E Pedals - Cannondale Chase Series Owner's Manual

Shifting from an easier, "slower" gear (like ) to
a harder, "faster" gear (like  or 3) is called an
upshift. Shifting from a harder, "faster" gear to an
easier, "slower" gear is called a downshift. It is not
necessary to shift gears in sequence. Instead,
find the "starting gear" for the conditions — a gear
which is hard enough for quick acceleration but
easy enough to let you start from a stop without
wobbling — and experiment with upshifting and
downshifting to get a feel for the different gears.
At first, practice shifting where there are no
obstacles, hazards or other traffic, until you've built
up your confidence. Learn to anticipate the need
to shift, and shift to a lower gear before the hill
gets too steep. If you have difficulties with shifting,
the problem could be mechanical adjustment.
See your dealer for help.
4.e - Pedals
. Toe Overlap is when your toe can touch the
front wheel when you turn the handlebars
to steer while a pedal is in the forwardmost
position. This is common on small-framed
bicycles, and is avoided by keeping the inside
pedal up and the outside pedal down when
making sharp turns. This technique will also
prevent the inside pedal from striking the
ground in a turn.
WaRninG
toe oveRlaP CoUld CaUse yoU to
lose ContRol and fall. ask yoUR
dealeR to helP yoU deteRmine if
the ComBination
CRank aRm lenGth, Pedal desiGn and
shoes yoU Will Use ResUlts in Pedal
oveRlaP.
Whether you have overlap or not, you must
keep the inside pedal up and the outside pedal
down when making sharp turns.
. Some bicycles come equipped with pedals
that have sharp and potentially dangerous
surfaces. These surfaces are designed to
add safety by increasing grip between the
rider's shoe and the pedal. If your bicycle
has this type of high-performance pedal, you
must take extra care to avoid serious injury
from the pedals' sharp surfaces. Based on
of fRame size,
your riding style or skill level, you may prefer
a less aggressive pedal design, or chose to
ride with shin pads. Your dealer can show
you a number of options and make suitable
recommendations.
3. Toeclips and straps are a means to keep
feet correctly positioned and engaged with
the pedals. The toeclip positions the ball of
the foot over the pedal spindle, which gives
maximum pedaling power. The toe strap, when
tightened, keeps the foot engaged throughout
the rotation cycle of the pedal. While toeclips
and straps give some benefit with any kind of
shoe, they work most effectively with cycling
shoes designed for use with toeclips. Your
dealer can explain how toeclips and straps
work. Shoes with deep treaded soles or welts
which might allow the foot to be trapped should
not be used with toeclips and straps.
WaRninG
GettinG into and oUt of Pedals With
toeCliPs and stRaPs ReQUiRes skill
WhiCh Can only Be aCQUiRed With
PRaCtiCe.
Until it becomes a reflex action, the technique
requires concentration which can distract your
attention and cause 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 pedals warrants it. Never ride in traffic
with your toe straps tight.
4. Clipless pedals (sometimes called "step-in
pedals") are another means to keep feet
securely in the correct position for maximum
pedaling efficiency. They have a plate, called
a "cleat," on the sole of the shoe, which clicks
into a mating spring-loaded fixture on the
pedal.
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