background image

Operating manual and
service instructions

Suspension Technology

March 2012

2012

recumbent

technology

HP

Velotechnik

www.hpvelotechnik.com

Summary of Contents for Scorpion and

Page 1: ...Operating manual and service instructions Suspension Technology March 2012 2012 recumbent technology HP Velotechnik www hpvelotechnik com ...

Page 2: ...uick release levers 25 Brakes 26 Gear system 28 Light system 29 Folding Scorpion fx fs 30 Table of contents HP Velotechnik Maintenance and care Wear and tear 31 Brakes 31 Gear system 33 Chain 34 Chain tubes 36 Chain roller 38 Front wheel alignment 39 Rear suspension element 42 Front suspension Scorpion fs 44 Swing arm pivot 51 Headset 52 Mudguards 52 Water bottle cage 53 Seat cushion 54 Wheels 55 ...

Page 3: ...he latest recum bent technology by HP VELOTECHNIK that partly needs special treatment and care In this manual you will find detailed instructions on how to optimize your Scorpion to meet your demands and riding style as well as your size and weight In addition to this we have put together a collection of information on care and maintenance as well as special technical advice from our engineers Imp...

Page 4: ...ual apply only to a completely assembled Scorpion with standard parts from the series production of HP VELOTECHNIK On special demand HP VELOTECHNIK delivers frame kits to put a specialist dealer in a posi tion to assemble a tricycle individually In this case the manuals on the operation and mainte nance of the parts only represent a guideline please read every manual of every part manu facturer se...

Page 5: ...eral safety instructions Intended use Your Scorpion is a tricycle for the use on streets and paved roads The fully suspended Scorpion fs trike can also be used on unpaved roads This tricycle is not designed for the use in rac ing and off road riding for jumping or acrobat ics and you must not ride across curbs stairs etc Damage through inappropriate use assembly errors accidents or similar activit...

Page 6: ... rear tire or mudguard and the rear rack If you want to increase this distance you have to decrease the suspension travel of the rear suspension element with clip on spacers For that purpose please con sult your local dealer Additional loading can influence the handling of your trike considerably If you plan on riding with heavy luggage we advise you to make a test ride on a street with no traffic...

Page 7: ...er Added parts and accessories Additional accessories may impair the function of your Scorpion We advise you to generally ask your dealer before you mount any special parts or accessories to your tricycle Take care that the handlebar and the suspen sion always stay moveable You must not add any parts to the handlebar or the seat that might endanger the rider through sharp edged or pointed shapes w...

Page 8: ...nd bolts General safety instructions Danger If any part is deformed e g due to an accident or overload especially frame knuckles handlebar seat mountings pedals cranks and brakes it is not allowed to use it any further or repair it Do not try to straighten bent parts You must replace them for your own safety If you do not replace a damaged part it can result in a total failure of the part and you ...

Page 9: ...unted in the main frame Unscrew the bolts M8x35 under the main tube with a 6 mm Allen key Take a grip on the front derailleur tube or both cranks and move the front boom further into the frame or pull it out while cautiously turn ing it Before you pull out the front boom shift the chain to the smallest chain ring and sprocket Turn the cranks a little bit backwards while pulling Thus the chain is n...

Page 10: ... that there is enough heel clearance For shorter riders under 175 cm body height we recom mend to use shorter cranks On the left underside of the front boom there is a fine line Align this line with the sticker on the main tube s front end right above the clamping bolts to adjust the bottom bracket axle to a horizontal position Additionally you can look beyond the bottom bracket shell at the rear ...

Page 11: ...th edges to the front and the clamping slot in the main frame s front boom hole that is glued in the frame This bush ensures safe clamping of the front boom and protects the paint It is important to take care that this bush is always visible at the front end of the main frame The low er slot has to be aligned in coincidence with the slot in the main frame If this bush is missing or moved to the ba...

Page 12: ...also find a more comfortable and more efficient riding position A wrong adjustment may lead to pain in your knees and inefficient pedaling In addition we recommend to ride with a high pedalling ca dence which means to pedal fast and with lit tle pressure Pedalling with too much pressure may also lead to pain in the knees You will find more information about this on page 25 Adjusting the leg length...

