Kona bicycle Owner's Manual page 23

6. See the brake manufacturer's
instructions for operation
and care of your brakes, and
for when brake pads must be
replaced. If you do not have the
manufacturer's instructions, see
your dealer or contact the brake
manufacturer.
7. If you are replacing worn
or damaged parts, use only
manufacturer-approved genuine
replacement parts.
1. Brake controls and features
It's very important to your safety
that you learn and remember which
brake lever controls which brake on
your bike. Traditionally, the right
brake lever controls the rear brake
and the left brake lever controls the
front brake; but, to make sure your
bike's brakes are set up this way,
squeeze one brake lever and look
to see which brake, front or rear,
engages. Now do the same with the
other brake lever.
Make sure that your hands can
reach and squeeze the brake levers
comfortably. If your hands are too
small to operate the levers comfort-
ably, consult your dealer before rid-
ing the bike. The lever reach may
be adjustable; or you may need a
different brake lever design.
Most rim brakes have some form of quick-release mecha-
nism to allow the brake pads to clear the tire when a
wheel is removed or reinstalled.
When the brake quick release is
in the open position, the brakes
are inoperative. Ask your dealer
to make sure that you under-
stand the way the brake quick
release works on your bike (see
figs. 12, 13. 14 & 15) and check
each time to make sure both
brakes work correctly before you
get on the bike.
2. How brakes work
The braking action of a bicycle is a function of
the friction between the braking surfaces. To make sure
that you have maximum friction available, keep your
wheel rims and brake pads or the disk rotor and caliper
clean and free of dirt, lubricants, waxes or polishes.
Brakes are designed to control your speed, not just to stop
the bike. Maximum braking force for each wheel occurs at
the point just before the wheel "locks up" (stops rotating)
and starts to skid. Once the tire skids, you actually lose
most of your stopping force and all directional control. You
need to practice slowing and stopping smoothly without
locking up a wheel. The technique is called progressive
brake modulation. Instead of jerking the brake lever to
the position where you think you'll generate appropriate
braking force, squeeze the lever, progressively increasing
the braking force. If you feel the wheel begin to lock up,
release pressure just a little to keep the wheel rotating
just short of lockup. It's important to develop a feel for the
amount of brake lever pressure required for each wheel
at different speeds and on different surfaces. To better
understand this, experiment a little by walking your bike
and applying different amounts of pressure to each brake
lever, until the wheel locks. 22
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