycle helmet is for bicycling only and must be removed when not riding A helmet must not be worn while playing in play areas on playground equipment while climbing trees or at any time while not riding a bicycle Failure to follow this warning could result in serious injury or death 1 First NOTE We strongly urge you to read this Manual in its entire...

Page 7: ...ion 2 It s your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the laws of the areas where you ride and to comply with all applicable laws 3 Do you know how to correctly operate your wheel quick releases Check Section 4 A 1 to make sure Riding with an improperly adjusted wheel quick release can cause the wheel to wobble or disengage from the bicycle and cause serious injury or death 4 If your bike ha...

Page 8: ...wheel wobbles side to side even slightly or rubs against or hits the brake pads take the bike to a qualified bike shop to have the wheel trued CAUTION Wheels must be true for the brakes to work effectively Wheel truing is a skill which requires special tools and experience Do not attempt to true a wheel unless you have the knowledge experience and tools needed to do the job correctly Brakes Check ...

Page 9: ... 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 If your bicycle has toeclips or clipless pedals practice ge...

Page 10: ...way from the sharp teeth of chainrings the moving chain the turning pedals and cranks and the spinning wheels of your bicycle 5 Always wear shoes that will stay on your feet and will grip the pedals Never ride barefoot or while wearing sandals bright visible clothing that is not so loose that it can be tangled in the bicycle or snagged by objects at the side of the road or trail protective eyewear...

Page 11: ...is and other obstructions that could cause you to swerve into traffic catch your wheel or otherwise cause you to lose control and have an accident The many other hazards and distractions which can occur on a bicycle ride 5 Ride in designated bike lanes on designated bike paths or as close to the edge of the road as possible 6 Stop at stop signs and traffic lights slow down and look both ways at st...

Page 12: ...s suspension the increased speed you may develop also increases your risk of losing control and falling Get to know how to handle your bike safely before trying increased speed or more difficult terrain 2 Wear safety gear appropriate to the kind of riding you plan to do 3 Don t ride alone in remote areas Even when riding with others make sure that someone knows where you re going and when you expe...

Page 13: ...er and more gradually than you would under normal dry conditions See also Section 4 C E Night Riding Riding a bicycle at night is many times more dangerous than riding during the day A bicyclist is very difficult for motorists and pedestrians to see Therefore children should never ride at dawn at dusk or at night Adults should not ride at dawn at dusk or at night unless it is absolutely necessary ...

Page 14: ...conditions of poor visibility check and be sure you comply with all local laws about night riding and take the following strongly recommended additional precautions Make sure that your bicycle is equipped with correctly positioned and securely mounted reflectors see Section 3 B 2 Purchase and install battery or generator powered head and tail lights which meet all regulatory requirements and provi...

Page 15: ...with state of the art protective safety gear you could be seriously injured or killed when riding downhill at speed or in competition G Changing Components or Adding Accessories There are many components and accessories available to enhance the comfort performance and appearance of your bicycle However if you change components or add accessories you do so at your own risk The bicycle s manufacture...

Page 16: ...and standing half way between the saddle and the handlebars To check for correct standover height straddle the bike while wearing the kind of shoes in which you ll be riding and bounce vigorously on your heels If your crotch touches the frame the bike is too big for you Don t even ride the bike around the block A bike which you ride only on paved surfaces and never take off road should give you a ...

Page 17: ... is far enough into the frame so that you can touch it through the bottom of the interrupted seat tube with the tip of your finger without inserting your finger beyond its first knuckle see fig 5 fig 4 fig 5 WARNING If your seat post projects from the frame beyond the Minimum Insertion or Maximum Extension mark see fig 4 or you cannot touch the bottom of the seat post through the bottom of the int...

Page 18: ... pelvic area correctly can cause short term or long term injury to nerves and blood vessels or even impotence If your saddle causes you pain numbness or other discomfort see your dealer C Handlebar Height and Angle Your bike is equipped either with a threadless stem which clamps on to the outside of the steerer tube or with a quill stem which clamps inside the steerer tube by way of an expanding b...

Page 19: ...ose control and fall Place the front wheel of the bicycle between 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 The angle of the controls and their position...

Page 20: ... dropout and pulling the tension adjusting nut by way of the skewer against the other dropout The amount of clamping force is controlled by the tension adjusting nut Turning the tension adjusting nut clockwise while keeping the cam lever from rotating increases clamping force turning it counterclockwise while keeping the cam lever from rotating reduces clamping force Less than half a turn of the t...

Page 21: ...h a quick release Check that the wheel is securely clamped each time before you ride the bike 4 Removing and Installing Quick Release Wheels a Removing a Quick Release Front Wheel Follow these simple steps 1 If your bike has rim brakes disengage the brake s quick release mechanism to open the clearance between the wheel rim and the brake pads See Section 4 C fig 11 through 14 2 Move the wheel s qu...