Page 13: ...the in ner side of the seat back with an allen key SW4 a few turns Step behind your trike and hold the seat back with both hands Pull or push the seat back to achieve the preferred seat length To achieve the smallest possible seat length move the 2 upper screws from the top to the middle holes Tighten all 4 screws with 5 6 Nm Move the seat back rest to the preferred angle and close the quick relea...

Page 14: ...le as described above If the quick release lever pressure is to loose when closed open the lever and turn the screw on the end of the quick release axle clockwise The low profile design of the screw head gives more clearance for the drive train Adjusting the lumbar support The BodyLink seat is ergonomically shaped and supports the natural S curve of your spine Forces from pedaling are supported in...

Page 15: ...h side giving a total range of 7 cm aprox 2 Most riders are comfortable with a 85 angle so that the bent grips point upwards and slightly forward The more upright the grip po sition and the narrower the handlebar width the larger the minimum possible turning circle as the handlebars touch your legs or the seat earlier In order to change the angle or the width loosen the screws of the stem handleba...

Page 16: ...eed to be at tached firmly to the handlebar 14 HP Velotechnik Adjusting the handlebars Caution After having adjusted the handle bar position you have to readjust the length of the brake cables and shifter cables The cables have to run smoothly without any sharp turns and they should not be bent sharply or stretched when the handlebar is at maximum angle Also avoid large bows that could be caught u...

Page 17: ...of the rear swing arm consists of a spring and a damper Often the terms suspension and damping are used inaccurate in everyday language The spring is the elastic element that com presses and expands due to the the load changes which e g occur on bumpy roads While expanding the spring releases the same energy it took to compress it The rear swing arm is suspended with a steel coil spring in the sta...

Page 18: ...es a very comfortable ride on your sus pended recumbent trike Adjusting to load The luggage carrier of the Scorpion is mounted to the suspended part of the frame That way your luggage is also fully suspended and it spares the material Most notably even under heavy load the suspension will compensate an uneven road much better and quicker compared to a design where the luggage carrier is mounted to...

Page 19: ...om behind reduces the preload turning it coun terclockwise you screw the adjustment ring towards the spring and increase the suspen sion pre load It is helpful to turn the spring together with the adjustment ring Adjusting your new trike 17 HP Velotechnik Adjusting the rear suspension ele ment For the rear suspension of the Scorpion a spring element is combined with a hydraulic damping unit in a s...

Page 20: ...ly by turning the spring retention disc on the thread of the spring element as far as possi ble before this push the possibly existing safety spring ring from its slot in the thread ed section as far as possible Have a second person sit down on the tricycle and make the suspension bottom out by leaning on the seat or the rear rack If the distance between the wheel or mud guard and the frame seat o...

Page 21: ...y a metal valve cap To pump up the air shock you need a special air pump designed for bicycle air shocks It must feature a fitting schrader valve adaptor and a pressure indicator When attaching or removing the pump to from the valve you will lose some air pres sure about 0 5 1 bar Take off the pump quickly Recommended pressure settings load pressure up to 80 kg 183 lbs 6 5 bar up to 100 kg 230 lbs...

Page 22: ... By improving the road surface contact the suspension of the Scorpion also increases your riding safety A higher damping value prolongs the time until the decompression movement is finished Only then can the suspension compensate the next shock with the full suspension travel Therefore when you ride on very bumpy streets with shocks that occur fast in a row you might want to use a lower damping va...

Page 23: ... upper edge of the knuckle which you can feel underneath the shock boot coin cides with the lower edge of the headtubes of the main frame You can fine tune this sag ac cording to your weight and your additional luggage by adjusting the preload of the springs To change the spring rate in a wider range you can replace the steel spring or interchange elastomers and spacers inside the suspension strut...

