Handlebar Height And Angle; Control Position Adjustments; Brake Reach - Merida PowerCycle User Manual

WARNING: If your seat post projects from the frame
beyond the Minimum Insertion or Maximum Extension
mark, the seat post may break, which could cause you to
lose control and fall.
2. Front and back adjustment (Figure 1B). The saddle can
be adjusted forward or back to help you get the optimal
position on the bike. Ask your dealer to set the saddle for
your optimal riding position and to show you how to make
further adjustments.
3. Saddle angle adjustment (Figure 1C). Most people pre-
fer a horizontal saddle; but some riders like the saddle nose
angled up or down just a little. Your dealer can adjust saddle
angle or teach you how to do it.
Small changes in saddle position can have a substantial
effect on performance and comfort. Only one directional
change at a time, and only a small change at a time, should
be made to your saddle position.
WARNING: After any saddle adjustment, be sure that
the saddle adjusting mechanism is properly tightened
before riding. A loose saddle clamp or seat post binder
can cause damage to the seat post, or can cause you to
lose control and fall. A correctly tightened saddle
adjusting mechanism will allow no saddle movement in
any direction. Periodically check to make sure that the
saddle adjusting mechanism is properly tightened.
If, in spite of carefully adjusting the saddle height, tilt and
fore-and-aft position, your saddle is still uncomfortable,
you may need a different saddle design. Saddles, like
people, come in many different shapes, sizes and resil-
ience. Your dealer can help you select a saddle which,
when correctly adjusted for your body and riding style,
will be comfortable.
WARNING: Some people have claimed that extended
riding with a saddle which is incorrectly adjusted or
which does not support your 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.
4c. HANDLEBAR HEIGHT AND ANGLE
Your bike is equipped either with a "threadless" stem (550
LTD), which clamps on to the outside of the steerer tube, or
with a "quill" stem (500/550), which clamps inside the steerer
tube by way of an expanding binder bolt. If you aren't abso-
lutely sure which type of stem your bike has, ask your dealer.
If your bike has a "threadless" stem, your dealer may be able
to change handlebar height by adjusting the stem angle or
moving height adjustment spacers from below the stem to
above the stem, or vice versa. Consult your dealer. Do not
attempt to do this yourself, as it requires special knowledge.
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If your bike has a "quill" stem, you can ask your dealer to
adjust the handlebar height a bit by adjusting the stem
angle or stem height. Consult your dealer. Do not attempt
to do this yourself, as it requires special knowledge.
A quill stem has an etched or stamped mark on its shaft which
designates the stem's "Minimum Insertion" or "Maximum
extension" . This mark must not be visible above the headset.
Your dealer can also change the angle of the handlebar or
add bar end extensions. If these adjustments do not help,
you'll have to get a stem of different length or rise.
WARNING: On some bicycles, changing the stem or
stem height can affect the tension of the front brake
cable, locking the front brake or creating excess cable
slack that can make the front brake inoperable. If the
front brake pads move in towards the wheel rim or out
away from the wheel rim when the stem or stem height
is changed, the brakes must be correctly adjusted before
you ride the bicycle.
WARNING: The stem's Minimum Insertion Mark must
not be visible above the top of the headset. If the stem is
extended beyond the Minimum Insertion Mark the stem
may break or damage the fork's steerer tube, which could
cause you to lose control and fall.
WARNING: An insufficiently tightened stem binder
bolt, handlebar binder bolt or bar end extension
clamping bolt may compromise steering action, which
could cause you to lose 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.
4d. CONTROL POSITION ADJUSTMENTS
The angle of the controls and their position on the handle-
bars can be changed. Ask your dealer to make the adjust-
ments for you.
4e. BRAKE REACH
Your PowerCycle™ has brake levers that can be adjusted
for reach. If you have small hands or find it difficult to
squeeze the brake levers, your dealer can either adjust the
reach or fit shorter reach brake levers.
WARNING: The shorter the brake lever reach, the
more critical it is to have correctly adjusted brakes, so
that full braking power can be applied within available
brake lever travel. Brake lever travel insufficient to apply
full braking power can result in loss of control, which may
result in serious injury or death.
MERIDA USERS MANUAL