Page 22: ...e left side of the bicycle fig 7a b If your bike has a clip on type secondary retention device engage it 3 Holding the quick release lever in the OPEN position with your right hand tighten the tension adjusting nut with your left hand until it is finger tight against the fork dropout fig 6 WARNING Securely clamping the wheel takes considerable force If you can fully close the quick release without...

Page 23: ...ease Rear Wheel 1 Shift the rear derailleur to high gear the smallest outermost rear sprocket 2 If your bike has rim brakes disengage the brake s quick release mechanism to open the clearance between the wheel rim and the brake pads see Section 4 C figs 11 through 14 3 Pull the derailleur body back with your right hand 4 Move the quick release lever to the OPEN position fig 7b 5 Lift the rear whee...

Page 24: ...age and the lever does not leave a clear imprint in the palm of your hand the tension is insufficient Open the lever turn the tension adjusting nut clockwise a quarter turn then try again 6 If the lever cannot be pushed all the way to a position parallel to the chainstay or seatstay tube return the lever to the OPEN position Then turn the adjusting nut counterclockwise one quarter turn and try tig...

Page 25: ...ly to the top of the slots in the fork dropouts and at the same time centering the wheel rim in the fork use the correct size wrench to tighten the axle nuts as tight as you can 3 Re engage the brake quick release mechanism to restore correct brake pad to rim clearance spin the wheel to make sure that it is centered in the frame and clears the brake pads then squeeze the brake lever and make sure ...

Page 26: ...ge the brake quick release mechanism to restore correct brake pad to rim clearance spin the wheel to make sure that it is centered in the frame and clears the brake pads then squeeze the brake lever and make sure that the brakes are operating correctly B Seatpost Quick Release Some bikes are equipped with a quick release seat post binder The seatpost quick release binder works exactly like the whe...

Page 27: ...fficient Open the lever turn the tension adjusting nut clockwise a quarter turn then try again C Brakes 1 How Brakes Work It s very important to your safety that you learn and remember which brake lever controls which brake on your bike 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 maximu...

Page 28: ...ach brake lever until the wheel locks When you apply one or both brakes the bike begins to slow but your body wants to continue at the speed at which it was going This causes a transfer of weight to the front wheel or under heavy braking around the front wheel hub which could send you flying over the handlebars A wheel with more weight on it will accept greater brake pressure before lockup a wheel...

Page 29: ...death Some bicycle brakes such as disc brakes fig 10 and linear pull brakes fig 11 are extremely powerful Take extra care in becoming familiar with these brakes and exercise particular care when using them Disc brakes can get extremely hot with extended use Be careful not to touch a disc brake until it has had plenty of time to cool See the brake manufacturer s instructions for installation operat...

Page 30: ...happening at the rear derailleur for details read the instructions on Shifting the Rear Derailleur and Shifting the Front Derailleur below For example you can select a gear which will make pedaling easier on a hill make a downshift in one of two ways shift the chain down the gear steps to a smaller gear at the front or up the gear steps to a larger gear at the rear So at the rear gear cluster what...

Page 31: ...ng the chain from a larger sprocket to a smaller sprocket results in an upshift In order for the derailleur to move the chain from one sprocket to another the rider must be pedaling forward d Shifting the Front Derailleur The front derailleur which is controlled by the left shifter shifts the chain between the larger and smaller chainrings Shifting the chain onto a smaller chainring makes pedaling...

Page 32: ...ssure on the pedals for an instant to allow the hub to complete the shift b Which Gear Should I Be In The numerically lowest gear 1 is for the steepest hills The numerically largest gear 3 5 7 or 12 depending on the number of speeds of your hub is for the greatest speed Shifting from an easier slower gear like 1 to a harder faster gear like 2 or 3 is called an upshift Shifting from a harder faster...

Page 33: ...s skill which can only be acquired with practice Until it becomes a reflex action the technique requires concentration which can distract the rider s attention causing you to lose control and fall Practice the use of toeclips and straps where there are no obstacles hazards or traffic Keep the straps loose and don t tighten them until your technique and confidence in getting in and out of the pedal...

Page 34: ...ex action the technique requires concentration which can distract the rider s attention causing the rider to lose control and fall Be sure to follow the pedal manufacturer s setup and service instructions If you do not have the manufacturer s instructions see your dealer or contact the manufacturer Clipless pedals sometimes called step in pedals are another means to keep feet securely in the corre...

Page 35: ...up and service instructions If you do not have the manufacturer s instructions see your dealer or contact the manufacturer If your bike has suspension the increased speed you may develop also increases your risk of injury For example when braking the front of a suspended bike dips You could lose control and fall if you do not have experience with this system Learn to handle your suspension system ...

Page 36: ...m pressure or as a pressure range How a tire performs under different terrain or weather conditions depends largely on tire pressure Inflating the tire to near its maximum recommended pressure gives the lowest rolling resistance but also produces the harshest ride High pressures work best on smooth dry pavement fig 22 Very low pressures at the bottom of the recommended pressure range give the best...

