1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Nirve Manuals
  4. Bicycle
  5. Bicycle
  6. Owner's manual

Nirve Bicycle Owner's Manual

Nirve bicycle owner’s manual
Hide thumbs
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

OWNER'S MANUAL
go in style.
1

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading
Need help?

Need help?

Do you have a question about the Bicycle and is the answer not in the manual?

Questions and answers

Related Manuals for Nirve Bicycle

Summary of Contents for Nirve Bicycle

  • Page 1 OWNER’S MANUAL go in style.
  • Page 2 Make sure that your dealer has given you all the manufacturers’ literature that was included with your bicycle or accessories. In case of a conflict between the instructions in this manual and information provided by a component manufacturer, always follow the component manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Page 3 You have purchased one of the world’s most fun and stylish bicycles! Your Nirve® bicycle is manufactured with years of experience and is fully tested for your safety and comfort. In order to enjoy your new bicycle, care and maintenance is recommended.
  • Page 4 NOTE: This manual is not intended as a comprehensive use, service, repair or maintenance manual. Please see your Authorized Nirve dealer for all service, repairs or maintenance. Your Authorized Nirve dealer may also be able to refer you to classes, clinics or books on bicycle use, service, repair or maintenance.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    22 3. Removing and installing wheels p. 22 B. Seat post cam action clamp p. 26 C. Brakes p. 27 D. Shifting gears p. 30 E. Pedals p. 33 F. Bicycle Suspension p. 34 G. Tires and Tubes p. 36...
  • Page 6 5. Service A. Service Intervals p. 38 B. If your bicycle sustains an impact p. 40 Appendix A: Intended Use p. 41 Appendix B: Lifespan of your bike and its components p. 49 Appendix C: Coaster Brakes p. 57 Appendix D: Fastener Torque Specifications...

  • Page 7: General Warning

    GENERAL WARNING: Like any sport, bicycling involves risk of injury and damage. By choosing to ride a bicycle, you assume the responsibility for that risk, so you need to know — and to practice — the rules of safe and responsible riding and of proper use and maintenance. Proper use and maintenance of your bicycle reduces risk of injury.

  • Page 8: A Special Note For Parents

    A special note for parents: As a parent or guardian, you are responsible for the activities and safety of your minor child, and that includes making sure that the bicycle is properly fitted to the child; that it is in good repair and safe operating condition; that you and your child have learned and understand the safe operation of the bicycle;...

  • Page 9: Bike Fit

    A. Bike fit 1. Is your bike the right size? To check, see Section 3.A. If your bicycle is too large or too small for you, you may lose control and fall. If your new bike is not the right size, ask your dealer to exchange it before you ride it.

  • Page 10: Mechanical Safety Check

    Correctly tightening a fastener requires a calibrated torque wrench. A professional bicycle mechanic with a torque wrench should torque the fasteners on you bicycle. If you choose to work on your own bicycle, you must use a torque wrench and the correct tightening torque specifications from the bicycle or component manufacturer or from your dealer.
  • Page 11 Check to make sure that any rim wear indicator marking is not visible at any point on the wheel rim. WARNING: Bicycle wheel rims are subject to wear. Ask your dealer about wheel rim wear. Some wheel rims have a rim wear indicator which becomes visible as the rim’s braking surface...

  • Page 12: First Ride

    D. First ride When you buckle on your helmet and go for your first familiarization ride on your new bicycle, be sure to pick a controlled environment, away from cars, other cyclists, obstacles or other hazards. Ride to become familiar with the controls, features and performance of your new bike.

  • Page 13: The Basics

    • Bright, visible clothing that is not so loose that it can be tangled in the bicycle or snagged by objects at the side of the road or trail. • Protective eyewear, to protect against airborne dirt, dust and bugs — tinted when the sun is bright, clear when it’s not.
  • Page 14 6. Stop at stop signs and traffic lights; slow down and look both ways at street intersections. Remember that a bicycle always loses in a collision with a motor vehicle, so be prepared to yield even if you have the right of way.

  • Page 15: Off Road Safety

    C. Off Road Safety We recommend that children not ride on rough terrain unless they are accompanied by an adult. 1. The variable conditions and hazards of off-road riding require close attention and specific skills. Start slowly on easier terrain and build up your skills.

