Operating Manual andService Instructions

NEWrecumbent-technology

2008HPVelotechnik

February 2008

General safety instructionsIntended use – 3The first miles – 3Legal requirements – 3Load capacity – 4Carrying luggage – 4Transport in the car – 5Do not take kids with you – 5 Trailers – 5Added parts and accessories – 5Fairings – 5Replacement of parts – 6No alteration of parts – 6Final assembly – 6Screws and bolts – 6

Adjusting your new bikeAdjusting the leg length – 7Adjusting the seat position – 11Adjusting the handlebars – 13Adjusting the suspension – 16

Handling instructionsLearning the new riding technique – 24Wear protective clothing – 25Use clipless pedals, Seat – 25Slowly increase the strain – 26Do not ride freehand – 26How to ride correctly and safely – 26Quick release levers – 27Brakes – 28Gear system – 30Light system – 31Prop stand – 32Folding (GrassHopper fx) – 33

Table of Contents

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Maintenance and careWear and Tear – 35Brakes – 35Gear system – 37Chain – 38Chain tubes – 40Chain roller – 42Suspension fork – 43Rear suspension element – 47Swing arm pivot – 49Headset – 50Seat cushion – 51Water bottle cage – 52Mudguards – 52Wheels – 53Cleaning and conservation – 54Storing the bicycle – 56Screws and bolts – 56Tightening torques for screws – 57

Warranty PassWarranty – 58Warranty Pass – 59Service Plan – 61Proofs of service – 63

Revision February 2008. For latest product in-formation, please check out our website atwww.hpvelotechnik.com.All trademarks be-long to their respective owners.

HP VELOTECHNIK

Elisabethenstrasse 1 65830 Kriftel / GermanyTel. ++49 (0) 61 92 - 97 99 2-0Fax ++49 (0) 61 92 - 91 02 18

thank you for buying a recumbent bike designed by HP VELO-TECHNIK and congratulations on the purchase of your newGrassHopper or foldable GrassHopper fx! With theGrassHopper, a high-quality touring bike, you will enjoy manyyears of exhilarating riding pleasure.

Your safety and your satisfaction are our main concern. On thefollowing pages, this manual will inform you about importantsafety issues as well as maintenance and care instructions.

Even if you have many years of experience with bicycles pleasedo take your time to read this manual carefully before the firstride.Your recumbent bike is designed with the latest bicycletechnology by HP VELOTECHNIK that partly needs special treat-ment and care.

In this manual you will find detailed instructions on how to optimise your GrassHopper to meet your demands and ridingstyle as well as your size and weight. In addition to this, we haveput together a collection of information on care and mainte-nance as well as special technical advice from our engineers.Important: Please send us the attached warranty registrationform for your extended warranty (see page 58.)

This guide helps you to keep your GrassHopper in perfect con-dition so that you will always have maximum fun, comfort andsafety.

Enjoy yourselves and have a great ride!

Paul J.W. Hollants, Dipl.-Ing. Daniel Pulvermüllerand the HP VELOTECHNIK team

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Introduction

Dear customer,

To this user manual also belong the originalmanuals of component manufacturers such asthe brake manufacturer, the gear system manu-facturer and the pedal manufacturer.Thesemanuals tell you in detail how to operate andmaintain those specific parts. Please do readthe manuals of the part manufacturers as care-fully as the manual on hand. Please have otherusers of your recumbent also read the manu-als before using the bike.

The maintenance and adjustment of this re-cumbent partly require special tools and skills.Do only work within your limits and, in the in-terests of your own safety, do not go beyond.Should you be uncertain at any point, get incontact with your local dealer.

The instructions in this manual apply only to acompletely assembled GrassHopper with stan-dard parts from the series production of HP VELOTECHNIK.

On special demand HP VELOTECHNIK deliversframe kits with which a specialist dealer canassemble a bicycle individually. In this case themanuals on the operation and maintenance ofthe parts only represent a guideline, please doread every manual of every part manufacturer.The specialist dealer is responsible for the ex-pert assembly, please contact him for detailedadvice! A bicycle that has been assembled froma frame kit must always be tested and ap-proved by a qualified bicycle mechanic beforeyour first ride.

Introduction

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Caution! The texts in the gray boxes areparticularly important for your safety.Textsthat begin with "Danger!" mark an immedi-ate danger for your life and your health.Please do read them carefully.

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Legal requirementsWhen you ride your bike on the public road itmust comply with national legislation andguidelines.These will vary from country tocountry.

In general, there are minimum standards forbrakes, reflectors and lighting systems, as wellas usually a general duty to ensure that yourvehicle is in roadworthy safe condition.Therewill also be a duty to ride in a safe and respon-sible manner. If you ride your HP VELOTECHNIK

bike in traffic you should be sure to observeall the applicable laws and regulations.

In most countries, including Germany and theUK, two independent braking systems are re-quired. Do not ride with only one brake work-ing!

Please contact your local dealer to find outabout your legal obligations.

As an addition, we recommend to mount a flagon a pole for better visibility in traffic.

The safety equipment on your bike must bechecked before every ride and maintained inproper condition.

General Safety InstructionsIntended useYour GrassHopper is a bicycle for the use onstreets and surfaced roads.

This bicycle 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, assemblyerrors, accidents or similar activities and willfuldamage results in the loss of any warranty.

The intended use also includes the precise ob-servation of the prescribed usage and mainte-nance regulations and instructions.

The first milesThe first 300 km (186 miles) are an importantphase in which you break in the bicycle.During the first use of a new bicycle thescrews may bed in and come loose. Cables andspokes may stretch. Bearings may show play.Please be very attentive during that period.

After 300 km or after two months at the lat-est you will have to take your bicycle to a bi-cycle mechanic for the first service. Pleaserecord this first service and the tasks per-formed in the warranty pass on page 59.Thisfirst service is the prerequisite for further useof the bicycle and for your warranty claims.

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Load capacityThe maximum load (rider + luggage) is 130 kg(286 lbs).The maximum total weight (bicycle +rider + luggage) is 150 kg (330 lbs).The lowerlimit is valid. It is important to adjust thespring stiffness of the suspension according tothe load, see the chapter about adjusting thesuspension in this manual, page 16.With an attached trailer, the maximum totalweight must not be higher than 150 kg (330 lbs)

Carrying luggageLuggage transport is only allowed with thespecial rear rack or lowrider rack designed byHP VELOTECHNIK .

Maximum load:Rear rack 25 kg (57 lbs)Lowrider under the seat 25 kg (57 lbs)

When a rear rack is mounted you have tomake sure that when the rear suspension isfully compressed there is at least a 1 cm (1/3")distance between the rear tire or mudguardand the rear rack. If you want to increase thisdistance you have to decrease the suspensiontravel of the rear suspension element withclip-on spacers. For that purpose please con-sult your local dealer.

Additional loading can influence the handling ofyour bike considerably. If you plan on ridingwith heavy luggage we advise you to make atest ride on a street with no traffic to adjustto the new situation.

The load should be placed as close to thebody of the rider as possible, since this leadsto a more stable performance.You can also im-prove the handling of the bike by positioningthe center of gravity of the luggage as low aspossible, so pack heavy items in the bottom of

your panniers. Hang heavy panniers on thelowrider rack preferably to the rear rack.Be careful that your luggage on the racks issafely stored. Bags must be tightly fastened tothe rack so they can not move. In no case mayloose parts like straps or belts touch thewheels, the derailleur or the suspension.

The rear rack is designed for standard bikepanniers.The lowrider rack under the seat canbe used with special lowrider (front wheel-)bags.

Take care that your luggage does not coverthe lighting system and the reflectors of yourbicycle and that they stay fully functional.

In case you want to park your bicycle takecare to lean it on a wall or any other solid ob-ject.With the kickstand alone it is not possibleto safely park a bicycle loaded with luggage, itcould fall down and be damaged.

General Safety Instructions

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Transport in the carThe best way of transporting your bicycle isinside the car. See that it does not lie on thederailleur.

If you want to transport it outside the car werecommend a roof-rack or a rear carrier.Takecare to fasten your bicycle at the frame only.

Please remove any part that could come looseduring transport (seat cushion, water bottles,luggage bags, pumps, pennants, etc.).

Do not take kids with youThe GrassHopper is not designed for thetransport of children.You are not allowed tomount a child's seat. It is only allowed totransport children in a trailer that has beenspecially designed for that purpose.

TrailersYou are allowed to use trailers up to 40 kg (88lbs) with the GrassHopper.We recommendyou to assemble it with the WEBER-couplingType E.Always check that the suspension andthe trailer still work properly after you havemounted the trailer.Take care that the trailerdoes not damage the frame in case the bicyclefalls over.

Added parts and accessoriesAdditional accessories may impair the functionof your GrassHopper.We advise you to gener-ally ask your dealer before you mount any spe-cial parts or accessories to your bicycle.

Take care that the handlebar and the suspen-sion always stay mobile.You may not add anyparts to the handlebar or the seat that mightendanger the rider through sharp edged orpointed shapes while steering, getting on andoff the bike or bumping against something.

