5
Keep your pedal cadence high - You can overstress your knees with the
tremendous leverage you have on a recumbent. We recommend that you pedal in the
80-90 RPM range. If you experience knee pain, spin faster and check your leg length
setting. It is probably too short - see Chapter 2 for leg length adjustment. You might
also change your seat back angle.
Communicate --The key to successful tandem riding is teamwork between
the captain and the stoker. Captains - tell your stoker when you are shifting, stopping,
and if there are any bumps coming. Stokers - become part of the bike; don't make
sudden movements that startle your Captain. One of the best parts of tandem riding is
being able to talk to each other -- Do it!
QuickInformation
Tire & Wheel information
Rear: 559 bead seat diameter, 1.5" - 2.25" wide (ex. 26 x 1.5)
Front: 406mm bead seat dia, 1.5" - 2.0" wide (ex 20 x 1.5)
Inflation pressures: Inflate to the pressure moulded on tire sidewall
Wheel dish: Rear wheels are built without traditional dishing, call for
exact specs.
Torque specifications
Front Pinch bolts: 45 in-lbs (5N-M)
Frame Pinch bolts: 65 in-lbs (6N-M)
Pinch bolt type: 6mm x 1mm -- 25mm long
Handlebar Stem bolt: 65 in-lbs (6 N-M)
Chain
240 links captain to stoker (maximum length rider)
238 links stoker to rear wheel (maximum length rider)
Serial number location
On back plate of rear main frame, facing the rear wheel
The Advanced Transportation Products Inc. Warranty
AdvancedTransportationProductsInc. warrants each newVISION bicycle frame, fork, and seat
frame against defects in workmanship and materials for the lifetime of the original owner. Paint and decals,
seat fabric, and all original parts, are warranted for a period of one year from the date of purchase. This
warranty is expresssly limited to the repair or replacement of a defective frame, fork, seat or defective parts
and is the sole remedy of the warranty. This warranty applies to the original owner and is not transferable.
Claims under this warranty are to be made through an authorized VISION dealer. Proof of pur-
chase is required. AWarranty Registration Card must be completed and received by Advanced Transporta-
tionProducts Inc. before warranty claims may be processed.
Thewarranty does not cover normal wear and tear,improperassembly or maintenance, or instal-
lationof partsor accessories not originally intended or compatible with the bicycle as sold.
The warranty does not apply to damage or failure due to accident, abuse or neglect.
Advanced Transportation Products Inc. shall not be responsible for incidental or consequential
damages. Labor charges for part changeovers is not covered by this warranty. The user assumes the risk of
any personal injury or damage to the bicycle or other losses if the bicycle is used in any competitive event
including but not limited to bicycle racing, triathalons, or similar activities.
20
manual—it’s important to be able to actually look around behind you. This not only
gives you options on checking out traffic, but practicing this will increase your skills
and confidence on the bike.
At this point you should be feeling pretty good about life, zooming along nice and
comfortable, relaxed and thinking about
how much fun you are going to have on
this thing. Well don’t get too cocky yet.
Before you hit the open road there are a
some more exercises you should do.
Practice circling, both to the right and to
the left. Start out with gentle curves, and
progress to tighter and tighter radius “U”
turns.You should really try to master turn-
ing slowly in as tight a curve as possible
quite a few times, this gets you ready for
the real world of poor directions and de-
tours. If you find yourself wobbling or
jerking the handlebars around, you are
probably too tense. Relax, let your hands grasp the bars in a light but firm manner. Let
your shoulders droop, relax your neck, don’t “death-clench” your teeth. Once you relax
you will have more control over the bike.
Next, you should practice using the brakes. Stop and take off a few times, getting a feel
for how much pressure on the lever it takes to slow down or stop the bike. Remember
to always use both brakes together, with gentle pressure at first to stop the bike smoothly.
Drop both your feet to the pavement while giving the brakes the final squeeze to stop
the bike. Lean forward a bit and stand up, while reaching behind you for the seat frame
to steady the bike. Practice stopping and dismounting, then starting off again.You should
also practice stopping by dropping only one leg, typically your non-dominant leg. This
exercise will help you deal with momentary stops, such as at stop signs and traffic
lights. It does take a little practice to balance the bike leaning onto a single leg. Re-
member to keep one hand clamped on a brake to prevent the bike from rolling, it really
helps. I usually immediately cock my “crank-bound” leg for the start, and then hold
pressure against the brake until I’m ready to go. You should also carefully investigate
what happens to the bike with gradually increasing brake lever pressure, so you will be
comfortable with quick decisions on the road.
Don’t fall asleep on me yet, we’re almost done. The last thing you should practice
before hitting the open road is your shifting. You really need to be work on being aware
of how the gears work. While the modern shifting systems work wonderfully, it’s best
to only shift with a light load on the pedals. That is, you should ease up on the pedaling
pressure before you shift. This does take some practice, typically you only think to
shift when it’s almost too late; like when you’re right in the middle of a monster hill.
Try to anticipate what gear you will need , and when. Typically, the front derailluer (your
left handlebar control) with it’s three positions controls a bigger “jump” in the gearing,
Foot Starting Position