Page 24: ... as any upper body move ments can influence the steering of the trike Practice cornering away from traffic to learn what speed is safe at a specific turning angle If you lift up a front wheel immediately steer in the opposite direction to bring it safely back to the ground Caution When getting on and off the trike make sure to avoid pulling at the handle bars or stepping on the tie rods To get off...

Page 25: ...ur Scorpion you should use those clipless pedals Due to the rigid connection between shoe and pedal you don t have to keep your foot on the ped als with pressure anymore This enables a more relaxed and round pedaling movement where you may even pull a little on the pedals Without this connection to the pedals your feet may come off suddenly which may result in a fall Modern system pedals with bind...

Page 26: ... in the knees often results from an overuse of the muscles in the knee that can also be strengthened by exercise Also a wrong adjustment of the front boom to the leg length in most cases too short can lead to pain in the knees Your pedaling cadence should stay between 80 100 revolutions per minute and not fall be low 60 revolutions when going uphill If neces sary have your specialist dealer adjust...

Page 27: ...ing ten sion Do this by screwing the adjustment nut on the other side by half a turn Close the lever and check the clamping anew Finally check that the part being secured is firmly fixed Lift each wheel several inches off the ground and give it a slap onto the tire from above A properly fixed wheel will remain secure in the frame s dropouts Parts that are fastened with a quick release open easily ...

Page 28: ... screw at the grip please see the respective manual for details The braking effect of modern braking systems can be more powerful than what you have been used to until now Brake carefully When you brake too hard with the front brake the rear wheel may lift off the street and the trike may tumble over If you should hear any unusual sounds while braking the brake pads might be worn out Do not use yo...

Page 29: ...s secure your trike against rolling away when parked In the standard assembly the brake levers are equipped with a parking brake button that locks the pulled lever To release the parking brake pull the brake lever As an option the trike can be equipped with a parking brake that is operated with a thumb shifter mounted at the handlebar It is connect ed with a V brake at the rear wheel Make sure to ...

Page 30: ...the sprockets 29 Due to the long cables that expand under pressure and the housing that compresses un der pressure it may be helpful for changing gears quickly to turn the bar end shifter a little bit farther than necessary to select a gear and turn it back to the indexed position once the chain has properly shifted overshift When the chain length has been properly ad justed you can choose every c...

Page 31: ... the tire dy namo at the rear wheel by unlocking the swiv elling dynamo For this purpose you press the red button at the dynamo until it moves to wards the rear wheel To turn the light off swivel the dynamo back to its initial position by hand You can adjust the pressure of the dynamo against the wheel with the turning knob at the side The pressure is right when the dynamo wheel just does not slip...

Page 32: ... the seat Open all three quick release levers of the seat mountings Unscrew the nut of the upper seat quick release approximately 4 turns Turn the quick release levers of the middle and lower seat quick release counter clockwise approxi mately 4 turns With a lowrider rack or water bottle moun ting installed space is limited and it may be ea sier to hold the quick release lever and turn the flat nu...

Page 33: ...s Please read the manual of the brake manufacturer carefully Cable operated mechanical brakes The brake pads of your brakes are worn when you can pull the lever further and further to the handlebar before the pads touch the rim To compensate the wear of the brake pads you can tighten the cable with the adjuster barrel where the cable touches the brake lever First loosen the locknut then unscrew th...

Page 34: ...s manual Brakes Danger All maintenance work on the hy draulic system of your brakes may only be carried out by a qualified technician In case these works are carried out without the re quired knowledge and skills the braking sys tem might fail which can lead to a serious crash Caution Never activate the brake lever with the brake pads not in place or with the wheel dismounted When you transport th...

Page 35: ...Check after each adjustment whether the chain moves smoothly up to the next larger sprocket To do this either turn the cranks by hand or ride the trike When the chain climbs up easily you need to check that it still goes down easily onto the smallest sprocket If necessary turn the ad juster barrel a little more and then try shifting gears again Gear system Danger If the chain shifts over the small...