Before you purchase a bell or a lighting systemmake sure that these accessories conform toyour national laws and regulations.

FairingsAs a front fairing for the GrassHopper, youmay use the Streamer offered by HPVELOTECHNIK. Please take care to assure a goodvision over the fairing and sufficient freedomof movement below.

Please take into account that any fairing makesthe bicycle more prone to crosswind influ-ences. In strong wind or gusts of wind unsafesituations may occur. Please remove the fairingin such weather conditions before riding.

Caution! Do not fasten your bicycle at thehandlebar or, with disassembled wheels, atthe dropouts.The wind causes violent forcesthat can stress the parts and therefore maycause damage. Such damage may not be no-ticed immediately.

Caution! Mounting additional parts or ac-cessories is at your own risk. It is importantthat you carefully read the installation guideof the manufacturer.Additions to the handle-bar like fairings, handlebar fittings, bottleholders, etc. may impair your safety due toadditional loading or clips with sharp edges.

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Replacement of partsThe replacement of parts relevant for safety(especially brakes, light system, stem, handlebar,fork, drive train, suspension elements) shouldonly be done with original parts by a bicyclemechanic, since it requires a certain degree ofskill, suitable tools and mechanical aptitude.

Any technical change you perform on yourown is at your own risk!

No alteration of parts

Final assemblyYour bike has been delivered to your specialistdealer only partly assembled.

Your dealer has carefully finished the assembly,perhaps altered the specification of your biketo meet your special requirements and per-formed a test ride. Please make sure that thispre-delivery service is recorded in the warran-ty document at the end of this manual.

All screws must be checked and tightened, es-pecially on the handlebar, stem, fork, swing armpivot and wheels. Please follow the tighteningtorque settings listed in the table on page 57.

Rear derailleur and brakes must be checkedand adjusted. Please follow the instructions inthe manuals of the parts manufacturers thatcome with this manual.

Screws and bolts

General Safety Instructions

Danger! If any part is deformed (e.g. due toan accident or overload), especially frame,fork, handlebar, seat mounts, pedals, cranksand brakes, it is not allowed to use it anyfurther or repair it. Do not try to straightenbent parts.You must replace them for yourown safety. If you do not replace a damagedpart it can result in a total failure of the partand you may be seriously injured!

Caution! You are not allowed to performany work on the parts of the bicycle, espe-cially frame, fork, handlebar and seat, whichmight endanger their solidity.These works include drilling holes, welding,brazing, paint methods that add heat or anyother chemical treatment. If any of theseworks is done improperly it may result in aloss of strength through direct damage orincreased susceptibility to corrosion.

Caution! Screws must be tightened withprescribed tightening torque. In this manualtightening torques are given in "Nm“(Newtonmeter).Always use a torquewrench wherever a torque setting is given inthis manual. Never rely on "feel". Screwstightened too much or not enough canbreak, which can lead to dangerous acci-dents. In case you don't own a torquewrench have your bicycle mechanic do therespective work.You will find a table withthe prescribed torque settings on page 57 inthis manual.

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Before the first ride: adjusting yournew GrassHopperThe seating position is essential for your ridingcomfort, well-being and efficient cycling on theGrassHopper.Therefore you should adjust theframe, seat, handlebar and suspension to yourindividual requirements.

In order to adapt the GrassHopper as closelyas possible to your body dimensions and tofind the ideal seating position you need to ad-just the front boom, seat and handlebars.

If your bike is equipped with the optional frontboom-quickadjust, please read the instructionsin the seperate manual in addition to the fol-lowing instructions.

Adjusting the leg length: moving thefront boomIn order to adjust the leg length you have tomove the front boom (the front part of theframe where the cranks are mounted) withinthe main frame. Unscrew the screw M8x35 un-der the main tube with a 6 mm Allen key.Takea grip on the front changer tube or bothcranks and move the front boom into theframe or pull it out while cautiously turning it.

When you pull out the front boom shift thechain on the smallest chain ring and sprocketand turn the cranks a little bit backwardswhile pulling.Thus the chain is not under ten-sion.

Adjusting the leg length

Danger! All procedures described here re-quire a certain degree of skill, suitable toolsand mechanical aptitude.After any adjust-ment perform a static check and take a test-ride on a quiet street, away from traffic. Ifyou have any doubts please contact your lo-cal dealer.

Caution! After you have unscrewed theclamping screws take them off and examinethem for deformation. Lubricate threads andheads thoroughly.Then re-fit the screws. Ifthey don't turn easily you will have to re-place the screws.

Unscrew the clamping screw to adjust the front boom.

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In order to check the adjustments have anoth-er person hold the bicycle while you are sit-ting on the recumbent.

Adjust the front boom in such a way that yourleg is fully extended when your heel (wearingflat shoes) is in the foremost position on thepedal. Experience shows that the pedal-to-seatdistance on a recumbent can be slightly longerthan on a conventional bike.

While you are pedaling, the ball of your footshould be positioned over the center of thepedal axle.

It is important that your leg is not fullystraightened when the crank is in the foremostposition. If the distance is too great it is diffi-cult to overcome this dead point, pedaling be-comes uncomfortable and there is too muchstrain on the sinews of your feet and legs. Ifthe distance is too short you may suffer fromknee pain or your legs may bump on the han-dlebar.

For riders with a short leg length the frontboom has to be cut by a bicycle mechanic, sothat it can be inserted to the maximum. It isimportant to trim the end of the tube neatly.The bare metal of the shortened tube end hasto be protected against corrosion with a paintstick or wax spray.

Adjust the front boom so that the bottombracket axle is horizontal when you look at itfrom the front. For that purpose look beyondthe bottom bracket shell at the rear wheelaxle and align the front boom parallel to it.Align your eyes with the bottom bracket axleand not the front changer tube above.Then siton your bicycle and check the position. (Hint:When you have the impression that the bot-tom bracket is turned alternately to the leftand then to the right when cycling you willhave found the correct middle position).

Tighten the screw with a torque wrench(tightening torque 14–16 Nm). On your firstride check whether there is sufficient clamp-ing.

Adjusting the leg length

Adjust the front boon so that your knee will not be fully straight-ened when pedaling.

Danger! When you insert the front boom,the front boom and the inner wall of thetube must be totally free from grease, other-wise it won’t clamp properly and turn whileyou are riding.

Caution! When you move the front boomtake care that its end does not damage anylight cables that possibly come out of themain frame near the fork. Please informyourself about the length of the front boomon your bike before you do any work.Whilemoving the front boom you also have tomove the light cables The light cable mustnever be stressed by pulling.

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Danger! If the screws are tightened toomuch or bent, the screw or the frame canbreak! If the clamping is insufficient the frontboom can turn during a ride which maycause your feet to slip from the pedals andlead to a dangerous fall.

Caution! The minimum insertion depth ofthe front boom into the main frame is 10cm (4"). In no case may the end of the frontboom be visible in the clamping slot whenyou look at the main frame from below,since it may result in a damage of the frame.

The rear end of the front boon must never be visible in theclamping slot.

Danger! In the opening of the main framethere must be a spacer (a slotted tube ofblack plastic with edges to the front and theclamping slot) that is glued into the frame.This spacer ensures safe clamping of thefront boom and protects the paint. It is im-portant that you take care that this spacer isalways visible at the front end of the mainframe.The lower slot has to be aligned inaccordance with the slot in the main frame.If this spacer is missing or is moved to theback of the tube while inserting the frontboom, secure clamping is no longer guaran-teed, even if it seems to be the case at firstglance. If the front boom is not clampedproperly it may turn and lead to a fall.Amissing or misaligned spacer will lead to aframe damage.

The plastic spacer between front boom and main frame must bevisible at all time.

If the spacer is missing or not alligned properly or the screws aretightened too much, the frame can break!

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When moving the bottom bracket tube yourdealer has to adjust the chain length. By defaultthe GrassHopper comes with a very longchain so that the adjustment range of the bicy-cle can be fully used without the need tolengthen the chain.

After the first adjustment of the leg length thatyou have done together with your dealer whilehanding over the bicycle, the chain has to beshortened so that the arm of the derailleur isnot fully turned forward while shifting on thebig chain ring in front and the big sprocket be-hind.The derailleur must still be able to com-pensate a length change of the chain of at least4 cm (1 1/2"). In order to choose the rightchain length, please consult the manual of thederailleur manufacturer.

After you have adjusted the front boom youshould seal the gap in the clamping slot be-tween the front boom and the main framewith wax or silicone in order to protect yourframe from the penetration of water and dirtand hence damage through corrosion whichmay lead to a broken frame.

We recommend to slightly readjust the frontboom every 3 months so that knees, musclesand ankles will be used differently, and youmight find a more comfortable and more effi-cient riding position.

A wrong adjustment may lead to pain in yourknees and inefficient pedaling. In addition werecommend to ride with a high pedaling ca-dence, which means to pedal fast and with lit-tle pressure. Pedalling with too much pressuremay also lead to pain in the knees.You will findmore information about this on page 26.

