S A F E T Y; The Brakes; Side Pull Rim Brakes; Replacing The Brake Blocks - Batavus Sportief Race Handbuch

same time, look at whether the pedals
are fi rmly fi xed to the cranks.
Your Batavus racing bicycle may have
a pedal with toe clip or a clipless pedal
(without a toe clip but with a click
system, whereby the plates under
the shoe are anchored in the pedal
binding).
The use of special cycling shoes is, in
fact, essential on a racing bicycle. These
shoes have a perfect fi t and a special
sole which enables the pedalling power
to be transmitted as effi ciently as possi-
ble to the pedals. Consult your Batavus
dealer – it cannot do any harm at all.
He can advise you as to which type of
shoe and binding are most appropriate
for you. Take extra care when wea-
ring hard and/or leather soles without
plates, as your feet may slip off the
pedals while cycling. Make sure that
you wear shoes with suffi cient grip.

S A F E T Y

T H E B R A K E S

SIDE PULL RIM BRAKES

Batavus has fi tted its racing bicycles
with rim brakes (side pull brakes) (9).
They give good brake action and are
highly effi cient, light and extremely
user friendly. The compact brake arms
6
enable the brake blocks to tilt against
the rims.
Braking depends largely on familiarity
with the brakes, experience and "feel".
In wet weather, for example, your bra-
king distance is longer and when ma-
king long descents it is safer to brake in
short bursts to prevent overheating of
the rims and brake blocks.
T E C H N I Q U E
• Nuts and bolts must be fi rmly tigh-
tened.
• Cables may not be frayed or kinked.
• Brake surfaces must be clean and free
from grease.
• For safety reasons we advise you ne-
ver to brake only with the front brake
as the front wheel can easily block
resulting in a fall.
• If, after a time, you notice that the
brake power of the bicycle is decrea-
sing, the brake is probably worn or not
properly adjusted. Do not simply carry
on cycling with the brakes in this con-
dition. It is time for action! We provide
instructions here for the experienced,
enthusiastic do-it-yourselfer, but this is
a routine job for your Batavus dealer.
T E C H N I Q U E

REPLACING THE BRAKE BLOCKS

1. The brake blocks must be replaced
if the slanting grooves are worn away
(10). Rims have their own unique
character and the blocks fi tted form a
safe unit with them. Because there are
many different types of brake blocks,
we advise that you always consult your
Batavus dealer before replacing them.
We also recommend that you leave the
replacement of brake blocks to him.
However, we provide the correct order
of operations below for experienced
amateur mechanics.
(9)
2. Turn the brake release (C) of the side
(10)