Page 36: ...ces of your ride rain dirt salt Regular cleaning and lubricating can increase the chain s lifetime nevertheless the chain has to be changed when its wear limit is reached Lubricating the chain Diligent lubrication is important The chain of your Scorpion is approximately 2 5 times longer than a standard bicycle chain approxi mately 3 8 m But it also lasts longer since a chain only wears while bendi...

Page 37: ... sure it fits You will need approximately 3 8 m of chain The chain length has to be fitted so that the arm of the derailleur is not fully stretched when you shift on the big chain ring in front and the big rear sprocket The derailleur must still be able to compensate a shortening of the chain by 4 cm Please also see the manual of the derailleur manufacturer on the choice of the correct chain lengt...

Page 38: ...hem again Remove the chain by opening the power link or open it with a special chain riveting tool Cut the worn part of the tube exactly perpendicular with a sharp knife Heat the last 5 10 mm at the end of the tube with a gas burner a hot air gun or a candle and turn it permanently until the colour of the utmost edge turns from a dull black to a shiny black Now you expand the end with a proper too...

Page 39: ... plastic tube Take the retention spring off this plastic tube and put on the new retention spring Turn the spring so that the retention springs run under the spacer to the tubes and the wires lie bet ween frame and chain tube that way the spi rals face outwards Push the bolt back through the chain roller the washer and the chain retention hook se cure the thread with Loctite and tighten the bolt w...

Page 40: ...ou can purchase the plastic part without the bearing or the com plete roller through your dealer The chain roller is not symetrically shaped the recessed side of the chain roller has to face to the frame the flat side outwards The bearings must not be treated with a jet of water from a high pressure cleaner or with solvents since this may destroy the sealings and remove grease from the bearings If...

Page 41: ...he front ends of the front wheels being closer together than the rear ends of the front wheels bv smaller than bh is called toe in the condition of the front ends of the front wheels being further apart than the rear ends of the front wheels bv larger than bh is called toe out The measures are taken at wheel axle height on the rim sidewalls If the front wheel alignment is incorrect you will suffer...

Page 42: ... bolt that connects the inner rod end to the handlebar stem note the washer Hold the rod end with a wrench and loosen the nut that is screwed against the rod end Screw the rod end into the tie rod to enlarge the distance bv between the front edges of the front wheel Screw the rod end out of the tie rod to decrease the distance of the front wheel edges Attach the tie rod to the handle bar stem and ...

Page 43: ... before every ride If a connection loosens the trike becomes un steerable which may lad to serious injury Scorpion Scorpion fx The rod end is mounted on top of the handlebar sheetmetal bracket with a washer in between Scorpion fs Track rod assembly at the knuckle Scorpion fs A washer must be located between rod end and the sheetmetal bracket ...

Page 44: ...he suspension element s eye Move the rear swing arm down carefully While doing this take care that you don t bend or stretch any cables Remove the spring from the suspension ele ment and put on the replacement spring Make sure the new spring has the same diameter and length as the old spring and that it is sup ported safely by the adjustment ring Put back the slotted spring retention disc on the p...

Page 45: ...read for the spring pre load with a drop of acid free oil Thus you can always turn the adjustment ring easily by hand Once a year you have to grease the pivots of the suspension element For that purpose dismount the suspension element as described under Changing the Spring on page 42 Remove the plastic spacers and pull the metal tube out off the bushing Lubricate the bushing and the tubes with gre...

Page 46: ...the spring rate increases with suspension travel In the diagram this re sults in a curve with a left bend Due to their design elastomers and air springs show this characteristic MCU elastomers show an al most linear characteristic in the first part of their travel see curve nr 4 Tuning your suspension bases on the choice of the steel spring according to your usual load The soft spring moves the ar...

Page 47: ...ng out due to unusual high loads A characteristic like this 3 can be achieved by a steel spring which is responsible for tak ing all the load at first and will be supported by only a few elastomers towards the end of travel Example setup empty spacer spacer elastomer elastomer To exchange elastomers or spacers the end cap and the preload adjuster which is under tension must be removed Having done ...