Adjusting the leg length

Check that there is at least a 5 cm (2") clearance between theend of the chain tube and other parts of the drive train.

Danger! After the chain has been short-ened it has to be closed with a special clos-ing link or a chain riveting tool that expandsthe rivet while riveting (i.e. ROHLOFF-Revolver).A poorly joined chain may breakand thus lead to a fall. Have adjustments ofthe chain length or the changing of the chainbe done by your bicycle mechanic.

Caution! Take care that the chain tubeshave at least a clearance of 5 cm (2") to therear derailleur and the front changer evenunder maximum tension of the chain andthat the tubes stay tight in their fastenings.The front upper tube can be moved to therear for length adjustment. Shorten thetubes if necessary. If the end of the chaintube gets into the rotating drive train itcould be locked-up and destroyed.The endof the chain tubes have to be tightly securedwith a rubber tube over the retentionspring.

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Adjusting the seat lengthYour GrassHopper is equipped either with theErgoMesh® mesh seat or the adjustableBodyLink® seat from HP VELOTECHNIK.

The following instructions refer to theBodyLink seat. Length, seat back angle andlower seat angle are adjustable for this seat.The adjustment of the seat length and theproper seat angle is crucial for a comfortablefeeling while riding your recumbent.

The upper curve of the seat back in the areaof the shoulder blades determines the correctseat length:Through this shape the shoulderand neck area is lifted from the recumbent po-sition so that the head rests in a natural andrelaxed position. For this reason you shouldn'tneed a head rest if you have the right seat po-sition. On long rides, a head rest can increaseyour riding comfort as you can relax yourneck for a few seconds by leaning back.Youcan mount our custom headrest to your exist-ing seat.The seat is too small when you have the im-pression that your back is pressed too muchinto a "hunchback". It is too large when youhave the impression that the seat angle is toofar back when you are in the most upright po-sition, or when you hit the upper seat edgewith the back of your head when you look up-wards.

Adjusting the seat lengthTake off the seat cover (see page 51). Openthe quick release lever for the seat back angleadjustment, so that the seat is not bent withinner tension. Loosen the 4 screws at the in-ner side of the seat back with an allen keySW4 a few turns. Step behind your bike andhold the seat back with both hands. Pull orpush the seat back to achieve the preferredseat length.To achieve the smallest possibleseat length, move the 2 upper screws from thetop to the middle holes.

Tighten all 4 screws with 5–6 Nm. Move theseat back rest to the preferred angle and closethe quick release lever firmly. Reinstall the seatcover

Length adjustment of the Airflow cushionThe optional Airflow-cushion consits of twoparts, that connect in a V-type shape. Loosenthe velcro mount of the upper part, and placeit in the desired position, than fasten the vel-cro.

Adjusting the seat back angleA big advantage of the BodyLink® seat on yourGrassHopper is that you can adjust the seatback angle very quickly. For beginners or ridesin the city you can choose an upright seat po-sition for a better view, and for longer ridesyou can choose a flat position for better aero-dynamics.

The seat back is fastened with a quick releaselever on a slotted aluminum seat mount.Youcan adjust the seat back angle by 10 degreesby simply opening the quick release lever. Inthe medium seat position the angle is about35° from horizontal.

Adjusting the seat position

Caution! Do not loosen or tighten the 4screws in the lower seat part to adjust theseat length. Maximum tightening torque ofthese screws is 3–4 Nm.

Caution! To avoid noise from the seat whenloaded, the contact surfaces between thetwo seat halfs need to be seperated by self-adhesive plastic sheets and all contact sur-faces of seat and seat mounts and frameneed to be lubricated with grease.

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Adjusting the seat back angle is easy when youpush the seat closely to the seat mount intothe desired position. By pulling at the upperseat edge, you would twist the seat, creatingtension and locking up the adjustment mecha-nism.

Because of the flexibility of the BodyLink® seatand the special cam shape of the seat mounts,the seat effectively pivots around a central ax-is, approximately in the area of the lower lum-bar vertebrae.This is the place where you sup-port the biggest part of your pedaling forcewhile riding, so this point determines the dis-tance to the pedals.The advantage of this de-sign is that you adjust the distance from theseat to the bottom bracket only once as de-scribed above, a change in the seat angle doesnot require an adjustment of the front boom.

Adjusting the front seat edgeThe front seat edge can be slightly lowered toaccommodate smaller riders.With a lowerfront seat edge, it is easier to put your feet onthe ground without pressure from the seatedge on the back of your legs.With a higherfront seat edge, the seat will give more sup-port and avoid the feeling of „sliding down theseat“ that occurs with upright seat angles.

To adjust the front seat edge, open the quickrelease lever at both the lower and the upperseat half, so that the seat has no inner tension.Thus you need less force for the adjustment.Push or pull the seat front edge firmly untilyou reach the desired position and close thequick release lever firmly.Then adjust the seatback angle as described above.

If the quick release lever pressure is to loosewhen closed, open the lever and turn thescrew on the end of the quick release axleclockwise.The low profile design of the screwhead gives more clearance for the drive train.

Adjusting the lumbar supportThe BodyLink® seat is ergonomically shapedand supports the natural S-curve of yourspine. Forces from pedaling are supported inthe area of your lower back just above yourhips.The amount of support in this area (lum-bar support) is adjustable by moving the seatback and lower seat opposite to each other.

To get more lumbar support, lower the seatfront edge and put the seat back in a more re-clined position.To get less lumbar support, rise the front seatedge and put the seat back more upright.For more extreme adjustments, loosen the 4screws for the seat length adjustment in theseat back.Thus the seat back can expand andbend into the desired shape.Tighten thescrews and quick releases as described above.

Height adjustment of the head restThe BodyLink® seat can be fitted with an op-tional head rest.The head rest cushion is at-tached to the flexible mount with velcro tape.You can adjust its height within an inch, so thatit fits under the edge of your helmet The cush-ion should support your upper neck and lowerhead when leaning your head back.

Adjusting the seat position

Caution! The two quick releases have to beclosed firmly (tightening force 15-20 kg / 45lbs) to safely hold the seat.You are not al-lowed to open them while riding.After theyhave been closed the imprint "close" mustbe visible. If the quick releases are not tight-ened appropriately the seat can move whileriding so that you may no more be able tocontrol your bicycle.

Caution! Do not push or carry your bikeon the head rest, this could damage thehead rest or your seat!

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Adjusting the above seat steeringhandlebarsYour GrassHopper with above seat steering isequipped with a height adjustable and foldablestem. It comes with the Glideflex folding pivotfrom TERRACYCLE.

Alignment of the stem to the front wheel

Check the parallel alignment of the stem tothe front wheel by folding it completely for-ward and looking at both stem and frontwheel.To adjust this alignment, loosen bothclamping screws of the stem / fork steerertube connection. Do not loosen the screw inthe headset cap. Sit on the bike, hold the frontwheel with your feet and turn the stem sothat it is aligned to the front wheel.

Then tighten both clamping screws alternatelywith 8–10 Nm. Check the clamping by tryingto turn the stem against the front wheel.Check the play of the head set bearing, seepage 50.

Adjusting the handlebarsHeight adjustment of the handlebarsThe stem is height adjustable by telescopicallysliding the stem extension on the lower part.Loosen the clamping screw of the clamp at thelower end of stem extension. Move the stemextension to the desired position.Align thestem extension parallel to the front wheel, sothat the handlebars are perpendicular to thefront wheel.Tighten the clamping screw with4–6 Nm.

Angle adjustment of the folding stemThe Glideflex unit is equipped with a backstopadjustment screw close to the pivot axle.Toadjust the backstop, fold the stem forward andturn the backstop screw in or out with a 4mm allen wrench.Turning the bolt in (clock-wise) allows the handlebars to fold furtherback; turning the bolt out stops the handlebarsfrom going as far back.

Adjusting the folding frictionTo adjust the folding friction, tighten or loosenthe pivot bolt with a 5 mm allen wrench.Tightening the bolt will increase friction; loos-ening will decrease friction.

Danger! Aligning the stem can require ad-justment of the head set bearings. In case ofassembly errors the danger of accidents isincreased. If you are in doubt have your bicy-cle mechanic adjust the stem.

Danger! The hex-headed screw in the capadjusts the play of the steering head bearing.This screw does not help to clamp the stemtightly to the steerer tube. It does not se-cure it against turning.Take care that bothclamping screws on the side are tightened asprescribed after you have finished yourworks at the stem. Otherwise the stem mayturn while riding and cause an accident.

Danger! The stem extension must not bepositioned higher than the „max“ mark onthe lower stem part. In no case may the endof the lower stem half become visible in theslot of the stem extension.The clamp mustbe positioned tightly to the lower end of thestem extension.The clamping slot of theclamp must be aligned to the slot in thestem extension.

Caution! Do not turn the screw so far outthat it contacts the top of the stem when itis folded back.The bolt must contact thesloping surface.

Alignment of the handlebars to the wheelTo align the handlebars perpendicular to thefront wheel, turn the adaptor for indirectsteering clamped into the bottom end of thefork steerer tube.

