Chappelli cycles assembly and care manual Version 3.0 (For single speeds and fixies) Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 1. The legal bits The Chappelli Cycle you have purchased is a partly assembled bicycle. That means the handle bars, seat, pedals and front wheel are all detached and you need to attach them before riding the bike. The reason for this is because Chappelli Cycles is an online bicycle retailer and only sells directly to you. This helps keep our costs down and pass those savings on to you. However, it means the bikes are delivered to you by our logistics partners who do not like bike shaped boxes (hard to fit in delivery vans). So, it means that either you have to do some of the work putting the bike together before you can hit the streets or you have to pay or bribe someone else to do it for you. Its up to you. We’ve done our best to give you easy to use instructions in this manual. To reduce the risk of you hurting yourself, we strongly suggest that you follow the instructions in this manual very carefully if you decide to assemble it yourself. However for complete peace of mind, we recommend that you take the bicycle to a properly skilled bicycle mechanic to ensure it is assembled correctly. This manual also contains information on the maintenance and repair of your bicycle, which if you follow regularly should help keep your Chappelli Cycle running smoothly and you looking good. 2. Getting ready to assemble your Chappelli Cycle 1. Unwrapping you bicycle & what you will need to assemble it •
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Our bicycles arrive partially assembled in a box with all the necessary parts to fully assemble your bike inside, as well as this guide and a tool kit with some useful tools to help you assemble your bike. Tools you may need: o 4mm, 5mm & 6mm Allen Keys o Phillips Head Screwdriver o Flat Blade Screw Driver o 150mm adjustable Spanner o Use of a Torque Wrench is recommended and a list of recommended torque requirements is listed in the maintenance section of this manual You will probably also need a bicycle pump that fits french valves (not supplied) to properly inflate the tyres and those of you with a work bench may find it easier to mount the bike in a vice whilst finishing the assembly. Remember to be good to the environment and dispose of the box in the recycling bin! What your box should contain (May vary slightly according to model) Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 2 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 • 1x Seat, 2x Seat brace plates, 1x long screw, 1x seat bolt and 1x Seat pole • 5.0mm Allen Key required • Handlebar and handle bar plate, 2x short screws • 5.0mm Allen Key required • Front wheel , skewer and front wheel screws (Some models may include quick release front wheel) • 2 x Pedals (with toe clips attached) • 1 x Front reflector (white), 1 x Rear Reflector (red), 2 x Wheel reflectors (orange) and a bell as well as their attachments (some of the reflectors and the bell may already be attached) 2. How long will it take • You should allow about 15‐20 minutes to assemble the bike correctly and another 5 minutes to adjust the bike correctly to you and check that everything works. 3. How will it look when it is assembled? (example only) 4.
Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 3 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 3. Attaching the front wheel and pedals Attaching the pedals 1. Take the two pedals and screw each one into the pedal sockets on the crank. On one side you will need to turn clockwise and the other side anti‐clockwise. 2. You will need to use a 15mm wrench (or adjustable wrench) to tighten the pedals. The pedals need to be screwed all the way in so that they are flush with the crank and should be as tight as possible. Use of a torque wrench is strongly recommended. 