Page 48: ...in re versed order Removing and disassembling the sus pension struts To provide a long lasting faultless function of the front suspension the struts must be main tained regularly according to the service plan on page 62 During design great importance was attached to keep the bearings of the front suspension free from dirt and moisture That s why the struts are equipped with a shock boot with vent ...

Page 49: ... the outer rod end of the track rod from the suspension strut The lower collar of the rubber cap must be slid upwards to access the self locking M6 nut Unscrew the hex bolt M6x40 A at the strut s lower end which connects the strut with the wishbone Now remove the end cap B at the suspension strut s upper end Unscrew and remove the clamp C as well as the spacer D F cap E and spacer F below Pivot th...

Page 50: ... new zip tie to its lower end Slide on the washer H Press the suspension strut into the elastomer bearing in the frame Assemble spacer F cap E spacer D clamp C and end cap B Fix the suspension strut in its elastomer bearing by tightening the end cap with 1 2 Nm and fasten the clamp Remove the auxiliary bolt Front suspension Scorpion fs A hammer blow on the auxiliary bolt releases the piston inside...

Page 51: ...In unloaded condition the following adjustment values must be met toe 2 4 mm toe in camber angle 0 5 0 5 1 5 max difference in camber angle left right 0 5 caster angle 76 7 1 Maintenance and care 49 HP Velotechnik Exploded view of the suspension strut interior Caution Use threadlocker e g LOCTITE 243 with all bolted connections that are not equipped with self locking nuts else the connections may ...

Page 52: ...adjust the front axle both rod ends of one wishbone must be disassembled from the frame Loosen the counter nuts and screw in or out the rod ends according to the table on the left Values in between can be interpolated Check the values after provisionally reattach ing the wishbone and wheel on a plane floor Repeat the adjustment if necessary After having reached the correct setup fasten the counter...

Page 53: ... arm pivot comes with mainte nance free bushings They feature a self lubri cating system with Teflon particles The bush ings sustain a very high load and they show al most no wear In case you notice play or a creaking noise at the rear swing arm please check the two screws that keep the axle in the frame They have to be secured with threadlocker Tightening torque 17 19 Nm Danger If the screws at t...

Page 54: ...e upper bearing cup with your oth er hand Now move your trike back and forth If the bearing has play the upper cup moves noticeably in contrast to the fixed part In this case loosen the clamping screw of the clamp above the upper bearing and tighten the screw in the cap a bit more Afterwards fasten the clamp again To check whether the front wheel turns smoothly lift your bicycle at the frame so th...

Page 55: ...and the shock boot must be re moved The sheetmetal mounting bolts facing the wheel must be fastened with 5 Nm the clamping bolt facing the rider with 2 Nm To turn the mudguards in order to get a small er package only the clamping bolt which faces the rider needs to be loosened To remove the mudguards unscrew the sheet metal mounting bolts until the sheetmetal can be pulled out The clamp may remain...

Page 56: ...is is a black foam material with closed cells that is also used in the production of high quality camping mats It feels very comfortable without appear ing too soft or spongy It is waterproof so you can dry your seat with a sweep of your hand in case your bicycle has become wet Caution Never expose the seat cushion to extreme heat or focused sunlight The mate rial warms up considerably The heat ma...

Page 57: ...nd then retract it a little bit Now you can pump up your tire easily After you have pumped up the tire to the de sired pressure pull off the pump knob Secure the valve by turning the knurled nut on the threaded rod properly against the valve body Finally put on the valve cap again When you exchange tires please note the maximum width limit of 50 mm approximate ly 2 You have to use tires of ISO siz...

Page 58: ...orpion has a high quality and environmentally friendly powder coating The surfaces of the aluminum parts are either polished or anodised Threads and technical contact areas can be unfinished and must be protected with wax To keep the surfaces brilliant over many years and to protect them effectively against corro sion the bicycle has to be cleaned from dirt and then conserved Dried sweat but also ...

Page 59: ... also conserve the chain with wax spray after lubri cating it see also the chapter on Chain page 35 The frame has small holes for ventilation that prevent condensation in the frame These holes must not be sealed However moisture may enter the frame through the holes Therefore protect the inside of your frame by applying wax spray through the holes Protect the parts where cables or chain tubes may ...