  • Page 16: Night Riding

    Bicycle reflectors are designed to pick up and reflect car lights and street lights in a way that may help you to be seen and recognized as a moving bicyclist.
  • Page 17 • Wear light colored, reflective clothing and accessories, such as a reflective vest, reflective arm and leg bands, reflective stripes on your helmet, flashing lights attached to your body and/or your bicycle ... any reflective device or light source that moves will help you get the attention of approaching motorists, pedestrians and other traffic.

  • Page 18: Extreme, Stunt Or Competition Riding

    Not all bicycles are designed for these types of riding, and those that are may not be suitable for all types of aggressive riding. Check with your dealer or the bicycle’s manufacturer about the suitability of your bicycle before engaging in extreme riding.

  • Page 19: Changing Components Or Adding Accessories

    • Take your bicycle to your dealer if anything breaks or bends. Do not ride your bicycle when any part is damaged. If you ride downhill at speed, do stunt riding or ride in competition, know the limits of your skill and experience.

  • Page 20: Standover Height

    1. Diamond frame bicycles Standover height is the basic element of bike fit (see ). It is the distance from the ground to the top of the bicycle’s frame at that point where your crotch is when straddling the bike. To check for correct standover height, straddle the bike while wearing the kind of shoes in which you’ll be riding, and bounce vigorously on your heels.
  • Page 21 If your bicycle has such a sight hole, use it instead of the “Minimum Insertion” or “Maximum Extension” mark to make sure the seat post is inserted in the seat tube far enough to be visible through the sight hole.
  • Page 22 Either mistake can lead to a sudden failure of the bolt, causing you to lose control and fall. Note: If your bicycle is equipped with a suspension seat post, the suspension mechanism may require periodic service or maintenance. Ask your dealer for recommended service intervals for your suspension seat post.

  • Page 23: Handlebar Height And Angle

    C. Handlebar height and angle Your bike is equipped either with a “threadless” stem, which clamps on to the outside of the steerer tube, or with a “quill” stem, which clamps inside the steerer tube by way of an expanding binder bolt. If you aren’t absolutely sure which type of stem your bike has, ask your dealer. If your bike has a “threadless”...
  • Page 24 Some bicycles are equipped with an adjustable angle stem. If your bicycle has an adjustable angle stem, ask your dealer to show you how to adjust if. Do not attempt to make the adjustment yourself, as changing stem angle may also require adjustments to the bicycle’s controls.

  • Page 25: Control Position Adjustments

    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. D.

  • Page 26: Tech

    4. Tech It’s important to your safety, performance and enjoyment to understand how things work on your bicycle. We urge you to ask your dealer how to do the things described in this section before you attempt them yourself, and that you have your dealer check your work before you ride the bike.
  • Page 27 Your bicycle may be equipped with a different securing method for the front wheel than for the rear wheel. Discuss the wheel securing method for your bicycle with your dealer. It is very important that you understand the type of wheel securing method on your bicycle, that you know how to secure the wheels correctly, and that you know how to apply the correct clamping force that safely secures the wheel.

  • Page 28: Secondary Retention Devices

    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.
  • Page 29 (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.
  • Page 30 (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 force, you should have to wrap your fingers around the fork blade for leverage, and the lever should leave a clear imprint in the palm of your hand.
  • Page 31 the wheel forward far enough to be able to remove the chain from the rear sprocket. (5) Lift the rear wheel off the ground a few inches and remove it from the rear dropouts. d. Installing a disk brake or rim brake Rear Wheel CAUTION: If your bike is equipped with a rear disk brake, be careful not to damage the disk, caliper or brake pads when re- inserting the disk into the caliper.

  • Page 32: Seat Post Cam Action Clamp

    (9) Spin the wheel to make sure that it is centered in the frame and clears the brake pads; then squeeze the brake lever and make sure that the brakes are operating correctly. B. Seat post cam action clamp Some bikes are equipped with a cam action seat post binder. The seat post cam action binder works exactly like the traditional wheel cam action fastener (Section 4.A.2) While a cam action binder looks like a long bolt with a lever on one end and a nut on the other, the binder uses an over-center cam action to firmly clamp the seat post (see fig.

  • Page 33: Brakes

    All three can be operated by way of a handlebar mounted lever. On some models of bicycle, the internal hub brake is operated by pedaling backwards. This is called a Coaster Brake and is described in Appendix C.
  • Page 34 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.
  • Page 35 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.

  • Page 36: Shifting Gears

    D. Shifting gears Your multi-speed bicycle will have a derailleur drivetrain (see 1. below), an internal gear hub drivetrain (see 2. below) or, in some special cases, a combination of the two.