Loosen the allen key bolt a few turns. Hold thefront wheel and align the handlebar perpendi-cular to the front wheel. Push the adaptor fullyinto the fork steerer tube, so that the metalplate welded onto the tube is positioned di-rectly at the end of the fork steerer tube.Tighten the allen bolt with 30–32 Nm.

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The friction adjustment should not need fre-quent readjustment in normal use. Sometimes,rain will cause the friction to drop slightly, butthings should go back to normal when dried out.

Adjusting the under seat steeringhandlebarsYour GrassHopper with under seat steering isequipped with an „indirect“ steering.The han-dlebars are supported by a stem that pivots inthe frame.The front fork is connected with asteerer rod to the stem.

Horizontal alignment of the handlebarsThe stem is made of two parts that telescopi-cally slide into each other.The connection ismade with an quick release lever clamping.Open the lever while pushing the security but-ton on the lever. Sit on the bike and align thehandlebars horizontally, so that both bar endsare at same height. Close the quick releaselever untill the security button locks in. Checkthe safe clamping by trying to turn the handle-bars in the stem.This should only be possiblewith high forces. If the clamping is to loose,open the quick release lever and adjust thecounter nut of the QR.The ability to turn isdesigned on purpose: In case the bike dropsover the handlebars can turn without beingbent or broken immediately.We suggest to fully insert the stem half. If youmove the handlebars further back, you will in-crease your turning circle as the handlebarwith contact the frame or lowrider earlier.

Adjusting the handlebars

Danger! Do not loosen the bolt past theminimum friction point. If you do, retightenthe bolt until you can feel the friction in-crease.The bolt must be secured with Loctite.

Danger! The minimum insertion depth ofthe stem half is 5 cm (2"). In no case maythe rear end of the inserted stem half be-come visible in the clamping slot.

Caution! On the left side of the handlebarsthere is a foam liner to protect the paintwhere the handlebar touches the frame.Check that it is in the correct position andreplace it when worn or lost.

Danger! This tightening torque is mandato-ry! If you do tighten the bolt with a wrongtorque, the adaptor could turn or bolt couldbreak while riding, leading to a crash. Onlyuse our original bolt of the strength type12.9.The bolt head and threads must be lu-bricated. Do not use a washer.The clampingpart and the inner steerer tube must not begreased. If you are unsure about this, letyour bike mechanic carry out this work.

Danger! Before every ride, check the se-cure clamping of the adaptor and all steeringparts.The steerer rod bolts must be securedwith loctite and stop-nuts.Never adjust the alignment of the handle-bars to the front wheel by changing thelength of the steerer rod! The distance be-tween the two rod pivots is a fixed measure.The adaptor must stay perpendicular to thefront wheel, or the front wheel could sud-denly turn in sharp corners!

Adjusting the cable length

You can make smaller adjustments by movingthe cables in their guides at the frame and thestem, so that there is enough room at all mo-bile parts. If this proves not to be sufficientyou will have to have your specialist dealershorten the cables or replace them by longercables.

Cover all contact areas where cables moveand touch the frame with sturdy transparenttape.This protects the paint against scratchingand wear.

Handlebar gripsThe grips on the handlebar are susceptible towear and tear. Have your grips replaced byyour bike shop once they don't feel comfort-able anymore.The grips always need to be at-tached firmly to the handlebar.

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Adjusting the handlebar angleBy changing the angle of the handlebars youcan adjust the position of the grip to thelength of your upper body and your arms.

Above seat steering: Turn the handlebars sothat the grips point downward or slightly for-wards.Your wrists should be in a relaxed posi-tion perpendicular to your arms.

Under seat steering: Most riders are com-fortable with a 45° angle so that the grippoints diagonally to the front and up.The moreupright the grip position the lesser is the max-imum possible cramp of the handlebars, sinceit touches your legs earlier.

In order to change the angle, loosen thescrews of the handlebar clamping.Turn thehandlebars until they are in your favourite po-sition. Check that the stem clamps the handle-bars exactly in the middle.Tighten the clamp-ing screws with 8–10 Nm. Check the correctclamping of the handlebars by mounting yourbike and pulling the handlebars. In doing so thehandlebar grips must not turn.

Please take care that the clamping area of thestem is thoroughly trimmed and does not haveany sharp edges which may lead to a ruptureof the handlebars.

While riding you should allow your arms torest in a relaxed position on the handlebars.Do not pull on the handlebars. If the handle-bars turn in the stem clamping during the ridestop immediately and tighten the clampingscrew of the handlebars. If the handlebars turnin a stem that is not sufficiently clamped thehandlebars or the stem might be damaged ordeformed. In that case a secure clamping canno longer be guaranteed, even with the cor-rect tightening torque, and handlebars andstem have to be exchanged.

Caution! After you have adjusted the han-dlebar position you have to adjust the lengthof the brake cables and shifter cables.Thecables have to run smoothly without anysharp turns and they may not be bentsharply or stretched when the handlebar isat maximum cramping or the above seatsteering stem is folded forwards. Also avoidlarge arches that could be caught up in oth-er parts.

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Purpose of the adjustment of thesuspensionYour GrassHopper is fitted with a suspensionfork for the front wheel and a rear swing armfor the suspension of the rear wheel.This sys-tem compensates slight bumps on the road sothat riding is comfortable and the strain onyour bicycle is reduced.

A well-adjusted suspension improves the trac-tion of your bicycle on uneven roads.Especially when riding in a bend this allows ahigher speed and also improves the safety.

In order to achieve maximum riding comfort,the suspension settings have to match yourweight as well as the road condition.

The goals of the adjustment are:

● maximum use of the available suspensiontravel without the suspension frequentlybottoming out

● quick reaction of the suspension withoutobvious oscillation after having passeda bump

● avoiding self enforcing oscillations, that meansincreasing oscillations of the suspension system due to pedaling influence, rhythmic body movements or permanent wavy underground

Suspension and dampingThe suspension systems of the suspension forkand the rear swing arm are fitted with theactual springs and dampers, which aremounted separately.

Often, the terms suspension and damping areused inappropriately in everyday language.

The spring is the elastic element that com-presses and decompresses through the load,which occurs on bumpy roads.While decom-pressing the spring releases the same energy ithas saved during compression.

The front fork of your recumbent bike is fittedwith steel coil springs and springs made of mi-crocellular foam elastomers. (MCU).The rearswing arm is suspended with steel coil springsin the standard version.The optional rearshock DT-SWISS XM180 uses air as springmedium.

The damper slows down the process of com-pression and decompression.That means thatthe bicycle after having passed a bump doesnot immediately "spring" back to the initial po-sition or even further than that.The damperconverts spring energy into friction and finallyinto heat, and thus takes away energy from thesuspension system.That way the damper pre-vents that the spring swings uncontrolled afteran initial stimulation. In addition the damperhelps to avoid self enforcing oscillations of thesuspension that may be caused by reoccurringstimulation like pedaling forces within a crankrevolution or the rhythmic up and downmovement of the legs.

The hydraulic damping of the rear suspensionis adjustable, in case you have mounted the op-tional suspension element DT-SWISS XM180.

Adjusting the suspension

Adjusting to loadThe luggage carriers of the GrassHopper aremounted to the suspended part of the frame.That way your luggage is also fully suspendedand it spares the material. Most notably, evenunder heavy load the suspension willcompensate an uneven road much better andquicker compared to a design where theluggage carrier would be mounted to theunsuspended parts, e.g. the rear swing arm.

Additional luggage changes the load of thewheels and their suspension.The suspensionsare more compressed through the load.Thatway, there is less suspension travel for bumpswhile riding.Your suspension could seize upmore often.

The suspension of the front wheel is lessaffected since luggage at the rear rack almostonly puts weight on the rear wheel. Only incase of heavy luggage on the lowrider underthe seat is there an influence on the frontwheel.

In order to compensate the variations in theload you can change the pre-load. For detailssee the following chapter.

Theoretically this can compensate for a loadchange of approx. 10 kg (23 lbs) at the rearwheel. In case of higher variations in the loadyou would have to exchange the spring foranother spring with another spring stiffness. Inpractice you can often do without it: theGrassHopper offers with 90 mm (31/2") a lotof suspension travel for a touring bike.Whenyou choose the spring stiffness so that the full90 mm are at your disposal when yourrecumbent is under maximum load, you willhave a somewhat smaller but still verycomfortable suspension travel when you ridewithout luggage.The optional air shock DT-SWISS XM180 canbe easily pumped up to compensate loadincreases.

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You should always set the damping as low aspossible to give the bicycle the possibility toquickly react even to several bumps in a row.

You can ride the GrassHopper with a consid-erably lower damping than for example a MTB:due to the relaxed and steady position of thebody the recumbent does not experience ex-treme variations in the load as it is knownfrom dancing on the pedals while riding uphillon a mountain bike.

In addition to this, varying pedaling forces havevery little influence on the suspension of thebicycle due to the No Squat design of the sus-pension system of the GrassHopper. So whenyou adjust the damping, always start with a lowdamping.

