Circe Cycles Helios Manuale d'uso - Pagina 5

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To ensure that riding your bike is the pleasurable

experience it should be, it is essential that attention

be paid to correct fit. Ideally this should be done in

conjunction with an accredited dealer, but the following

points should be observed.

WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

A tandem generally works better with the heavier rider

on the front. This is because the front rider, or 'Captain', is

responsible for stabilising the tandem when starting and

stopping, for steering, and for braking which particularly

on long descents can be very demanding.

SADDLE HEIGHT

This dimension is very important for bio-mechanical

efficiency and for protecting joints from injury. As a

working rule, with the pedal at the furthest position from

saddle and the rider's heel on the pedal, the leg should

be straight to very slightly bent. This means that when

the foot is in the correct position with the ball of the

foot on the pedal axle, the knee will be slightly bent at

full extension. The degree of bend is personal, but it is

important that, at full extension during the pedalling cycle,

the knee is neither overstretched nor too bent.

'!' Certainly for children we advise the use of adjustable crank shorteners,

and anyone outside typical average leg lengths should consider such

shorteners or appropriate length cranks.

SADDLE ANGLE AND POSITION

Ideally the saddle should be adjusted fore/aft so that

the centre of the knee joint is vertically above the pedal

axle. The saddle top should be approximately horizontal,

but care should be taken with the angle of the s addle,

particularly so that the nose does not obstruct forward

rotation of the pelvis.

FORWARD EXTENSION AND BAR ADJUSTMENT

For comfortable riding, the amount of stretch of the

back, torso and arms are crucial. An experienced rider

should use the positions with which they are normally

comfortable, but for first time riders, a good starting

position should not be too stretched or bent over. With

familiarisation this position can be gradually adjusted. Both

front and back positions of the Helios offer considerable

adjustment for different rider sizes and riding styles.

CONTROLS AND RIDING TECHNIQUE

Traditionally the front rider is known as the 'Captain' and

the rear rider, the 'Stoker'. The Captain steers, has control

of the brakes and gears and is responsible for stabilising

the tandem when starting and stopping. The Stoker pedals

RIDING AND ADJUSTING YOUR TANDEM

Circe Cycles

and should otherwise relax and not attempt to steer! For

some applications, the Stoker may have an auxiliary drag

brake. The Captain should also give some feedback to

the stoker as to road conditions, for example, 'bump' and,

often, certainly with inexperienced couples, forewarning

of gear changes and sudden turns.

STARTING AND STOPPING

At start, the Captain will mount the tandem, keeping it

stable so that the Stoker can sit on the rear saddle with

feet on pedals ready to go. The Captain will then sit, and,

keeping the tandem upright with one leg, will, with the

stoker, start pedalling. It is important to start in a low gear

and for both riders to give a good hard push to get the

tandem underway!

To stop, the Captain should warn the Stoker and then, as

on a single bike, put one leg down to stabilize the bike.

The Stoker usually remains seated with feet on the pedals

but must keep still so as not to unbalance the tandem. If

the tandem is at rest for a longer period, one or both riders

should be prepared to place both feet on the ground.

BRAKES AND BRAKING TECHNIQUE

The Circe Helios is fitted with excellent brakes that are

able to stop the tandem quickly and safely. However, it

is important to remember that a tandem is heavy and,

consequently, with braking distances being greater than

on a single, it is very important to be aware of traffic

conditions and not rely on last-minute-panic-braking.

In use, both brakes should be used, but the front brake

is the much more effective brake and does the majority

of the stopping. Consequently, a lot of heat can be

generated in the front wheel braking surfaces and, if long

descents in mountainous areas are anticipated, some

form of auxiliary braking should be considered. If the

tandem is fitted with disc brakes, then rim brakes can be

added and vice versa if rim brakes are fitted. This enables

the different braking surfaces to be alternated and any

heat build up to be controlled better.

GEAR USAGE

Your Helios is fitted with a good range of gears, each

model having an appropriate gear range for its intended

use. It is important to use the gears to find a cadence

(leg spin speed) that is comfortable for both riders and,

by being aware of road conditions, to use the gears to

try and keep within this range. Although mutual comfort

is the most important requirement, a cadence of 80-100

is generally considered to give a good bio-mechanical

balance, though, obviously this may vary depending on a

variety of physical factors, both personal and terrain.