3. NOTE: Not tightening the pedals sufficiently will cause the pedals to come loose, stripping the thread on the crank and pedal screw. Any damage caused by failing to sufficiently tighten the pedals IS NOT covered by the twelve month warranty on parts. Attaching the front wheel 4. The front wheel comes with a wheel nut and lock washer on each side. Loosen the wheel nuts so that there is gap on each side of the wheel and the nuts. This is where the front fork dropouts will slot into to attach the wheel to the bike. 5. The front wheel should be fitted between the front fork dropouts with the wheel lock washer and wheel nut on the outside of the dropouts. Make sure the wheel is evenly spaced between the brake pads at the top. 6. Rotate each wheel lock washer so the pin fits into the fork holes in the fork just near the dropouts. These will hold the wheel in place and prevent it from dropping out whilst you tighten the wheel nuts. 7. Using a 15mm wrench or torque wrench, tighten the wheel nuts on each side of the wheel so that the wheel sits evenly between the fork. The screws need to be extremely tight to prevent the wheel from coming loose during riding. See section 12 for the specified torque that the front and rear wheel nuts should be tightened to. Diagram 1 – Front wheel nut Front Fork hole Wheel lock washer Front Fork Dropout Wheel nut (needs to be tightened with a wrench or torque wrench to the specified torque in section 12) 8. Warning: Riding without the front wheel nuts tightened to the specified torque could cause the wheel to fall out, causing serious injury or even death to the rider. Make sure that you know how to install and remove the front wheel correctly and know how to correctly tighten the wheel screws to ensure the wheel stays in place. (See Diagram 1) Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 4 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 4. Assembling & correctly attaching the seat (strongly advised for more comfortable riding! Assembly of the seat 1. Take the seat plate with the groves on it and rest it on the seat pole horizontally. 2. Insert the screw from the underneath and then place on the second seat plate on top of the first with the screw through the middle. (Diagram 3) 3. Align the two seat plates so that the horizontal groves run forward. 4. Take the fastener and loosely screw it onto the screw using an Allen Key, so that you have approximately 0.5cm of gap between the two plates. 5. Take the seat and turning the top plate so its is at right angles rest the seat on top of the bottom seat plate and then turn the top plate so it clamps down on the seat. 6. Then holding the fastener so it doesn’t move, tighten the screw (Diagram 4) Diagram 3: The seat plates Diagram 4: Seat assembly 7. Adjust the seat to make sure that the numbers on the seat bar align with the seat brace. This will depend on personal preference and can be adjusted later but for the moment put it in the middle. 8. Tighten the screw using the Allen Key until the seat is securely fastened to the seat pole 9. Insert the seat pole into the seat tube, then adjust the height to roughly crotch level when on tiptoes and tighten the fastener using the Allen Key Diagram 5: Adjusting the seat Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 5 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 Seat Position 10. Adjusting the seat correctly will make your Chappelli Cycle experience much more pleasurable and will improve your performance. The seat can be adjusted front and back, tilted and raised or lowered according to your personal preference. 11. Correct Saddle position is entirely up to you but here are some guidelines: •
Front & Back – loosen the seat clamp and slide the seat forward or back according to your preference. Most people aim to have their knee directly over their ankle when the crank is horizontal (ie. Pedal is as far forward as possible) •
Seat Tilt – I like my seat tilted down just slightly but its entirely up to you – there are no guidelines but we strongly advise against any tilt over 45 degrees! •
Seat Height – Sit on the seat of the bike and place one heel on the pedal at its lowest point. Now adjust the seat height until your leg is almost straight. Another rough guide that I use is when you are seated on the bike you should just be able to touch the ground with your toes on both feet. 5. Attaching and adjusting the handle bars and checking the brakes 1.
