Omafiets Owner's Manual
Congratulations!
You’ve just purchased a bicycle from Omafiets. We want you to get the most out of your bike, so if there’s anything we can do to help, please let us know.
Servicing your bike
All bikes require periodic servicing and home maintenance. You can check out current service lead-time, and book a service, through our workshop.
If you're unable to bring your bike into the shop, our friendly local courier James can organise transport in his van - send him an SMS on 0452209779.
Complimentary services
Bicycles
All our new non-electric bicycles come with a complimentary first service 30 days after purchase. Even if you don’t feel your bike needs it, we still highly recommend you bring it in, as this will ensure the longevity of the parts on your bike. If you wait to schedule this first service 3-12 months after the purchase date, we’ll charge half the price of a regular service. After 12 months it’s not available.
E-bikes
All new e-bikes come with 3 complimentary services: the first is 1-2 months after purchase, the second is 6 months, and the third is 12 months. This is to ensure not only the longevity of the parts of your bike, but also that your relevant software and firmware remains updated to the latest version.
Ongoing servicing
After your complimentary service schedule is completed, we recommend bringing your bike in for a professional service every 6-12 months, depending on your usage. Your bicycle will require regular home maintenance between services, including cleaning and lubricating the chain, and inflating the tyres.
If you’d like some instruction on how to maintain your bike, the City of Sydney provides an excellent 3-hour session on general bike repair and home maintenance skills. For more information on the course and how to book, check out the following link: City of Sydney Bike Care and Maintenance.
E-Bike Battery Care
How best to care for an e-bike battery is a common question for new e-bike owners. To help you out, we’ve compiled some general advice and guidance for your reference.
- Protect the battery against physical stress. Avoid:
- Excessive exposure to direct sunlight (eg daily storage of battery or bike in a window facing the sun). To extend the life of your battery, try to park your e-bike in the shade.
- Direct heat sources such as home heaters or fires.
- Submersion in water.
- Physical damage (dropping).
- Follow battery charging best-practice procedures:
- Charge at room temperature in a dry, uncluttered location. If possible, charge in a room with a smoke detector fitted or in an outdoor undercover area.
- Don’t leave a battery on charge and unattended for an extended period of time.
- Minimize how many hours per week your battery is at a full state of charge. Depending on your situation, this could be done by charging every few days instead of every day, programming a power point timer, or simply following the recommended charging protocols of the battery manufacturer (Bosch, for example, recommends keeping a battery charged between 30-60% where possible to extend its service life).
- The charger should always be on a clean, dry, flat and fire-proof surface, as the charger does create heat while charging.
- If removing the battery from the e-bike to charge, consider charging it in a cool room with few flammable materials (e.g. a tiled laundry).
- Consult your relevant e-bike user manual for tips tailored to your specific e-bike system:
Riding in the City
Even if you’re a seasoned Sydney rider, we highly recommend going to the City of Sydney’s ‘Cycling in the City’ course. The course runs from Sydney Park and Green Square, and it’s a great way to improve your riding confidence, aptitude, and skills. The course is designed for adults and children over the age of 12 (children under the age of 18 will require an adult supervisor). For more information on the course and how to book, check out the following link: Cycling in the City.
For those who are new to riding bikes or who haven’t ridden a bike in a while, the Cycling in the City: Rusty Riders course is also offered. This is offered at a slower pace to develop skills and confidence in a relaxed, supportive environment. A link for more information on this course is provided here: Cycling in the City: Rusty Riders.
Security
Bike theft is a big problem in Sydney. In order to prevent it, you should use a high quality lock (like a D-lock) and avoid leaving your bike overnight in high-risk areas. Consider using a cable or security devices such as Hexlox or Pitlock to protect your wheels and/or saddle - these parts are often stolen by opportunistic thieves. For extra peace of mind, a tracking device such as a Knog Scout is also a worthwhile investment. If you have a Bosch Smart System e-bike, you can use a Bosch ConnectModule alarm & tracker.
You should take some photos of your bike, and record your serial number; in the event that your bike is stolen, this information will help the police track it down. On most bikes the serial number is stamped into the frame, underneath the bottom bracket (where the cranks rotate). On other bikes it will be on a sticker that’s underneath the top layer of clear coat. We will normally try to record your serial number on your receipt, which we should have emailed to you. If in doubt, please ask us.
Warranty
We’re seriously concerned with keeping you on your bike, so if you have any problem with it - let us know! We’re also the contact point for all warranty issues.
For more information on the warranty of your bike, we have listed the policies of each manufacturer on our website. As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or queries. We’d be more than happy to help.
Bear in mind that your bike should be regularly serviced in order to maintain your warranty coverage.
Some manufacturers offer extended warranties if you register your bike. Here are some of the registration links for bikes we sell:
Insurance
As a rider, it’s useful to be covered by personal accident and third-party insurance. Bicycle NSW membership will cover you for both, as well as supporting bicycle advocacy. It’s $90/year for individuals, or $150/year for households. You can find out more and join online at the Bicycle NSW website.
If you’d like insurance for your bike, it’s worth checking whether your existing home and contents insurance already has you covered. If not, there are several providers who offer insurance just for your bike. They include VeloSure, BikeSure and CycleCover.
Spreading the bike love
One of the greatest things about selling bikes is watching the community improve with each extra bike in the wild. We would love to hear from you if you have friends who would like to try a bike in our store. Or perhaps you’d like to leave us a review.