Mountain Bike Riding; Off-Road Riding; Bike Types; Inspection And Maintenance Routines - Cannondale Synapse Carbon Owner's Manual

PaRt ii
seCtion C. moUntain
Bike RidinG
See also aPPendiX B. maximum fork length.
see also seCtion B. intended Use.

off-Road RidinG

Off road riding usually involves many, many
variables such as constantly changing traction,
obstacles, changes in line of sight, up hill, down hill,
soft surfaces, dry surfaces, wet surfaces. Off road
riding requires managing a complex and constantly
changing rider–to-bicycle feedback loop of traction,
weight distribution, application of power, application
of brakes and steering driven by the conditions one
encounters. The complexity and ever-changing
nature of off road riding requires focus, concentration,
strength, fitness and learning to read the trail. The
art of managing all this while surrounded by nature
makes this a challenging and wonderful sport.
If you have ridden your mountain bike on a paved
road, or on a gravel or dirt road, you have done very
little in the way of learning to mountain bike. Learning
to ride off road is a process. It does not automatically
occur because you have a mountain bike. Learning to
ride off road does not come from watching "extreme"
mountain bike videos or TV. In fact the riders in those
films are professional entertainers and/or daredevils,
not teachers.
WaRninG
moUntain Bike RidinG is veRy diffeRent
fRom RidinG a Bike on the Road. For
starters, it is almost certain you will fall off.
Get training! Join a club and find experienced
people to teach you. It is likely that your retailer
can hook you up with local rides. Practice and
learn to stay in control. Carefully, progressively,
learn to expand your limits, but always ride
within them.

Bike tyPes

WaRninG
PiCk a moUntain Bike foR hoW yoU Will
Ride.
There are now many different kinds of "mountain
bikes. " Cannondale makes mountain bikes
ranging from the light, nimble Rush and Scalpels,
designed for cross country (XC) racing, to our
rugged, long-travel freeride bikes. A Scalpel is
not designed for freeride! If you try using your
bike for something it was not intended, you may
break it with risk of serious injury, paralysis or
death.
Matching the intended use of any kind of
mountain bike to your expected riding is
import.
Read SECTION B. INTENDED USE starting on
page 51 .
insPeCtion and
maintenanCe RoUtines
WaRninG
moUntain Bike RidinG is veRy haRd on
Bikes. moUntain Bikes need fReQUent
CleaninG, maintenanCe and insPeCtion.
Clean your bike
conduct a pre-ride inspection before every
ride. Detailed inspection as outlined in
SECTION D. in this manual is needed more often
than for road bikes. Failure to keep up with
maintenance and inspection increases the risk of
an accident, with risk of serious injury, paralysis
or death.
60
after every ride and