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/cont

Setting the saddle heightLoosen the allen key bolt securing the seatpost (see

picture) and move the saddle to the desired heightTighten gently (torque 3.5 Nm). Be careful not to

over tighten.

Your child should just be able to put the balls of their

feet on the ground when seated on the saddle for

safe handling. The maximum height mark on the

seatpost should never be exposed above the frame.

Regularly check your childs saddle height and adjust

with growth.

Stem Bolt

4mm allen key bolt for

adjusting saddle height

Maintenance

All moving parts on your cycle will need lubricatingfrom time to time. The following list provides a guide

only, the frequency of use and weather conditions

being the biggest factor in determining necessary

lubrication.

ChainOil along its length with a proprietory cycle chain

lubricant or light oil. Wipe off surplus with a cloth.

Perform at least weekly and after washing/rain.

Brake pivot pointsLightly oil monthly and after washing/rain.

Pedals, wheel bearings, headsets,

bottom bracketsAll serviceable bearings need re-greasing at 6

monthly intervals. It is recommended that this task

is performed by your local bike shop as part of a 6

monthly service.

Tyre pressuresCheck your tyre pressures regularly with a pressure

gauge (most track pumps have one fitted). You

should not exceed the maximum tyre pressure printed

on the sidewall of the tyre and it is best if the chosen

pressure is not less than 70% of the maximum. For

presta valves (pictured), you must first open the

valve by unscrewing and tapping the valve end.

Inflate to correct pressure and then carefullyre-tighten to close the valve.

Stem Bolt Stem Bolt

Valve closed Valve open (for pumping)

Handlebar heightThe handlebars are adjustable for height. You can

find instructions on our website. If you are unfamiliar

with this procedure, we recommend you consult your

local bike shop.

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/cont

BrakesYour Islabike has had its brakes adjusted prior to

delivery. You should perform regular checks on theoperation of the brakes (children are not good at

reporting deficiencies!). Also check for brake block

alignment and wear. The blocks are marked with wear

lines, they should be replaced before they wear to this

point. The blocks should hit the rim squarely and

not touch the tyre. All of the block braking surfaceshould make contact with the rim and should not

overhang the edge of the rim. If you are unsatisfied

with the operation of the brakes in any way, consult

your local bike shop.

Chain tensionThe chain tension has been set correctly, so that at

its tightest spot, the chain can be moved a maximum

of 5mm up and down. If you need to remove the rear

wheel, make sure you re-set the tension correctly. If

the chain tension is too tight, the bike will be hard

work to pedal causing excessive wear to freewheel

and bottom bracket bearings; too loose and the

chain may fall off.

Recommendations for safe ridingIn addition to the regular checks outlined above

always check brakes, tyres and steering before

allowing a child to ride. Ensure child is wearing

sturdy footwear. If you choose for your child to

wear a helmet, ensure it is adjusted correctly inaccordance with the manufacturers instructions.

Even if your child is a competent cyclist always

make sure they have familiarised themselves with a

new cycle in a safe environment before letting them

tackle anything more ambitious. Make sure your

child is aware of the reduced performance of thebrakes in wet weather.

GuaranteeYour Islabike is guaranteed against faulty

manufacture as follows:

Frame and forks 5 years

All other parts 2 years

Please note this guarantee does not cover normal

wear and tear.

Recommended torque settingsAll handlebar stem bolts 5Nm - 8Nm

Seatpost bolts 14Nm

Seatclamp bolt 3.5Nm - 4Nm

Front and rear wheel bolts 14Nm - 18Nm

Crank bolts 30Nm

Pedals 30Nm

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Teaching your child

to ride a bikeLearning to ride a bicycle is one of lifes milestones,

a moment of great satisfaction for child and parents

alike.

Most children develop sufficient coordination to

balance and pedal a 2 wheeler somewhere between

3 and 4 years old. This development happens

quite suddenly and until it is reached there is little

point in trying to get them to ride but once

it is reached they should learn quite quickly.A few children will learn as young as 2 , but

this is very rare.