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The handlebars should be linked by brake cables to the bike already, however they need to be attached to the handlebar stem. Place the handlebars on the handlebar stem so that the groves in the middle of the bar match up with the groves on the stem. Make sure that the brakes are the right side up and that the “R” and the “L” marked underneath the brakes match up to the right and left hand sides. Take the attachment plate and insert the two screws to hold the handle bar in place on the handlebar stem. Tighten the two screws but only to finger tightness for the moment. Adjust the rotation of the handle bars so that the brakes are facing forward and adjust to your comfort. Tighten the screws using the Allan Key until they are very firmly screwed in and there is absolutely no movement in the bars. Now test the brakes ‐ Gently apply pressure to each brake lever. You should see the brake pads clamp down on the wheel rims tightly. Make sure that the brake pads are gripping tightly on the rims. There should be no movement of the wheels when you have the brakes fully applied and the brake handle should not touch the handlebars. If this is not the case you may need to make sure that the brake pads are centered over each of the wheels. If you are unsure about this, we strongly advise you take the bike to a certified bike mechanic before riding it. 6. Attaching reflectors and bells (for attracting attention) Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 6 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 1. Chappelli Bicycles come with pedal reflectors, front and rear reflectors and wheel reflectors already attached. These make it easier for cars to see you at night and are required by many countries. However some people don’t like them and remove them (its easy with a screw driver). That’s up to you but it does make it harder for cars to see you – especially when riding home after work or after catching up with friends at the local. 2. We have also attached a bell so you can clear a path through any annoying pedestrians. We like the bell, but if you don’t then you can remove it pretty simply with a screwdriver. 3. If for some reason you need to attach or reattach the reflectors – the white one is for the front and should be attached as close to the head stem of the bike as possible. It needs to be clearly visible and facing straight ahead. The rear one (red) should be attached to the seat stem and clearly visible. It needs to be facing directly backwards. 4. The bell you can attach wherever you like on the handlebar, but it is advised to do it close to the grip so you can ring the bell whilst still having both hands firmly on the handlebars. 7. How to adjust the brakes correctly Chappelli Cycles come partially assembled and the brakes will need adjusting before riding. In a small number of instances once assembled the brake pads will be too far apart to clamp onto the rim and need to be adjusted. This most often occurs with the front brakes. These instructions provide guidance on how to adjust the brakes so that they operate correctly. However brakes are extremely important and you should test them before using the bicycle. If you have concerns of whether you have done this correctly, we recommend that you have this done by a certified bicycle mechanic. Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 7 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 Diagram 6. Caliper Side Pull Brakes Parts (illustration only – may be different to actual brakes) 1. Locate the adjusting barrel which is the barrel that the cable housing ends in and which the brake wire passes through 2. Make sure the adjusting barrel is screwed all the way down to loosen the brake wire as much as possible. 3. Note: There is also an adjusting barrel on the brake handle where the brake cable enters the brake handle. This should be tightened also. 4. Ensure that the cable housing is snug in the adjusting barrel. 5. Using an adjustable wrench or the multi‐tool supplied, loosen the anchor bolt so that the wire becomes loose and you can move the arms. 6. Now squeeze the two brake arms together so that the brake pads are closer together but leave a couple of millimetres on each side of the rim and pull the wire tight. 7. You now need to re‐tighten the anchor bolt with the wire still tense so that the brake pads hold their new position. You must ensure that the cable does not slip through the bolt when the brake is full applied. 8. You can now make finer adjustments using the adjustment barrel which will further tighten the wire and bring the brake pads closer together. 9. Ideally the brakes should feel firm rather than soft and should contact the brake with only slight pressure applied to the brake lever Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 8 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 8. Getting ready to ride 1. So now your Chappelli Cycle should almost be ready to ride. But before you do, there are a couple of final checks and adjustments to perform to make sure that the bike is set up correctly for you and everything is working. 