Front Wheel Secondary Retention Devices; Wheels With Cam Action Systems; Removing And Installing Wheels - MARIN Bicycle Owner's Manual

1. Front Wheel Secondary Retention Devices

Most bicycles have front forks which utilize a secondary wheel retention
device to reduce the risk of the wheel disengaging from the fork if the
wheel is incorrectly secured. Secondary retention devices are not a
substitute for correctly securing your front wheel.
Secondary retention devices fall into two basic categories:
a.The clip-on type is a part which the manufacturer adds to the front wheel
hub or front fork.
b. The integral type is molded, cast or machined into the outer faces of the
front fork dropouts.
Ask your dealer to explain the particular secondary retention device on
your bike.
WARNING: Do not remove or disable the secondary retention
device. As its name implies, it serves as a back-up for a critical
adjustment. If the wheel is not secured correctly, the secondary
retention device can reduce the risk of the wheel disengaging
from the fork. Removing or disabling the secondary retention
device may also void the warranty.
Secondary retention devices are not a substitute for correctly
securing your wheel. Failure to properly secure the wheel can
cause the wheel to wobble or disengage, which could cause
you to loose control and fall, resulting in serious injury or
death.
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2. Wheels with Cam Action Systems

There are currently two types of over-center cam wheel retention
mechanisms: the traditional over-center cam (fig. 8a) and the cam-and-cup
system (fig. 8b). Both use an over-center cam action to clamp the bike's
wheel in place. Your bicycle may have a cam-and-cup front wheel retention
system and a traditional rear wheel cam action system.
a. Adjusting the traditional cam action mechanism (fig. 8a)
The wheel hub is clamped in place by the force of the over-center cam
pushing against one dropout and pulling the tension adjusting nut, by way
of the skewer, against the other dropout. The amount of clamping force is
controlled by the tension adjusting nut. Turning the tension adjusting nut
clockwise while keeping the cam lever from rotating increases clamping
force; turning it counterclockwise while keeping the cam lever from rotating
reduces clamping force. Less than half a turn of the tension adjusting nut
can make the difference between safe clamping force and unsafe clamping
force.
WARNING: The full force of the cam action is needed to clamp
the wheel securely. Holding the nut with one hand and turning
the lever like a wing nut with the other hand until everything is
as tight as you can get it will not clamp a cam action wheel
safely in the dropouts. See also the first WARNING in this
Section, p. 18.
b. Adjusting the cam-and-cup mechanism (fig. 8b)
The cam-and-cup system on your front wheel will have been correctly
adjusted for your bicycle by your dealer. Ask your dealer to check the
adjustment every six months. Do not use a cam-and-cup front wheel on
any bicycle other than the one for which your dealer adjusted it.

3. Removing and Installing Wheels

WARNING: If your bike is equipped with a hub brake such as a
rear coaster brake, front or rear drum, band or roller brake; or if
it has an internal gear rear hub, do not attempt to remove the
wheel. The removal and re-installation of most hub brakes and
internal gear hubs requires special knowledge. Incorrect
removal or assembly can result in brake or gear failure, which
can cause you to lose control and fall.
CAUTION: If your bike has a disc brake, exercise care in touching
the rotor or caliper. Disc rotors have sharp edges, and both rotor and
caliper can get very hot during use.
a. Removing a disk brake or rim brake Front Wheel
(1) If your bike has rim brakes, disengage the brake's quick-release
mechanism to increase the clearance between the tire and the brake pads
(See Section 4.C fig. 11 through 15).
(2) If your bike has cam action front wheel retention, move the cam lever
from the locked or CLOSED position to the OPEN position (figs. 8a & b).
If your bike has through bolt or bolt-on front wheel retention, loosen the
fastener(s) a few turns counter-clockwise using an appropriate wrench,
lock key or the integral lever.
(3) If your front fork has a clip-on type secondary retention device,
disengage it. If your front fork has an integral secondary retention device,
and a traditional cam action system (fig. 8a) loosen the tension adjusting
nut enough to allow removing the wheel from the dropouts. If your
front wheel uses a cam-and-cup system, (fig. 8b) squeeze the cup and
cam lever together while removing the wheel. No rotation of any part is
necessary with the cam-and-cup system.
You may need to tap the top of the wheel with the palm of your hand to
release the wheel from the front fork.
b.Installing a disk brake or rim brake Front Wheel
CAUTION: If your bike is equipped with a front disk brake, be
careful not to damage the disk, caliper or brake pads when re-
inserting the disk into the caliper. Never activate a disk brake's
control lever unless the disk is correctly inserted in the caliper.
See also Section 4.C.
(1) If your bike has cam action front wheel retention, move the cam lever
so that it curves away from the wheel (fig. 8b). This is the OPEN position.
If your bike has through bolt or bolt-on front wheel retention, go to the next
step.
(2) With the steering fork facing forward, insert the wheel between the fork
blades so that the axle seats firmly at the top of the fork dropouts. The cam
lever, if there is one, should be on rider's left side of the bicycle (fig. 8a &
b). If your bike has a clip-on type secondary retention device, engage it.
(3) If you have a traditional cam action mechanism: holding the cam lever
in the ADJUST position with your right hand, tighten the tension adjusting
nut with your left hand until it is finger tight against the fork dropout (fig.
8a). If you have a cam-and-cup system: the nut and cup (fig. 8b) will have
snapped into the recessed area of the fork dropouts and no adjustment
should be required.
(4) While pushing the wheel firmly to the top of the slots in the fork
dropouts, and at the same time centering the wheel rim in the fork:
(a) With a cam action system, move the cam lever upwards and swing it
into the CLOSED position (fig. 8a & b). The lever should now be parallel
to the fork blade and curved toward the wheel. To apply enough clamping
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