  • Page 37: E. Pedals

    Moving the chain out or away from the centerline of the bike is for speed and is called an upshift. Whether upshifting or downshifting, the bicycle derailleur system design requires that the drive chain be moving forward and be under at least some tension. A derailleur will shift only if you are pedaling forward.
  • Page 38 2. How an internal gear hub drivetrain works If your bicycle has an internal gear hub drivetrain, the gear changing mechanism will consist of: • a 3, 5, 7, 8, 12 speed or possibly an infinitely variable internal gear hub •...
  • Page 39 For proper set up and maintenance please consult the owner’s manual for the suspension fork and/or rear shock that you received with your bicycle. If you did not receive the manual(s) please contact the fork or shock manufacturer and they can send you one, or download one from their website.
  • Page 40 2. 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’...

  • Page 41: Bicycle Suspension

    Many bicycles are equipped with suspension systems. There are many different types of suspension systems — too many to deal with individually in this Manual. If your bicycle has a suspension system of any kind, be sure to read and follow the suspension manufacturer’s setup...

  • Page 42: Tires And Tubes

    The best and safest way to inflate a bicycle tire to the correct pressure is with a bicycle pump which has a built-in pressure gauge.
  • Page 43 2. Tire Valves There are primarily two kinds of bicycle tube valves: The Schraeder Valve and the Presta Valve. The bicycle pump you use must have the fitting appropriate to the valve stems on your bicycle.

  • Page 44: Service

    The Presta valve (fig. 18b) has a narrower diameter and is only found on bicycle tires. To inflate a Presta valve tube using a Presta headed bicycle pump, remove the valve cap; unscrew (counterclockwise) the valve stem lock nut; and push down on the valve stem to free it up. Then push the pump head on to the valve head, and inflate.

  • Page 45: Service Intervals

    3. After every long or hard ride; if the bike has been exposed to water or grit; or at least every 100 miles: Clean the bike and lightly lubricate the chain’s rollers with a good quality bicycle chain lubricant. Wipe off excess lubricant with a lint-free cloth. Lubrication is a function of climate.
  • Page 46 While the materials and workmanship of your bicycle or of individual components may be covered by a warranty for a specified period of...

  • Page 47: If Your Bicycle Sustains An Impact

    Product life is often related to the kind of riding you do and to the treatment to which you submit the bicycle. The bicycle’s warranty is not meant to suggest that the bicycle cannot be broken or will last forever.

  • Page 48: Intended Use Of Your Bicycle

    No one type of bicycle is suited for all purposes. Your retailer can help you pick the “right tool for the job” and help you understand its limitations. There are many types of bicycles and many variations within each type. There are many types of mountain, road, racing, hybrid, touring, cyclocross and tandem bicycles.

  • Page 49: General Purpose Riding

    INTENDED To be ridden on paved roads only. NOT INTENDED For off-road, cyclocross, or touring with racks or panniers. TRADE OFF Material use is optimized to deliver both light weight and specific performance. You must understand that (1) these types of bikes are intended to give an aggressive racer or competitive cyclist a performance advantage over a relatively short product life, (2) a less aggressive rider will enjoy longer frame life, (3) you are choosing light weight (shorter frame life) over more frame weight and a longer frame life, (4) you are choosing light weight over more dent resistant or rugged frames that weigh more.
  • Page 50 carry heavier loads or want more tire durability talk to your dealer about wider tires. MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMIT RIDER LUGGAGE TOTAL lbs / kg lbs / kg lbs / kg 300 / 136 30 / 14 330 / 129 for Touring or Trekking 300 / 136 55 / 25 355 / 161...

  • Page 51: All Mountain

    MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMIT RIDER LUGGAGE* TOTAL lbs / kg lbs / kg lbs / kg 300 / 136 5 /2.3 305 / 138 * Seat Bag Only Front suspension frames manufactured with original equipment seat stay and dropout rack mounts only 300 / 136 55 / 25 355 / 161...
  • Page 52 Bikes designed for jumping, hucking, high speeds, or aggressive riding on rougher surfaces, or landing on flat surfaces. However, this type of riding is extremely hazardous and puts unpredictable forces on a bicycle which may overload the frame, fork, or parts. If you choose to ride in Condition 5 terrain, you should take appropriate safety precautions such as more frequent bike inspections and replacement of equipment.