2. Firstly adjust the seat so it is the correct height and is facing forward. It should be aligned over the center tube. To adjust the seat to the correct height, sit on the bike with you foot in the pedal at the bottom of its rotation (ie. Closest to the ground) Adjust the seat height so that your leg with the foot on the pedal is almost straight (it should have a very slight bend in it). Then tighten the seat with the Allan key. 3. To test the brakes, gently apply pressure to each brake lever. You should see the brake pads clamp down on the wheel rims tightly. Make sure that the brake pads are gripping tightly on the rims. There should be no movement of the wheels when you have the brakes fully applied and the brake handle should not touch the handlebars. If this is not the case you may need to make sure that the brake pads are centered over each of the wheels. If you are unsure about this, we strongly advise you take the bike to a certified bike mechanic before riding it. 4. Check the chain is not too tight or too loose. Ideally there should be a little movement in the chain either up or down (0.5cm). If not, you can adjust the chain tightness by moving the rear wheel either forward to back. This can be done by loosening or tightening the screws on the attachments on the rear wheel of the bike. 5. Ensure the wheels are aligned and the tyres are correctly inflated to the PSI indicated on the them (usually 100PSI). Flat tyres make it harder to ride and wear out the rims and tyres faster. You should check your tyre pressure regularly to maintain maximum efficiency and prolong the life of your tyres. Spin each wheel and make sure they spin freely without touching the brake pads and without wobbling. If they wobble or hit the brake pads then take the bike to a qualified bike mechanic. 6. Before you hit the road make sure you read the next section on basic bike safety and warnings about night riding and riding in the wet. Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 9 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 9. Warnings & basic bike safety 1. Basic bike safety Before you use your Chappelli Cycle on the road its important to make sure that you take precautions to avoid unnecessary risk of injury whilst riding. These include: • Always obeying the road rules (including stop signs and traffic lights) • Do not drink and ride – its stupid, dangerous and it hurts a lot when you fall off. • Always wearing a helmet that meets Australian standards and where possible bright clothing to attract attention • Ride defensively – be on the lookout for unexpected events – doors opening, sudden U turns, kids chasing balls etc. • When sharing the road with cars, I always assume that drivers have not seen me and adapt my riding accordingly. • Adjust your riding to the conditions as appropriate – see Night Riding and Riding in the Wet • Use the bicycle only has recommended and do not use it for stunts. 2. Night Riding •
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If riding at night make sure that all the reflectors are attached (this is required by law) This includes the front, back, pedal and wheel reflectors. In many countries it is also compulsory to have both front and back lights attached. Wearing that special reflective clothing or tape will also make sure that you are seen. 3. Riding in the Wet • Riding in the wet is much more dangerous than in the dry and extra caution should be taken. Remember i. Wet rims and slippery wet surfaces will increase the required braking distance, sometimes by double or triple – so be careful! ii. Your brakes will not function as well as in the dry, so try to slow down and ensure controlled even braking. It is up to you to ensure that you use extra caution when riding in the wet and remember to apply the brakes earlier than you would if riding in dry conditions. Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 10 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 10.
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Switching from a single speed to a fixed wheel bike Chappelli Cycles are designed to be ridden either has a single speed bicycle for those who loved stripped down bikes and have a thirst for adventure as a fixed gear bike or ‘fixie’ as they are known. The bicycle will be delivered to you in single speed format. This means that the rear wheel can spin either forwards or backwards and that it can rotate freely without the pedals rotating. A fixed wheel bike has the rear wheel “fixed”. This means that it can only rotate when the pedals rotate either forwards or backwards. If the pedals go forward so must the wheel if the pedals go backwards so must the wheel. This has the added advantage of being able to double as a brake, so that slow down or stop the rider pushes the pedal backwards which locks up the rear wheel. For those of you who grew up in the 80’s a lot of BMX’s had ‘wheel’ brakes which operated in the same way. Riding the bike as a fixed wheel bike can be dangerous for those who haven’t done it before. That is why we have also attached front and rear hand brakes to all our bikes to whilst you are getting the hang of it or if you need to stop suddenly and panic you can use the hand brakes. We strongly advise caution in removing the brakes and operating the bike as a pure fixie. It takes a lot of courage and skill to stop the bike and we guarantee that coming off your bike at speed is not fun or pleasant, so please be ultra careful. If you do want to switch from single speed to a fixed wheel format then you will just have to remove the rear wheel by loosening the screws holding it in place, and then remove the chain and turn the wheel around (you will notice that both sides of the wheel have a cog). Then reattach the chain and adjust the wheel accordingly. Remember the chain should have a little give in it but not too much. On Youtube there are lots of videos showing you how to do this as well as lots of videos on how to ride fixies properly and how to brake using a fixed wheel bike. We suggest that you watch them and practice (a lot!) before hitting the streets. Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 11 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 11.