If your child has already ridden a Rothan or similar 2

wheeled balance bike they will already have learnt to

balance and will find it easy to learn to ride a bike with

pedals. This is the best way to get them started. If

they have ridden a balance bike, do notfit stabilisers

to their first bike with pedals as this will undo what

they have learnt.

If your child has not ridden a balance bike we still

recommend that you dont use stabilisers. A bike

steers by leaning and stabilisers prevent this so

they are not a good way to teach a child to ride. In

reality, stabilisers delay the point of learning, which

only happens when the stabilisers are removed. In

the meantime they have learnt to ride in the wrong

way and this has to be unlearned. We find it is much

easier to teach a child to balance if they have never

ridden a bike before than it is to teach a child who hasridden with stabilisers.

Your first lesson.Adjust the saddle so that they can get the balls of

their feet on the ground.

Choose a suitable place. A safe large open space

that allows your budding cyclist to wobble at will is

ideal. Choose tarmac or very short firm grass avoid

soft grass as the bike will not get enough momentum

to balance well.

Put the child on the bike. Support them by standing

behind them and holding on to their body under

the armpits. A sturdy jacket or jumper gives you

something to grip on. Do not hold the handlebars

as the child needs to feel how these respond to the

motion of the bike. Push the child along and let the

bike wander in any direction. You should be able to

steer the bike by leaning the child towards the right

and left. In this way they quickly learn how the bike

steers. If the child is ready they should quickly geta feel for balance and you can gradually let go, but

stay with the child to catch them if it goes wrong. It

will be apparent if they are not ready and you should

not force them. Simply put the bike away for a few

weeks then try again. If they have been riding on

stabilisers they will take longer to learn as they will

try and resist the natural lean of the bike. Once you

have committed to teaching them to manage without

it is important you dont confuse them by alternating

between riding with and without stabilisers.

Balance is usually mastered quite quickly. Pedalling,

starting and stopping can take longer so dont leave

your child unsupervised run along with them and

be ready to catch them when they want to stop.

And when they do manage to cycle for the first time,

savour the moment, its a precious one!

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A special note for parents:

As a parent or guardian you are responsible for the

activities and safety of your child. The huge benefit

to our health and well-being is well documented in

relation to cycling, but cycling is still a potentially

hazardous activity. In allowing your child to cycle

you assume responsibility for the associated risk.

What may be obvious to some may not be obvious to

others and our advice is designed to help you assess

and manage these risks. In addition to any other

hazards you perceive, pay particular attention to the

following:

Always supervise young children when riding.

Take into account their ability in handling their

bicycle and assessing the riding conditions,

traffic etc. Your child may be so excited that it

rides as fast as possible without thinking about

what may be around the corner or how much

distance is needed to slow down safely.

A bicycle is a spiky, hard metal object with

moving parts. Never allow a young childto play with their bicycle unsupervised. This

includes when it is parked against a wall or on the

floor. They could pull their bicycle on top of them

or trap their fingers, possibly causing injury.

The brakes on Islabikes are designed to be

light action and very effective. If your child

is used to pulling their brake levers with all their

might and nothing much happening they are likely

to do the same the first time they ride their

Islabike and may fall over the handlebars with the

possibility of serious injury. Always ensure your

child familiarises themselves with their new

brakes in a safe environment on a soft surface

whilst wearing a helmet before they venture

further afield.

Keep very young children away from older

children who are riding. Toddlers often want

to join in by running alongside and may try

and grab at the cycle. In doing so they

could suffer serious injury by trapping their

hands in moving parts.

If your child falls from the cycle always check

it for damage before allowing them to remount.

If in any doubt, have it checked by a qualified

cycle mechanic.

Your childs Islabike is not designed for

jumping or extreme forms of cycling like

downhill, freeriding, stunt riding, pump

tracks etc. If your child does engage in these

activities on their Islabike the frame and/or

components are likely to fail which could result

in a serious injury.