  • Page 53: Dirt Jump

    Bikes designed for jumping, hucking, high speeds, or aggressive riding on rougher surfaces, or landing on flat surfaces. However, this type of riding is extremely hazardous and puts unpredictable forces on a bicycle which may overload the frame, fork, or parts. If you choose to ride in Condition 5 terrain, you should take appropriate safety precautions such as more frequent bike inspections and replacement of equipment.

  • Page 54: Road Tandems

    lbs / kg lbs / kg lbs / kg 300 / 136 300 / 136 Cyclo-cross CONDITION 2 Bikes designed for riding Condition 1, plus smooth gravel roads and improved trails with moderate grades where the tires do not lose ground contact.

  • Page 55: Appendix B: Lifespan Of Your Bike And Its Components

    INTENDED Are designed to be ridden on paved roads only. They are not designed for mountain biking or off-road use. NOT INTENDED Road tandem should not be taken off-road or used as a mountain tandem. MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMIT RIDER LUGGAGE TOTAL lbs / kg lbs / kg...
  • Page 56 We cannot teach you everything you need to know to properly inspect and service your bicycle; and that is why we repeatedly urge you to take your bicycle to your dealer for professional care and attention.
  • Page 57 A. Understanding metals Steel is the traditional material for building bicycle frames. It has good characteristics, but in high performance bicycles, steel has been largely replaced by aluminum and some titanium. The main factor driving this change is interest by cycling enthusiasts in lighter bicycles.
  • Page 58 A crude, often-used example is bending a paper clip back and forth (repeated loading) until it breaks. This simple definition will help you understand that fatigue has nothing to do with time or age. A bicycle in a garage does not fatigue. Fatigue happens only through use.
  • Page 59 Aircraft, race cars, motorcycles all have parts with finite fatigue lives. If you wanted a bicycle with an infinite fatigue life, it would weigh far more than any bicycle sold today. So we all make a tradeoff: the wonderful, lightweight performance we want requires that we inspect the structure.
  • Page 60 Fatigue Is Not A Perfectly Predictable Science Fatigue is not a perfectly predictable science, but here are some general factors to help you and your dealer determine how often your bicycle should be inspected. The more you fit the “shorten product life” profile, the more frequent your need to inspect. The more you fit the “lengthen product life”...

  • Page 61: Coaster Brake

    2. Adjusting your coaster brake Coaster brake service and adjustment requires special tools and special knowledge. Do not attempt to disassemble or service your coaster brake. Take the bicycle to your dealer for coaster brake service.

  • Page 62: Appendix D: Fastener Torque Specifications

    Appendix D Fastener Torque Specifications Correct tightening torque of threaded fasteners is very important to your safety. Always tighten fasteners to the correct torque. In case of a conflict between the instructions in this manual and information provided by a component manufacturer, consult with your dealer or the manufacturer’s customer service representative for clarification.
  • Page 64 7. In order to exercise your rights under this limited warranty, the complete bicycle must be presented to an authorized Nirve dealer for inspection, together with a receipt, bill of sale and other appropriate written proof of purchase, which identifies the bicycle by serial number.
  • Page 65 Nirve will replace the product if this becomes necessary. When Nirve provides a lifetime warranty, this does not guarantee that the product will last forever. The length of the useful life cycle of a Nirve bicycle will vary depending on the type of bike, riding conditions and care the bike receives.
  • Page 66 __________________________________ Place __________________________________ Stamp Here __________________________________ NIRVE BICYCLES® PO Box 313 Norwood, NJ 07648...
  • Page 67 IMPORTANT: PRODUCT REGISTRATION CARD To validate your warranty, please complete and mail this product registration card within 30 days of purchase. Or you may register online at www.nirve.com. First Name:______________________________ Middle Initial:____ Last Name:__________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________________________________________________ City:_______________________________________________State:_________ Zip/Postal Code:_______________________ 1. What is your date of birth? 4.
  • Page 68 7. Date of Purchase? ____________________________ ____ Received as a gift 8. Serial Number?_______________________________ ____ Value Your serial number is located on the bottom bracket shell of your Nirve bicycle. ____ Color / Appearance ____ Prior Experience 9. Name of Dealer’s Bike Shop?
  • Page 69 WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD IMPORTANT! Please complete this card and mail it immediately - failure to do so may delay service claims. (All information is strictly confidential)
  • Page 70 NEW JERSEY • FLORIDA • CALIFORNIA 800.222.0570 • 800.533.9010 • 866.400.9625 www.nirve.com...

Table of Contents