It is necessary to choose the correct springstiffness to have a well operating suspensionsystem.The spring stiffness is a measure forthe compression of a spring at a certain load.It is either given in "N/mm" (Newton perMillimeters) or "lbs./inch" (Pounds per Inch).Sometimes you only find "lbs." printed on thesprings.

The spring stiffness of the optional air shockDT-SWISS XM180 is set by adjusting the airpressure.

The suspension is designed in a way that thespring compresses considerably when youmount your bicycle.This is called negative sus-pension travel (or "sag") and it enables the bi-cycle to decompress on bumpy roads. (Whichis in fact a definitely positive feature.) Youshould choose a spring stiffness with whichthis negative suspension travel takes up around30% of the overall suspension travel.This valueusually provides a very comfortable ride onyour fully suspended recumbent bike designedby HP VELOTECHNIK.

The knob must turn easily. If a knob does notturn any further you have reached the final po-sition. In that case turn the knob again in theother direction about half a turn.

Do not turn the knob by force beyond the fi-nal position since this will damage the plasticthread inside.

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Adjusting the suspensionAdjusting the suspension forkThe front fork of the GrassHopper comeswith telescopic suspension forks from SPINNER

or MEKS.

At your request different types of suspensionforks can be mounted to your GrassHopper,please notice the manuals of the suspensionfork manufacturer that are possibly enclosed.

The suspension travel of the SPINNER fork is 45mm, of the MEKS fork approxImately. 50 mm(2").

The suspension fork should compress by 30%while mounting the bike, which corresponds to12-15 mm (1/2")

You set this value by adjusting the pre-load ofthe spring, provided you chose the correctspring stiffness (page. 19).

Every model has a turning knob on the forklegs that allows a simple adjustment of thepre-load.

The suspension fork MEKS Carbon All hassprings in both fork legs, the suspension forkMEKS Carbon AC has springs only in the leftfork leg since the other fork leg contains a hy-draulic damping cartridge.

By turning the knobs clockwise you increasethe pre-load, by turning them anti clockwiseyou decrease the pre-load.

It is sufficient to set the pre-load in the twofork legs to approximately the same level. It isnot necessary to match them exactly.

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Choosing the spring stiffness of thesuspension forkYour suspension fork comes by default with astandard spring that covers a wide range ofload and riding styles.

If the spring stiffness should not meet your re-quirements after adjusting the pre-load or ifthe suspension bottoms out too much, youcan order a spring with another spring stiff-ness through your dealer and have it mountedthere. For more information see page 43.

It is not important to exactly follow the rec-ommended values for the negative travel,rather follow your feeling how the bicycle be-haves during a ride, depending on the road sit-uation.

While riding you should only seldom feel thesuspension bottoming out. However, in casethis never occurs the spring might be to hardwhich means you don't use the total suspen-sion travel.

The suspension fork MEKS Carbon AC is fittedwith a hydraulic damping unit. On the rightfork leg is a turning knob to adjust the damp-ing.

You increase the damping by turning the knobclockwise.

We recommend you to start with the lowestpossible damping. Only when the fork oscil-lates more than once after you have gone overa bump should you increase the damping.

When the fork works fine when passing a sin-gle bump but stiffens distinctly when passingseveral bumps that come quickly in a row, thedamping is too high. However, when the fork"jumps" during the rebound movement thedamping has to be increased.

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Adjusting the rear suspension ele-ment

For the rear suspension of the GrassHopper aspring element is combined with a hydraulicdamping unit in a suspension element.Thedamping results from fluid friction of an oilflow through thin holes of a throttle valve inbetween two chambers inside the damper.Aslightly noticeable sound that may occur fromthis oil flow is normal. Due to the fluid frictionthe spring element may heat up, thereforetouch the spring element after a ride verycarefully.

The GrassHopper comes standard with a steelspring rear shock.As an option you can getthe air shock DT-SWISS XM180 that uses air asspring medium.

Steel spring rear shock The pre-load determines how far the suspen-sion compresses when you are sitting on thebicycle while standing still.

For the rear wheel the same guidelines as forthe suspension fork are valid: for maximumriding comfort the suspension should com-press by about 30% of the total suspensiontravel while you mount the bicycle in drivingposition.

For that purpose measure (similar to themethod described for the suspension fork) thedistance between the two suspension elementbolts or between rear rack and rear wheelwhile the bike is unloaded as well as while sit-ting on the bicycle in riding position.Also takeinto account possible luggage. Find out the to-tal suspension travel possible for your bicyclewith the method described above, dependingon the mounted add-on-parts and clips on thepiston rod.The static compression shouldamount to about one third of the overall sus-pension travel.

You can affect this negative suspension traveldepending on how much you weigh and howmuch you load your bike either by adjustingthe suspension pre-load for fine tuning or byreplacing the spring with a spring with a differ-ent stiffness in the rough tuning.

In order to adjust the suspension pre-loadturn the knobby adjustment ring on thethreaded part of the suspension element byhand.Turning the adjustment ring clockwise(looking at it from behind) reduces the pre-load, turning it anti-clockwise you screw theadjustment ring towards the spring and in-crease the suspension pre-load. It is helpful toturn the spring together with the adjustmentring.

Adjusting the suspension

Danger! While adjusting the rear suspen-sion element never load the bicycle e.g.through resting on the seat or loading therear rack when your hands or tools areclose to the suspension element. Otherwiseyour hands may get caught and squeezedwhen the suspension compresses.

Danger! The suspension elements are filledwith gas under high pressure. Never try toopen the damper or to remove the screw atthe gas tank. Inside the damper there are nouser serviceable parts. In case of damageyou will have to take the complete suspen-sion element to your dealer.

The adjustment ring should be turned nomore than five turns (measured from the re-laxed position) towards the spring. If the sus-pension compresses still too far even after sixturns, the spring is too soft and has to be re-placed by a harder spring.A too big pre-loadof a too soft spring does not take advantage ofthe full comfort potential.

You will find more information on changingsprings in this manual under "Maintenance andCare", page 47.

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Steel spring suspension element with fixed damping rate.

The suspension travel is adjusted by adding clips to the pistonrod of the spring element.

Danger! Take care that the rear wheel ormudguard or suspension element never hitthe frame, seat, rear rack or luggage boxwhile the suspension is fully compressed.

Therefore relax the spring completely byturning the spring retention disc on thethread of the spring element as far as it willgo (before this, push the possibly existingsafety spring ring from its slot in the thread-ed section as far as it will go). Have a secondperson mount the bicycle and make the sus-pension bottom out by leaning on the seator the rear rack.

If the distance between the wheel or mud-guard and the frame, seat, rear rack orSpeedbag is smaller than 1 cm you will haveto mount an additional spacer. In case youdon't, the mudguard may break suddenly orthe rear wheel might be blocked which canlead to serious crashes.

Danger! The adjustment ring has always tobe screwed so far towards the spring thatthe spring has no play when unloaded.Otherwise the adjustment ring could comeloose through shocks while riding so thatthe slotted rear spring retention disc comesoff. In that case the suspension element maybe damaged or the rear wheel could hit theframe or rear rack, which may lead to seri-ous falls.Always have an initial pre-load of at least halfa turn on the spring.

Air shock DT.SWISS XM180Please follow the instructions in the separatemanual from the rear shock manufacturer.

This rear shock contains pressurized air in amain („positive“) air chamber as suspensionmedium.Air shocks are lighter than steelspring rear shocks.Another advantage is thatthe spring stiffness can be easily adjusted withan air pump: By increasing the pressure thespring becomes harder.

Air shocks have a progressive spring behaviour,whereas steel springs have a linear spring be-haviour.This means that the air shock getsprogressively harder, e.g. it is much stiffer whenfully compressed than when only slightly com-pressed.

The advantage of this progressive spring be-haviour is the good bottom-out protectionwhen heavily loaded.

The valve for the air chamber is located at theback end of the air shock.The valve is protect-ed by a metal valve cap.

To pump up the air shock you need a specialair pump designed for bicycle air shocks. Itmust have a fitting schrader valve adaptor anda pressure indicator.

When attaching or removing the pumpto/from the valve, you will loose some air(about 0,5-1 bar).Take off the pump quickly.

Recommended pressure settings

load pressure – 80 kg (183 lbs) 9 bar –100 kg (230 lbs) 10,5 bar –130 kg (286 lbs) 11 bar

Maximum allowed pressure is 18 bar.

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Adjusting the suspension

Danger! Take care that the rear wheel ormudguard or suspension element never hitthe frame, seat or rear rack box while thesuspension is fully compressed.

Therefore fully deflate the air shock. Have asecond person mount the bicycle and makethe suspension bottom out by pushing onthe seat or the rear rack.

If the distance between the wheel or mud-guard and the frame, seat or rear rack issmaller than 1 cm you will have to have yourbike dealer mount an additional spacer in-side the air shock. In case you don't, themudguard may break suddenly or the rearwheel might be blocked which can lead toserious crashes.

