Appendix B: Lifespan Of Your Bike And Its Components - Diamondback Bicycle Owner's Manual

maXimum WeigHt limit
RideR luggage
lbs / kg lbs / kg
500 / 227 75 / 34
APPENdIx B
the lifespan of your bike and its components
1. nothing Lasts Forever, Including Your Bike.
When the useful life of your bike or its components is over, continued use is hazardous.
every bicycle and its component parts have a finite, limited useful life. the length of that life will vary with the construction and materials used
in the frame and components; the maintenance and care the frame and components receive over their life; and the type and amount of use to
which the frame and components are subjected. use in competitive events, trick riding, ramp riding, jumping, aggressive riding, riding on severe
terrain, riding in severe climates, riding with heavy loads, commercial activities and other types of non-standard use can dramatically shorten
the life of the frame and components. any one or a combination of these conditions may result in an unpredictable failure.
all aspects of use being identical, lightweight bicycles and their components will usually have a shorter life than heavier bicycles and their
components. in selecting a lightweight bicycle or components you are making a trade-off, favoring the higher performance that comes with
lighter weight over longevity. so, if you choose lightweight, high performance equipment, be sure to have it inspected frequently.
You should have your bicycle and its components checked periodically by your dealer for indicators of stress and/or potential failure,
including cracks, deformation, corrosion, paint peeling, dents, and any other indicators of potential problems, inappropriate use or abuse.
these are important safety checks and very important to help prevent accidents, bodily injury to the rider and shortened product life.
2. Perspective
today's high-performance bicycles require frequent and careful inspection and service. in this appendix we try to explain some underlying
material science basics and how they relate to your bicycle. We discuss some of the trade-offs made in designing your bicycle and what you
can expect from your bicycle; and we provide important, basic guidelines on how to maintain and inspect it. We cannot teach you everything
you need to know to properly inspect and service your bicycle; and that is why we repeatedly urge you to take your bicycle to your dealer for
professional care and attention.
wArnInG:
f
ReqUeNT INspeCTION Of yOUR bIke Is ImpORTANT TO yOUR sAfeTy
.
eveRy RIde
p ,
eRIOdIC mORe deTAIled INspeCTION Of yOUR bICyCle Is ImpORTANT
y , /
OU The RIdeR OWNeR
,
TRACk yOUR Use yOU mUsT TAke RespONsIbIlITy fOR peRIOdICAlly bRINGING yOUR bIke TO yOUR deAleR fOR INspeCTION ANd seRvICe
deCIde WhAT fReqUeNCy Of INspeCTION ANd seRvICe Is AppROpRIATe fOR hOW ANd WheRe yOU Use yOUR bIke
f ,
OR yOUR sAfeTy UNdeRsTANdING ANd COmmUNICATION WITh yOUR deAleR
bIke deTeRmINe hOW ANd hOW fReqUeNTly TO INspeCT
I WARNING
GNORING ThIs
A. Understanding metals
steel is the traditional material for building bicycle frames. it has good characteristics, but in high performance bicycles, steel has
been largely replaced by aluminum and some titanium. the main factor driving this change is interest by cycling enthusiasts in
lighter bicycles.
Properties of Metals
please understand that there is no simple statement that can be made that characterizes the use of different metals for bicycles.
What is true is how the metal chosen is applied is much more important than the material alone. One must look at the way the bike is
designed, tested, manufactured, supported along with the characteristics of the metal rather than seeking a simplistic answer.
metals vary widely in their resistance to corrosion. steel must be protected or rust will attack it. aluminum and titanium quickly
develop an oxide film that protects the metal from further corrosion. Both are therefore quite resistant to corrosion. aluminum is not
perfectly corrosion resistant, and particular care must be used where it contacts other metals and galvanic corrosion can occur.
metals are comparatively ductile. ductile means bending, buckling and stretching before breaking. generally speaking, of the common
bicycle frame building materials steel is the most ductile, titanium less ductile, followed by aluminum.
metals vary in density. density is weight per unit of material. steel weighs 7.8 grams/cm3 (grams per cubic centimeter), titanium 4.5
36
MOUNTAIN TANdEMS
ConDITIon 2
Bikes designed for riding Condition 1, plus smooth gravel roads and improved trails with moderate grades where the
tires do not lose ground contact.
InTenDeD the challenges of mountain biking are obvious. the added challenges of tandem riding mean that you
should limit off-road tandem riding to easy-moderate terrain.
noT InTenDeD For very aggressive mountain bike riding. mountain tandems are most definitely nOt for downhill,
Freeriding, north shore. Choose terrain with the abilities of both the tandem's captain and stoker in mind.
tOtal
lbs / kg
575 / 261
,
hAve CONTROl ANd kNOWledGe Of hOW OfTeN yOU Use yOUR bIke
.
,
CAN leAd TO fRAme fORk OR OTheR COmpONeNT fAIlURe
. f m
OllOW The eChANICAl
. h
OW OfTeN ThIs mORe deTAIled INspeCTION Is Needed depeNds UpON yOU
,
hOW hARd yOU Use IT ANd WheRe yOU Use IT
, A
We URGe yOU TO ReAd ThIs ppeNdIx IN ITs eNTIReTy
,
WhICh CAN ResUlT IN seRIOUs INjURy OR deATh
s C s 1.C
AfeTy heCk IN eCTION Of ThIs
.
. b
eCAUse yOUR deAleR CANNOT
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OUR deAleR WIll help yOU
.
. T
he mATeRIAls Used TO mAke yOUR
.
m
ANUAl befORe