Schwinn Fastback Trailer Owner's Manual
OWNER’S MANUAL
FASTBACK
™
TRAILER
All of us at Schwinn strongly encourage you to read this manual befor
e
you go riding with your trailer for the first time. Your time reading this
manual and learning about your Schwinn trailer will return many hours
of safe biking pleasure.
IMPORTANT! If a minor will be riding a bicycle with this trailer attached,
it is essential that a responsible adult/parent read the Owner’s manual
to the minor.
So what are you waiting for? Sit down for a bit and read this manual to
familiarize yourself with your new trailer, and start riding.
Like any sport, bicycling involves a risk of injury and damage. By
choosing to ride a bicycle, with or without a trailer, you assume the
responsibility for that risk. Not the people who sold you the trailer. Not
the people that made it. Not the people who distribute it. You!
If you have any questions or problems that can’t be answered by your
Authorized Schwinn Dealer, we welcome your letter.
SCHWINN CYCLING & FITNESS INC.
Consumer Relations Department
1690 38th Street
Boulder, CO 80301
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GENERAL WARNING:
Bicycling can be a hazardous activity even under
the best of circumstances. Proper maintenance of
your bicycle and trailer is your responsibility as it
helps reduce the risk of injury. This manual
contains many “Warnings” and “Cautions”
concerning the consequences of failure to
maintain or inspect your trailer. Be sure to read
and understand all of the Warnings and Cautions.
Many of them refer to circumstances in which you
may lose your balance and fall, which in turn may
lead to serious personal injury or death to you
and/or your passenger.
TRAILER USE:
Use of a trailer changes the handling characteristics and requirements of your bicycle, and also
entails its own special risks. Be sure to carefully
read and understand the section in this Manual on
“Trailer Use”. Failure to be aware of and
responsive to the special characteristics of riding
with a trailer may lead to serious personal injury or
death, to you and/or your passenger.
WARNING!
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TRAILER USE
• Extra care in riding must be exercised when pulling your trailer. Your
bicycle will ride much differently when pulling a trailer. The extra
weight of the trailer, passenger and cargo will make your bike less
responsive. You will need to ride slower than you would on a bicycle
without a trailer. The trailer is much longer than a bicycle without a
trailer. Use extra care in all situations.
• It will be harder and slower to get started and up to speed because
of the extra weight.
• It will take longer to cross streets and paths because of the extra
length.
• The bicycle with a trailer will require extra stopping distance because
of the extra weight.
• While riding your bike with a trailer down hills you will gain speed
more quickly than on a bike alone. While riding down hills you will
need to use your brakes early and often to keep your speed under
control. Remember to apply the rear brake before the front brake.
• Turning around corners should be gradual and slow. Your trailer will
handle differently in turns than your bicycle.
• It is not recommended to ride the trailer over curbs, pot holes or
other road hazards. We recommend you ride your bike with the trailer
in an open area without traffic to get comfortable with how your bicycle
will ride with a trailer.
• This trailer was designed to be used on smooth roads. The trailer
could be damaged and your passenger injured if the
trailer is used on off-the-road trails or otherwise off-road.
• Help people see that you are pulling a trailer: always use the flag supplied with the trailer, and avoid riding at night.
Failure to be aware of and respond to the special
characteristics of riding your bicycle with a trailer
may lead to serious personal injury or death to you
and/or your passenger. Be sure to practice riding
your bike with the trailer in an open area without
traffic until you are comfortable and familiar with
the way it handles.
WARNING!
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WET RIDING CONDITIONS
Braking a bicycle, with or without a trailer attached, with wet rims is a
potentially dangerous situation. You will require a lot of extra distance
to stop safely, especially with a trailer attached. There is no doubt that
you will be caught in a rainstorm while riding. You will be surprised at
how water cuts braking ability! The rule of thumb here is simply ride
more slowly, allow more time and distance for stopping and apply both
front and rear brakes intermittently to avoid skidding.
NIGHT RIDING
Night riding with a trailer is strongly discouraged because it is much
harder to be seen as a cyclist. Your own vision is also reduced at dusk
and at night.
LIGHTS
The best way to increase your ability to see and be seen if you must
ride at night is to use a high-quality front headlight and a bright blinking
rear red light. Do not ride in the dark without front and rear lights. Put
a rear light on the trailer as well.
REFLECTORS
Federal regulations require every bicycle (except children’s “sidewalk”
bikes) to be equipped with front, rear, wheel and pedal reflectors. The
size, performance and location of each reflector is specified by the US
Consumer Product Safety Commission. Your Schwinn trailer has
reflectors. The purpose of these reflectors is not just to protect you as
a bike rider from being accidentally hit by a car or other road user if
you’re out riding after dusk, but also to keep you from scaring other
road users by suddenly appearing out of the dark. The reflectors are
designed to pick up and reflect street lights and car lights in a way that
clearly identifies you as a moving bicyclist. Removing the reflectors
may reduce your visibility to others using the roadway. Always remember, however, that the reflectors are not substitutes for front and rear
lights.
Riding a bicycle, with or without a trailer attached,
with wet rims and/or tires requires extra braking
distances and slower riding speeds.
CAUTION!
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