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Adjusting the dampingBy adjusting the damping you can adjust theperformance of the suspension precisely toyour individual riding situation.A rough streetwith many harsh bumps that occur in a row oreven cobblestones needs a low damping ratewhile a road with long stretched bumps thatoccur more regularly needs a stronger damp-ing to achieve a smooth road holding.

When you add a lot of luggage you will needto adjust the spring stiffness; in that case anadjustment of the damping may even give youmore riding comfort.

Finally, the oil used in the damper becomesthicker and more viscous at lower tempera-tures, which can be compensated through achange in the damper setting.

Please note that you can seriously spoil theriding comfort through a bad damper setting,especially through unsystematic playing withthe knobs that may result in much to highdamper values. In the worst case the suspen-sion element will neither compress nor de-compress. If you are in doubt please consultyour local dealer.

The rebound damping prevents an eventual"jumping" of the rear wheel and provides agood traction. By improving the road surfacecontact the suspension of the GrassHopper al-so increases your riding safety.

A higher damping value prolongs the time untilthe decompression movement is finished. Onlythen can the suspension compensate the nextshock with the full suspension travel.Therefore, when you ride on very bumpystreets with shocks that occur fast in a rowyou might want to use a lower damping value.

A good setting for maximum comfort isachieved when the rear wheel decompressescompletely after a shock and then oscillatesonly once. In order to check the adjustmentyou will need a second person that compress-es the suspension by pushing the bicycle downwhile you are sitting on the bicycle in the rid-ing position.The other person can then ob-serve the suspension movements.

In order to adjust the damping during decom-pression, turn the adjustment knob on top ofthe rear end of the suspension element.

If you turn the knob in direction of the „-“ youwill get less damping and thus faster decom-pression.Turning the knob in direction of the„+“ will give you more damping and thus slow-er decompression.

Air Shock DT-Swiss XM180. Damping ist adjusted with the redknob at the rear end.

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Learning the new riding techniqueYour new bicycle has been assembled by yourdealer and adjusted together with you as de-scribed on the previous pages under"Adjusting your new bicycle". Before youmount your bike and enjoy your first rideplease make yourself familiar with the instruc-tions on the riding technique and the handling.

To ride this recumbent you will have to makeyourself acquainted with the different ridingposition. Make sure that you and all other fu-ture users of this bicycle will have read thismanual carefully prior to the first ride. If youare in doubt please consult your local dealer.

Before the first ride the users of this recum-bent have to practice and make themselves fa-miliar with the different handling.We recom-mend to practice on a quiet road away fromtraffic. Before you ride the bicycle in traffic youmust master the handling completely.

Go to a road where you can ride straightahead without being hindered. Hold your bikeat the handlebars and pull a break.Then mountyour bicycle and lean back. Leave one foot onthe ground and put one on the pedal.Therefore rotate the crank in the top positionso that you can pedal immediately with power.

Try to keep your balance in that position.Assure yourself that you can stop wheneveryou want to and hold the bicycle with onefoot on the ground.When you feel safe putpressure on the pedal, loosen the brake, pedalwith a lot of force and immediately put yoursecond foot on the other pedal.

Do not care on which side of pedal you arecurrently pedaling in the beginning. Hold thehandlebar loose but steady and accelerate witha few pedal strokes.Your bicycle needs speedto stabilise.

Look ahead in the direction where you wantto ride, not on the handlebar, at your feet orthe front wheel.

In order to stop brake carefully with bothbrakes until the bicycle has come to a com-plete stop. Only then do put a foot on theground and keep the balance.

Learning the new riding technique

Danger! Never touch the ground with yourfeet while the bicycle is still moving.The feetcould be caught on the ground and be pulledbackwards which could lead to a serious in-jury.

Danger! With a compact recumbent likethe GrassHopper it is possible that a foot ofthe rider contacts the front wheel when rid-ing sharp corners with a pedal in a low posi-tion.You will have to avoid this situation atall times since in extreme situations it maylead to a fall and injuries.To control the bicycle you will thereforehave to apply the following cornering tech-nique: when you ride a curve stretch the legon the inside of the curve, stop pedaling, on-ly then start steering into the curve. Onlywhen you ride straight ahead again shouldyou resume pedaling. Small riders shouldshorten the front mudguard to get moreclearance.

Danger! Please note that due to your lowseat height other road users may notice youvery late. Ride anticipatory with this in mind.This is especially important while riding indarkness.You yourself have a much betterview than others perceive you. Ride defen-sively.We recommend you to mount a wellvisible and reflecting flag to the bicycle whileusing it in traffic. Please ask your dealer formore information.

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Wear protective clothingRiding a bicycle is a potentially dangeroussport where accidents can happen even whenyou take care of every safety instruction pre-scribed.

We recommend you to wear an approved bi-cycle helmet that fits well. Protect yourself bywearing special sports clothing that fits tightand is reflective. If you're wearing wide pantsuse clips to protect them from getting caughtin the chain - or use an old fashioned methodand put the pants in your sockets.

When you fall with a recumbent you usuallyland on the side of your hips and your hands.Wearing reinforced cycling shorts and glovesreduces the danger of skin injuries consider-ably.

Use clipless pedalsThe pedals of your GrassHopper can be up-graded on demand with a binding system.Assoon as you are comfortable with riding yourGrassHopper you should use those cliplesspedals. Due to the rigid connection betweenshoe and pedal you don't have to keep yourfoot on the pedals with pressure anymore.Thisenables a more relaxed and round pedalingmovement where you may even pull a little onthe pedals.Without this connection to thepedals your feet may come off suddenly whichmay result in a fall. Modern system pedals withbinding therefore contribute to safe riding.

At first you will have to practice with thesepedals to make sure that you can get off quick-ly in a dangerous situation. Please read themanual of the pedal manufacturer that comeswith this manual and have your dealer explainthe use of the pedals to you. In the beginningset the release force of the binding to a lowvalue to make sure you can get off safely.

Please use exclusively the original shoe plates /cleats from the manufacturer of the pedals, donot use any other brand. If you're using shoeplates that are not authorised the binding sys-tem won't work properly.

Take off the seatOpen all three quick release levers of the seatmounts. Unscrew the nut of the upper seatquick release approximately 4 turns.Turn thequick release levers of the middle and lowerseat quick release counter clockwise approxi-mately 4 turns.Eventually it may be easier to hold the quickrelease lever and turn the flat nut on the rightside (chainside) of the seat mounts with a 5mm allen key.

Pull the lower seat half out of its mounts, thenthe upper seat half.

Protective clothing, clipless pedals, seat

Caution! When storing the seat, please takecare not to bend or break the seat mounts.Protect the edges of the seat mounts withpadding to avoid scratching other objectswith the seat mounts.

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Slowly increase the strainWe recommend you to perform only shortrides without much power during the firstweeks.

Always use a low gear and ride with a highpedaling frequency. Only after having acquiredsome training do increase the strain slowly.

When you ride on a recumbent you use othermuscles than on a conventional bicycle, andthey have to be trained first.The very high po-sition of the bottom bracket requires yourmuscles and blood transport system to slowlyfamiliarise with the new position.

In case of an overload the blood circulation inyour legs may be affected which shows in lossof power, a prickling in the toes, falling asleepof the legs or cramps.When you have a sportyway of riding it can take up to 6 months untilyou have become accustomed to your new re-cumbent.

Should you have pain in your knees while rid-ing this is usually the result of too much pow-er put into pedaling.The good support of theback sometimes misleads to putting the fullpower of the legs in the pedal, similar to theleg training machines in a fitness center.Whenyou repeat it regularly it is harmful for theknees. Pain in the knees often results from anoveruse of the muscles in the knee that can al-so be strengthened through exercise.

Also, a wrong adjustment of the front boom tothe leg length (in most cases too short) canlead to pain in the knees.

Your pedaling cadence should stay between80-100 revolutions per minute and not fall be-low 60 revolutions when going uphill. If neces-sary have your specialist dealer adjust the gearrange to your riding style and the terrain youusually ride.

You will find many tips on proper training forcyclists in miscellaneous books and magazinesfor cyclists.

In case of persistent problems please consultyour doctor.

Do not ride freehand

How to ride correctly and safelyAlways adjust your speed to the traffic, theroad and the weather conditions. Ride slowlyin curves and on unknown roads.Always rideat a safe distance from other road users, andwhen you ride in a group never ride side byside.

When you approach a traffic light never ridepast the line of waiting cars since even themost attentive car driver may not see you dueto your low seating position.

Strain, riding freehand, way of riding

Danger! In order to ride safely you have tokeep both hands at the handlebar. Evenwhen signalling keep at least one hand at thehandlebar. Otherwise, unforeseen bumps inthe road or oscillations of the steering maylead to a serious fall.

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Quick release leversQuick release levers hold wheels and seat inposition.

A quick release lever consists of two basicparts: the lever on one side provides theclamping force.With the adjusting nut on theother side you adjust the clamping tension onthe screw thread.

To open the quick release, move the leveraway from the frame. In doing so the inscrip-tion "open" should be visible on the lever.

