WARNING: Securely clamping the wheel with a cam action
retention device takes considerable force. If you can fully close
the cam lever without wrapping your fingers around the seat
stay or chain stay for leverage, the lever does not leave a clear
imprint in the palm of your hand, and the serrations on the
wheel fastener do not emboss the surfaces of the dropouts, the
tension is insufficient. Open the lever; turn the tension adjusting
nut clockwise a quarter turn; then try again. See also the first
WARNING in this Section, p. 18.
(8) If you disengaged the brake quick-release mechanism in 3. c. (2) above,
re-engage it to restore correct brake pad-to-rim clearance.
(9) Spin the wheel to make sure that it is centered in the frame and clears the
brake pads; then squeeze the brake lever and make sure that the brakes are
operating correctly.
Some bikes are equipped with a cam action seat post binder. The seat post
cam action binder works exactly like the traditional wheel cam action fastener
(Section 4.A.2) While a cam action binder looks like a long bolt with a lever on
one end and a nut on the other, the binder uses an over-center cam action to
firmly clamp the seat post (see fig. 8a).
WARNING: Riding with an improperly tightened seat post can
allow the saddle to turn or move and cause you to lose control
and fall. Therefore:
1. Ask your dealer to help you make sure you know how to correctly
clamp your seat post.
2. Understand and apply the correct technique for clamping your
seat post.
3. Before you ride the bike, first check that the seat post is securely
clamped.
Adjusting the seat post cam action mechanism
The action of the cam squeezes the seat collar around the seat post
to hold the seat post securely in place. The amount of clamping force is
controlled by the tension adjusting nut. Turning the tension adjusting nut
clockwise while keeping the cam lever from rotating increases clamping
force; turning it counterclockwise while keeping the cam lever from rotating
reduces clamping force. Less than half a turn of the tension adjusting nut
can make the difference between safe and unsafe clamping force.
WARNING: The full force of the cam action is needed to clamp the
seat post securely. Holding the nut with one hand and turning the
lever like a wing nut with the other hand until everything is as tight
as you can get it will not clamp the seat post safely.
B. Seat post cam action clamp
23