Ongoing maintenance & repair of your Chappelli Cycle 1. Break‐in Period Most bikes require a break in period before riding them ‘hard’. On Chappelli Cycles there is less that can go wrong because they don’t have gears. However you should still avoid long rides for the first few weeks of riding and make sure that you check the chain tension after a few weeks as the chain links will stretch with use. It is a good idea to give the bike a thorough check over 1 month after purchase to make sure everything is still securely attached and nothing has come loose or need re‐adjustment. 2. Tyres Tyre pressure should be checked regularly to ensure the tyres are correctly inflated. The tyres should not be inflated over the recommended maximum. Chappelli Cycles tyres have a Presta or French Valve which has a narrow diameter and is only found on bicycle tyres. Most bicycle pumps will have a head designed to fit a Presta Valve however car pumps at service stations will not and so you will need to use a proper bicycle pump. To inflate a tyre fitted with a Presta Valve first remove the cap and then unscrew (counter clockwise) the valve lock. Push down on the valve stem to make sure it is open. Then apply the pump head and inflate the tyre to the desired pressure. To convert tyre pressure from pounds‐force per square inch (PSI) to kilopascals (kPa) use the table below: PSI kPa PSI kPa 50 344.7 110 758.4 60 413.7 120 827.4 70 482.6 130 896.3 80 551.6 140 965.3 90 620.5 150 1034.2 100 689.5 160 1103.2 3. Brakes Brakes need to be checked before every ride – see Section 9 Getting Ready to Ride. The easiest way is to squeeze both the front and rear brakes and try to move the bike back and forward. The wheels should be locked and everything should feel tight. If not, then you may have a loose headset or the brake‐pads need adjusting. If you have any doubt about this, you should take the bike to a licensed mechanic to check properly. Brake blocks (or pads) should be replaced when they are worn or uneven. This should be done by a licensed bicycle mechanic. Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 12 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 4. Cleaning After a long ride or if the bike has been exposed to rain or salt water it should be cleaned and the chain and moving parts lightly oiled. To clean your Chappelli Cycle you should use lightly soapy water and dry with a cloth. You can use this to clean the rims but please do not use any solvent or oils on the rims as this may interfere with the brakes making them less effective and potentially putting you in risk of harm. 5. Lubrication & Oiling the chain To keep you Chappelli Cycle running at maximum efficiency it is recommended that you regularly lubricate you bicycle. Your bike chain should be lubricated at least monthly. This should be done by lightly applying a bicycle lubricant along the length of the chain whilst rotating the chain slowly. Make sure you wipe off any excess with a cloth and please don’t do this inside on white carpet (I learnt the hard way) Brake calipers can also be lightly lubricated however keep any oils away from the brake pads. Brakes cables, levers and calipers should be lubricated every 3 months or so. 6. Rust & Corrosion To avoid rust and corrosion it is recommended that you: • Store you bicycle in a dry area away from dampness or wet air • Do not leave your bike outside in the rain or exposed to salt air • Clean and oil your bike after any exposure to rain or salt water • Warning: Beach areas particularly in Sydney have high salt air content which will cause rusting to your bicycle. Applying WD40 will help slow this down by limiting moisture penetration. • Warning: Rust or corrosion is not covered by the Chappelli Cycle warranty 7. Handle bar grips and tube plugs Warning: Handlebar grips and tube plugs should be replaced if they are damaged or worn. Naked tube ends have been known to cause serious injury in the event of an accident. This is particularly the case for bicycles ridden by children. 8. Assembly and ongoing maintenance – Use of a Torque Wrench If you make any adjustments to your bicycle we recommend you use a torque wrench and adjust to the following torques for parts of the bicycle. Torque Force Specifications Front Wheel Nuts 22‐27 Newton Meters Rear Wheel Nuts 24‐29 Newton Meters Seat Binder Nuts 12‐17 Newton Meters Seat Pillar Clamp Nut 15‐19 Newton Meters Brake Anchor Nut 7‐11 Newton Meters Handle Bar Clamp Nut 17‐19 Newton Meters Head Stem Expander Bolt 17‐19 Newton Meters Brake Centre Bolt 12‐17 Newton Meters Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 13 Chappelli Cycles – Bicycle Assembly Manual v3.0 Chappelli Cycles are delivered as partially assembled bicycles. Please take the bicycle to a properly qualified bicycle mechanic to assemble correctly. Have fun and be safe! Page 14