To close the quick release, move the lever withpower in the other direction so that the word"close" is visible on the outward side of thelever.At the start of the lever's motion, for, say,half of its movement, the lever should movevery easily, without any clamping action.

In the second half of the lever's movement theforce on the leer should increase considerably,corresponding in the end to 15-20 kg (46 lbs).

In its final position the lever should lie parallelwith the bicycle and should not stick out toone side.

Check the security of the lever by attemptingto twist the lever. If the lever can be made topivot around in a circle the clamping is tooloose.You must re-open the quick release,hold the lever and increase the clamping ten-sion. Do this by screwing the adjustment nuton the other side by half a turn. Close thelever and check the clamping anew.

Finally, check that the part being secured isfirmly fixed: Lift each wheel several inches offthe ground and give it a slap onto the tirefrom above.A properly fixed wheel will remainsecure in the frame's dropouts.

The dropouts of the fork of yourGrassHopper are designed as safety dropouts.Therefore you always have to loosen theclamping nut of the quick release when youtake off the front wheel.When you reassembleit do not forget to tighten the nut again!

Parts that are fastened with a quick releaseopen easily.Thus, they are more susceptible totheft.Therefore, always secure the wheels witha lock when you park your bicycle. It is alsopossible to exchange the quick releases withspecial security screws (e.g. from PITLOCK orKRYPTONITE) that can only be opened with aspecial tool. For this please consult your localspecialist dealer.

way of riding, Quick release levers

Caution! Always carry your bicycle overstairs and curb stones. Do not ride throughbig road holes. Especially when road holesare filled with water it is very difficult toguess how deep they really are. In case youhit such an obstacle frame and fork may bedamaged which can result in a serious fall.Atfirst, the damage may be unnoticed. Pleasecheck your bicycle immediately for deforma-tions and cracks. If you are in doubt pleaseconsult your local dealer.

Danger! An incompletely or improperlyclosed quick release can result in parts com-ing loose, and hence in a crash, possibly re-sulting in serious injury.

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Brakes The GrassHopper is equipped with a powerfulhigh-quality brake system.You may choose be-tween rim brakes and disc brakes. Please doread the separate manual from the brake man-ufacturer that comes with your bike for de-tails.

Make yourself familiar with the braking system.Remember which lever pulls the front brakeand which the rear brake.

If the arrangement of the levers does not cor-respond to what you are used to, please have abicycle mechanic change it. Please contact yourlocal bike dealer to find out if there exists anylegal requirement for the arrangement of thebrake levers in your country.

For optimum handling you can adjust the dis-tance between the brake grip and the handle-bar with a small hex-headed screw at the grip,please see the respective manual for details.

Note that the front brake is the most effectivebrake on the GrassHopper.With the frontbrake, you achieve a much higher braking ef-fect than with the rear brake.The rear wheelhas a tendency to lock up and slip on thepavement even under low braking forces.Thebraking effect of modern brake systems can bemore powerful than what you have been usedto until now. Do brake carefully.When youbrake too much with the front brake the rearwheel may lift off the street and the bike maytumble over.

Do not brake in a bend, always brake before abend. Braking increases the risk of slipping.Especially when it is wet the rear wheel imme-diately slides out of the bend while brakingand this can result in a serious fall!

If you should hear any unusual sounds whilebraking the braking pads might be worn. Donot use your bike any further until you havechecked the braking pads according to themanual of the brake manufacturer or ask yourlocal dealer.

Brakes

Danger! Please note that the braking dis-tance is much longer when it is wet or whenthe bike is heavily loaded.When riding onwet, sandy, icy or slippery roads you have touse the front brake very carefully to avoidthat your front wheel slips. If it does so youwill no longer be able to handle your bike,which might lead to a serious fall.

Danger! In case you get into a situation likethat during an emergency stop you have tolet go of the brakes immediately, balanceyour bicycle and brake again. If you are notfamiliar with the brakes we recommend youto train at first at low speed and with littlebraking effect until you find the correct dosefor an emergency stop.

New brake systems, new brake pads and newbrake discs need a break-in period to achievemaximum brake power.This period lasts forabout 30-40 stops from about 30 km/h(20mph), which should be done in a safe areawithout traffic.

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Check before every ride:

● that the brake system does not have any damages or leaks by activating the lever, holdingit and checking the hose connections for possible leaks.

● that the brake lever pressure is ok by pullingthe lever and ensuring that full braking performance is achieved before the lever touches the handlebar. If this is not the case, adjust the cable or change the brake pads, for hydraulic disc brakes pull the lever several times (pump) until it feels firm.

● check the hydraulic brake system for the correct pressure by pulling the lever, holdingthe pressure and checking the hose connections, bleeding screw and compensating tankfor possible leaks.

Danger! Disc brakes can overheat on longdown hill rides, fade and fail! On down hillrides, do not brake constantly, but in severalintervals with higher pressure. If you noticethat the brake power starts to fade, do stopimmediately and let your brakes cool down.

Danger! Never touch neither the brakedisc nor the brake calliper after long brakingas this may cause serious injury (risk ofburns).

Danger! Always make sure that the disc andbrake pads are free of oil and grease. If theseparts are dirty please do not use your bicy-cle any more.You can clean oily rims ordiscs with alcohol or a special spray. Oilybrake pads have to be replaced. If you are indoubt, please have your specialist dealermaintain your brake system.

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Gear systemWith the gear system you can adjust the ped-aling frequency, i.e. means the number of revo-lutions of the crank per minute, to the terrainand the desired speed.

Your pedaling frequency should stay between80-100 revolutions per minute and not fall be-low 60 while going uphill. If necessary consultyour local dealer and have him retrofit thegear range to your style of riding.

Your GrassHopper comes standard with a de-railleur gear or with a internal hub gear sys-tem.The following section refers to the de-railleur gear system only. Please refer to themanual of the gear manufacturer.

You operate the gear changer with the grip-shifters or bar end shifters on the handlebars.

The right lever for the rear derailleur has anindex derailleur system that positions thechain always on the chosen sprocket, so thatyou don't have to "search" for the gears.

It is not possible to index the left lever so thatyou have to adjust the front derailleur whileshifting by slightly moving the shifter to stopthe front derailleur from dragging against thechain while pedaling.

Riding a recumbent requires foresighted gearshifting. Before stopping you should timelychange in a low gear to make it easy to startoff again, without having to pedal heavily andstruggling with your balance.

You may only change the gears while you keeppedaling, smoothly and without applying greatforce, all the time that the chain is moving be-tween the sprockets. Due to the long cablesthat expand under pressure and the housingthat compresses under pressure it may behelpful for changing gears quickly to turn thebar end shifter a little bit farther than neces-sary to select a gear and turn it back to the in-dexed position once the chain has properlyshifted ("overshift").

When the chain length has been properly ad-justed you can choose every combination offront chain rings and rear sprockets to shiftgears. However, it is useful to ride the lowestgears with the smallest chain ring (the biggestrear sprocket), the middle gears with the mid-dle chain ring and the highest (fastest) gearswith the biggest chain ring.

The setup of the chain rings and sprocketleads to an overlap of some gears.This meansthat different combinations of chain rings andsprockets can result in the same gear. It wouldbe possible to arrange a gear system so thatdouble gears do not occur but this requires alot of concentration when you shift gearswhile riding, since you will always have tochange the rear sprockets as well as the frontchain rings. If you would like to change the set-up of your gears please consult your localdealer.

Gear system

Danger! Do practice shifting gears on atraffic-free street. In the course of this makeyourself familiar with the functioning of thebar end shifters. Doing this in traffic coulddistract your attention from possible dan-gers.

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Light systemIf you want to ride your bike on public streets,it must be equipped with a legal light system.Do not only use your lights in the dark but al-so in the twilight of dusk and dawn. Due tolaws and regulations the brightness of bicyclelights may be considerably lower than that ofother vehicles.Therefore always keep in mindthat other road-users may only see you verylate or not at all.

For the GrassHopper, HP VELOTECHNIK offerstwo different dynamo light systems: one with atire dynamo and the other with a hub genera-tor.

Both light systems come with strong LEDs forheadlamp and rear light.The LEDs last consi-derably longer (approx. 100.000 workinghours) than a light bulb. For your safety thelight system has a standlight system at thefront and at the rear light, which makes theLEDs shine on approximately 10 minutes afteryou have stopped riding.The electronic systemis maintenance free. Because of the capacitorsused you don't have to worry about batteries.

The cables and the contacts can be affected bycorrosion or mechanical damage.Therefore,check the light system before every ride.

Tire dynamoYou turn on the light system with the tire dy-namo at the rear wheel by unlocking the swiv-elling dynamo. For this purpose you press thered button at the dynamo until it moves to-wards the rear wheel.To turn the light off, youturn the dynamo by hand back to its initial po-sition.

You can adjust the pressure of the dynamoagainst the wheel with the turning knob at theside.The pressure is right when the dynamowheel just does not slip at the wheel, if thelight flickers, the pressure is too low and youhave to increase it.The position of the dynamoshould be so that the extension of the dynamoaxle points through the center of the wheel.Take care that the dynamo is mounted safelyand does not turn.Worn dynamo wheels canbe exchanged. Please ask your specialist dealer.