Page 37: ...s should look and feel Some tires may need to be brought up to pressure every week or two Some special high performance tires have unidirectional treads their tread pattern is designed to work better in one direction than in the other The sidewall marking of a unidirectional tire will have an arrow showing the correct rotation direction If your bike has unidirectional tires be sure that they are m...

Page 38: ...ressure within the shock unit becomes the suspension spring and should be set to a rider s weight and riding style A guideline for the airpressure can be found on the left chainstay of the Razorback fig 25 Find your weight on the graph and note the recommended pounds per square inch p s i rating It should be noted that air pressure is a personal preference and can be adjusted accordingly Riding wi...

Page 39: ...ts agree that rebound should be as fast as possible without kicking back or bucking the rider from the saddle when experiencing larger bumps 3 Lockout lever All Razorbacks offer rear travel lockout The lockout lever fig 28 is anodized blue and can be found on the head of the pull shock near the rebound adjustment wheel Lockout provides the rider with the ability to turn their full suspension bicyc...

Page 40: ...he best performance if you achieve the proper amount of SAG with one turn of preload b Adjusting the Sag The shock stroke of the K2 Tirade is 2 0 50mm and the recommended sag would be 25 of the total travel or 0 5 13mm In general the following procedure would allow you to determine the sag for any shock unit 1 Measure the shock eye to eye the distance from the center of one mounting bolt to the ce...

Page 41: ...r proper function To increase the preload rotate the spring nut clockwise K2 recommends no more than five spring nut rotations beyond the adjustment starting position to achieve the target sag If more that five rotations are required it is recommended that a heavier spring be purchased and fitted for proper function d Adjusting the Air Shock Preload Adjusting the preload for an air sprung shock un...

Page 42: ...ed position While riding the shock unit is constantly moving between compressed and non compressed modes Rebound damping is adjusted by rotating the rebound adjuster knob fig 33 Clockwise rotation toward the sign provides greater damping while applies less damping More damping means slower rebound The proper rebound setting is a personal preference and varies upon your weight and riding style Expe...

Page 43: ...urn of preload b Adjusting the Sag The shock stroke of the K2 Lithium is 2 0 50mm and the recommended sag would be 25 of the total travel or 0 5 13mm In general the following procedure would allow you to determine the sag for any shock unit 1 Measure the shock eye to eye the distance from the center of one mounting bolt to the center of the other mounting bolt Call this dimension A 2 Sit on the bi...

Page 44: ... be purchased and fitted for proper function d Adjusting the Air Shock Preload Adjusting the preload for an air sprung shock unit requires a high pressure shock pump fitted with a Schraeder type valve adaptor fig 31 Sag will vary by the amount of air pressure in the air spring chamber Higher Pressure Higher Preload Less Sag Lower Pressure Lower Preload More Sag Again by trial and error add or decr...

Page 45: ...the rider from the saddle when experiencing larger bumps K Attack Set Up Instructions 1 Spring Preload Adjustment To receive the best performance from your K2 Attack it is necessary to adjust the suspension b What is Sag Sag is the amount a shock compresses or sags when you sit on the bicycle Increasing the spring preload will make the shock sag or compress less Decreasing the spring preload will ...

Page 46: ...l By gripping the spring fig 30 and rotating you can usually perform the adjustment To begin loosen the preload completely until the coil is loose Then tighten one turn or until the coil is no longer loose We will call this the adjustment starting position 1 Measure the sag 2 To increase the sag from the adjustment starting position it is recommended that a lighter spring be purchased and fitted f...

Page 47: ...e made bicycles and bicycle components more complex and the pace of innovation is increasing It is impossible for this manual to provide all the information required to properly repair and or maintain your bicycle In order to help minimize the chances of an accident and possible injury it is critical that you have any repair or maintenance which is not specifically described in this manual perform...

Page 48: ...rm yourself All other service maintenance and repair should be performed in a properly equipped facility by a qualified bicycle mechanic using the correct tools and procedures specified by the manufacturer 1 Break in Period Your bike will last longer and work better if you break it in before riding it hard Control cables and wheel spokes may stretch or seat when a new bike is first used and may re...

Page 49: ...so have your dealer check it d Take a look at the brake pads Starting to look worn or not hitting the wheel rim squarely Time to have the dealer adjust or replace them e Carefully check the control cables and cable housings Any rust Kinks Fraying If so have your dealer replace them f Squeeze each adjoining pair of spokes on either side of each wheel between your thumb and index finger Do they all ...

Page 50: ...es cracks fraying and discoloration are signs of stress caused fatigue and indicate that a part is at the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced While the materials and workmanship of your bicycle or of individual components may be covered by a warranty for a specified period of time by the manufacturer this is no guarantee that the product will last the term of the warranty Product life ...

Page 51: ...and catastrophically causing loss of control serious injury or death 6 K2 Bike Support If you find that you need support for technical questions repairs or warranty please visit the shop from which you purchased the bicycle If this is not possible contact our website www K2Bike com to locate the nearest authorized K2 Bike Dealer 7 K2 Bike Limited Warranty K2 Bike offers a warranty for every bicycl...