Page 60: ...table you will find the pre scribed tightening torques they refer to greased screws The grease also prevents your screws from seizing in their threads so that they won t un screw anymore In particular screws made of stainless steel are susceptible to this and therefore have always to be put in with grease Do use high quality acid free grease if possible a lubricant with added solid particles like ...

Page 61: ...key size 5 7 9 Nm rear swing arm axle frame M8 key size 6 17 19 Nm b b set cartridge frame 50 60 Nm chain roller roller frame M8 key size 6 17 19 Nm crank crank axle key size 8 35 Nm chain ring screws key size 5 8 11 Nm hub cassette ring 38 42 Nm front hub quickmount M8 key size 5 6 8 10 Nm quick release wheel frame 9 12 Nm pedal pedal crank key size 15 35 40 Nm shifting lever twist shifter key si...

Page 62: ...the trike dealer who ordered the bicycle from us In case of damage the dealer has to send the damaged frame to us so that we can check it if asked to do so by us In case of warranty we will replace or repair the damaged part with a part of our choice or a new part equal to the old one warranty ob ligation We do not cover any transport labour or any secondary costs In the event of any action that f...

Page 63: ...h you can set an upper price limit for the service with your bicycle mechanic If the necessary works exceed this limit you will be informed in advance You can avoid seasonal waiting periods in spring and summer when you have your annual inspection done in the quiet months from October to January Many bike shops then have special winter check offers At any rate do make an appointment Clean your bic...

Page 64: ...eplace worn out parts hydraulic cartridge suspension struts front axle check shockboot and clean stanchion tube disassemble lubricate check for play replace worn out parts rear swing arm check function and bearing play tighten axle screws bottom bracket bearings check bearing play rims check wall thickness wear condition chain grease and check for wear chain tubes check for wear expand ends or exc...

Page 65: ...Warranty Pass HP Velotechnik 63 see page before every ride monthly annually note 30 55 27 32 42 every 6 months 51 55 35 37 39 56 40 13 52 ...

Page 66: ...service plan is intended to give you a rough overview over the required mainte nance and service works In no case it can re place the detailed instructions in this manual You can perform service works marked with a if you have the required skills and tools as for example a torque wrench If you discover any defects while checking your bicycle they have to be repaired immediately If you are in doubt...

Page 67: ...en ride under bad conditions like rain grit or dirt it is necessary to have shorter mainte nance intervals In order to measure your riding performance we recommend to use a bicycle computer The regular service maintains the safe opera tion and the value of your bicycle Not only does the completed Warranty Pass record the maintenance works for the validation of your warranty but also does it prove ...

Page 68: ... main frame I have received the bicycle in good condition ad justed to my size and performed a test ride I have been informed about the correct use of the recumbent the components like derailleur and especially steering and brakes as well as the necessity of regular service and maintenance I will read the manuals prior to the first ride and have all future users read them too I am aware that I nee...

Page 69: ... ter the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 1st service No later than 300 kilometers or 2 months after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts ...

Page 70: ...fter the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 3rd service No later than 6000 kilometers or two years af ter the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts ...

Page 71: ...ter the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 5th service No later than 12000 kilometers or four years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts ...

Page 72: ...ter the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 8th service No later than 21000 kilometers or seven years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts ...

Page 73: ...ter the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 10th service No later than 27000 kilometers or nine years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts ...

Page 74: ...er the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 12th service No later than 33000 kilometers or eleven years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts ...

Page 75: ...er the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 14th service No later than 39000 kilometers or thirteen years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts ...

Page 76: ...nik Paul J W Hollants und Dipl Ing Daniel Pulvermüller GbR Elisabethenstr 1 D 65830 Kriftel Tel 49 61 92 97 99 2 0 Fax 91 02 18 www hpvelotechnik com 2012 recumbent technology HP Velotechnik www hpvelotechnik com ...

Reviews: