Table of Contents
Advertisement
86
GEARS
CHAIN
ADJUSTING THE CHAIN TENSION OF SINGLE SPEED
BICYCLES
THE GEARS - HOW THEY WORK AND HOW TO USE
THEM
So-called singlespeed bicycles, such as the V-Drome,
have only one gear and therefore have neither rear
nor front derailleur. Furthermore, they have a fixed
hub.
In the case of these models the rear wheel sprocket
is directly connected to the rear wheel. This makes
the pedals rotate with every movement of the rear
wheel – and vice versa. These bicycles often do not
have brakes.
CHECKING AND READJUSTING
The chain tension of singlespeed bicycles has to be
checked and retensioned, if necessary, approx. every
1,000 km (620 miles) or 50 hours of use.
Turn the crank backwards and try to find the position
with the strongest chain tension. If in this position
you can lift the chain midways between chainring and
sprocket by more than 1 cm, you should retension the
chain.
Release the rear wheel axle bolts or nuts with an ap-
propriate tool. Adjust the chain tension by pulling the
rear wheel to the rear or by releasing/tightening the
chain tensioner. Subsequently, you should be able to
rotate the crank without resistance.
Adjust the rear wheel in the centre of the rear drop-
outs by using, if necessary, the chain adjuster as limit
stop. Tighten the rear wheel axle nuts with a torque
wrench.
Singlespeed
Please check, whether the usage of
singlespeed bicycles without brakes is
permitted on public roads according to the High-
way Code!
Chain adjusters only serve to tension the
chain and to pre-adjust the rear wheel.
They do not fix the wheel in its position or avoid
its slipping out.
If the chain is seriously lengthened, it must
be replaced.
THE WHEELS - TYRES,
INNER TUBES AND AIR
PRESSURE
The wheels of your Canyon create the contact to the
road or track you are riding on. They are subject to
considerable stress through the weight of rider and
baggage as well as through bumpy road surfaces
or ground. Although wheels are manufactured with
great care and delivered accurately trued, this does
not prevent the spokes and nipples from losing a lit-
tle tension on the first kilometres. For this reason it
may be that the wheels must be trued up as early as
after you have run them in over about 100 to 300 kilo-
metres (60 to 180 miles). Check the wheels regularly
after you have run them in. It will rarely be necessary
to tighten the spokes.
The wheel consists of hub, spokes and rim. The tyre
is mounted onto the rim so that it encases the inner
tube. There is a rim tape running around the base of
the rim to protect the sensitive inner tube against the
spoke nipples and the edges of the rim base, which
are often sharp.
If you want to replace a tyre, you need to consider the
actual size of the old tyre. It is marked on the side of
the tyre. There are two designations, the more pre-
cise of which uses millimetres. The number sequence
23-622 means that the tyre is 23 mm wide when fully
inflated and that it has an inner diameter of 622 mil-
limetres. By choosing a bigger tyre you risk that the
tyre drags along the fork or the rear frame. Therefore,
please mount a tyre of identical dimension.
TYRES AND INNER TUBES
WHEELS
87
Wheel
Tyre size
Rim tape in the rim
If you mount a new tyre with another
dimension, it might be possible that the
clearance between the front of your shoe and the
wheel will be reduced. This may make your foot
colliding with the front wheel while riding at low
speed and throw you off your bike!
Advertisement
Table of Contents
