Chapter 1: Guide to safe On- and off-road operation
Check your bicycle and its components against the following checklist before every ride. This is not a comprehensive maintenance program. If you are not certain if your bicycle has a problem, take your bicycle to your Trek dealer for service. For a trailer-bike, check both the trailer-bike and the lead bicycle. Also read the owner's manual for the lead bicycle.
Warning—A bicycle that does not work properly can cause you to lose control and fall. Inspect the entire bicycle thoroughly before every ride, and do not ride it until any problem has been corrected.
Check the frame and fork
Check the attachment of both wheels
Check that wheels are straight
Check the tire inflation
Check the handlebar and stem
Check the chain
Make sure the lead bicycle is in proper working condition, especially the brakes
Check the connection of the trailer-bike to the lead bicycle
Check the trailer-bike hitch tongue for signs of stress or fatigue
Carefully inspect your frame and fork for signs of fatigue before each ride.
To be ridden safely, the wheels of your bicycle must be firmly attached to the frame and fork.
If the wheels of your bicycle are attached with axle nuts, refer to that section to check the attachment of your wheels.
Warning—A wheel that is not properly attached may allow the wheel to be loose or come off unexpectedly, causing you to lose control and fall. Make sure the axle-nuts are properly tightened before riding the bicycle.
Spin each wheel and watch the rim as it passes through the brake pads or the frame. If the rim wobbles, moving up and down or from side to side, take your bicycle to your Trek dealer for service.
Inflate your tires to the air pressure recommended on the tire sidewalls (Figure 2).
Caution—A gas station hose may inflate a bicycle tire too rapidly, and the pressure indicated is often inaccurate. Excessive pressure can cause the tire to explode or break. Use a hand-operated pump with an appropriate gauge.
Figure 2:
Tire inflation label
Coaster brake
Pedaling backwards activates a braking mechanism inside the rear hub
Using the owner's manual that came with the lead bicycle, or this manual, check the lead bicycle before using it to pull the trailer-bike. Especially follow the inspection instructions for the type of brake on the lead bicycle. If the brakes do not pass inspection, refer to the Brake Systems chapter, or take the bicycle to your dealer for service.
Check that the trailer-bike is correctly attached to the lead bicycle. Try to lift the tongue away from the hitch (Figure 6). Check that the trailer-bike can not rock side to side when the lead bicycle is held steady. If the trailer-bike seems loose, readjust the quick connection bolt.
For instructions to tighten the connection, see Trailer-bike connection instructions. If you cannot tighten the connection sufficiently there may be a problem with the hitch. Take the trailer-bike and hitch to your dealer for inspection.
Also check that the rear tire of the lead bicycle, or any other part of the lead bicycle, cannot contact the trailer-bike during a turn or other maneuver.
Figure 6:
Check the connection to the lead bicycle
Trailer-bikes, like standard bicycles, are not indestructible: as with anything mechanical, every part of a trailer-bike has a limited useful life due to wear, stress, and fatigue. Fatigue refers to a low-stress force that, when repeated over a large number of cycles, can cause a material to break or break. The length of the life of a part varies according to its design, materials, use, and maintenance.
Regularly inspect the entire trailer-bike, and especially the tongue, for signs of fatigue stress.