Light system

You switch on the tire dynamo by pressing the red button.Toswitch off the dynamo move it away from the wheel.

Danger! Do not try to operate the dynamolever while riding, your hands could becaught in the wheel and be injured! To turnthe light system on or off stop riding, dis-mount your bicycle and only then do turnthe dynamo lever.Turn the lever carefullywithout applying force else you might bendthe lever and damage the plastic parts of thedynamo.

red button

pressure adjuster

Danger! The dynamo must always be safelyfastened to the bracket at the frame, so thatit can not turn. If the screws comes loosethe dynamo can get caught in the spokesand block the rear wheel - danger of a seri-ous fall! Always check the position and se-cure attachment of the dynamo before a ride.

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Hub generatorThe light system with a hub generator isswitched on electrically. For this purpose youwill find a switch on the back of the rear lightwith three labelled switch positions.With theswitch you can turn the lighting system ON,OFF or set it to SENSOR. In the SENSOR po-sition a twilight sensor in the lamp turns thelighting system on and off automatically de-pending on the brightness of the environment.

The SON hub generator is highly efficient andworks silently.When the dynamo is turned offit has a very low turning resistance.Althoughyou can feel the single poles of the used per-manent magnets very distinctly when turning itby hand the real rolling resistance is minute.(The loss is at 15 km/h under 1 Watt).

For details on the hub generator please visitwww.nabendynamo.de.

Prop standFor the GrassHopper you can use a rear propstand from HP VELOTECHNIK at the rear swingarm.

Before riding check that the prop stand in anyposition does not affect the function of otherparts.

The prop stand is only suitable for parking thebike on even, solid ground. In case of unsuit-able ground, luggage load or mounted fairingswe recommend to lean the bike securelyagainst a solid wall or pole.

Light system, Prop stand

You switch on the hub generator light system with the integratedswitch at the front light.

Danger! Before every ride check whetherthe prop stand is lifted up to its riding posi-tion.With a recumbent, prop stands are of-ten forgotten. In the first left turn the propstand can touch the ground and cause a fall!After a fall you will have to check the propstand and the area where it is mounted fordamage and deformation.

Caution! To protect the prop stand fromturning, it must be mounted with 2 screwsto the mounting plate at the rear frame. Donot use standard prop stands with only onescrew.

1) Bring right pedal to the frontTurn the right crank counterclockwise so thatthe right pedal is located in the forward posi-tion. Once folded, the pedal will thus haveroom next to the rear wheel.

2) Take off the seatOpen all three quick release levers of the seatmounts. Unscrew the nut of the upper seatquick release approximately 4 turns.Turn thequick release levers of the middle and lowerseat quick release counter clockwise approxi-mately 4 turns.

With a Lowrider rack or water bottle mountinstalled, space is limited and it may be easierto hold the quick release lever and turn theflat nut on the right side (chainside) of the seatmounts by hand or with a 5 mm allen key.

Pull the lower seat half out of its mounts, thenthe upper seat half.

3a) Fold the Above Seat SteeringOn bikes with Above Seat Steering, push thehandlebar stem forward, thus folding it downto the front end of the bike.

3b) Stow the Under Seat SteeringPosition yourself on the left side of the trike.Open the quick release lever of the stem un-der the frame while pushing the security but-ton on the lever. Pull the handlebar and stemhalf out of the stem. Position the handlebarson the left side of the bike. Stow the handlebarby inserting the attached stem half into thehole of the rubber mount on the seat tube ofthe main frame.

4) Fold the framePosition yourself on the left side of the bike.Open the quick release lever on the left sideof the folding hinge. Pull the quick release tothe rear, sliding it out of its rest position at thefront part of the folding hinge. Push the quickrelease axle downwards to move the securitybolt that is connected to the quick release ax-le out of its rest position. Hold the bolt againstthe spring pressure in this position and useyour other hand to fold the front part of theframe to the right side.

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Folding (GrassHopper fx)

Caution! When storing the seat, please takecare not to bend or break the seat mounts.Protect the edges of the seat mounts withpadding to avoid scratching other objectswith the seat mounts.

Bring right pedal to the front and fold handlebars forward

Make sure all cables and electric wires arelong enough to allow proper folding.

The chain tubes are connected by a flexiblerubber joint positioned in the area of the fold-ing hinge. Grab the both chain tubes at therubber joint with one hand and pull them upand tight to the folding hinge. Move the frontframe half backwards until it rests on the rub-ber bumper attached to the middle seat quickrelease. Secure the folded bike by inserting theplastic strap into the fastener mounted underthe front frame part.

If you have Above seat steering, secure thehandlebar with the attached velcro strap tothe rear rack or rear wheel.

A shoulder strap and bag for transport of thefolded bike are available as an option for yourGrassHopper fx.

5) UnfoldingTo unfold and reassemble your bike, please fol-low above steps in the opposite order. If yourbike is equipped with under seat steering, plea-se follow the instructions on page 14 for prop-per installation and alignment of the handle-bars.

Folding (GrassHopper fx)

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Danger! Before riding your bike, make surethe quick release of the folding hinge is se-curely closed.The security bolt must be inits proper lock position.The quick releaselever must be closed in a horizontal posi-tion. Check that the lever does not obstructthe steering or the cables of your bike.

Open the quick release lever, then push the quick release downto unlock the security bolt of the folding hinge.

Folded GrassHopper fx with Above Seat Steering

Folded GrassHopper fx with Under Seat Steering

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Maintenance and careYour GrassHopper is fitted with the latest bi-cycle technology that does not require muchmaintenance.

However, you will have to maintain your bicy-cle regularly, as it is with other vehicles too.At least once a year the bicycle has to be tak-en to a bicycle mechanic for an overall service.Only this way a long lasting and safe functionof all parts of your bicycle can be guaranteed.It maintains the value of your bicycle as well asthe fun and the safety while riding for manyyears.

Read in this chapter how you can carry outsmaller maintenance and care works betweenthe services.

For a quick overview of the works to be donetake a look at the warranty pass on page 60.

Wear and TearAs on many other vehicles, some parts on abicycle are affected by wear and tear.The life-time expectation of these parts depends onthe intensity and type of use as well as on themaintenance and care. Please keep in mind thatthe process of wear and tear is normal and noreason for a warranty claim against your deal-er or HP Velotechnik.

You will find more specific information onwear and tear in the chapters on the relevantparts.

BrakesThe brake pads suffer from wear due to fric-tion and have to be exchanged then. Pleaseread the manual of the brake manufacturercarefully.

With rim brakes the rim walls suffer fromwear.When the rims are too worn the tirepressure can tear up the rim and damage thewheel - danger! Please have your bicycle me-chanic check your rims at the latest after thesecond brake pad change and exchange them ifnecessary.

cable operated (mechanical) brakesThe brake pads of your brakes are worn whenyou can pull the lever further and further tothe handlebar before the pads touch the rim.Rim brakes:When the pads are so worn thatyou can't see the cross grooves of the padanymore you will have your bicycle mechanicexchange the brake pads.

To balance the wear of the brake pads you cantighten the cable with the adjuster barrelwhere the cable goes into the brake lever. Firstloosen the locknut, then undo the screw so farthat the wheel turns, barely not touching thepads, hold the screw and tighten the locknutagain towards the brake lever.Take care thatthe slot of the adjuster points down so thatno moisture enters from above or the front.

Maintenance and care, Brakes

Caution! The maintenance works of this re-cumbent partly require special tools andskills. Do only work within your limits and,in the interests of your own safety, do notgo beyond. Should you be uncertain at anypoint, get in contact with your local dealer.

Caution! Damaged cables with single wiressticking out have to be exchanged immedi-ately. Otherwise your brake system may fail- danger! Please take care that the cableends are always protected with a cap.Always keep the cables shortly trimmed.Leaving too much cable extending past thecable anchor can result in the cable catchingin the rotor or wheel, which could then bepulled in the calliper, causing the wheel tolook up.

hydraulic rim brakesTo balance the wear of the brake pads there isa turning knob at the brake lever.Turn thisknob anti clockwise to move the pads closerto the rim.As soon as the knob doesn't turnanymore the brake pads have to be exchanged.Before you change the pads turn the knobclockwise as far as it will go, back to the initialposition.

hydraulic disc brakesMAGURA disc brakes feature a fully automaticpad wear adjustment. Brake pads are subjectto wear, therefore regularly check the thick-ness of your brake pads and replace them, ifnecessary. The minimum thickness of thebrake pad incl. metal backing is 2.5 mm.

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mechanical disc brakesIf the brake pads are worn so far that tighten-ing the cable tension is not sufficient, you canre-align the brake calliper in the slotted holesand adjust the inner brake pad with the hexbolt at the hub side of the brake calliper. Havethis adjustment work done by a qualified bikemechanic.

Check your brake pads frequently as explainedin the manual supplied by the brake manufac-turer.Worn brake pads, oily od damaged padsmust be exchanged immediately by a qualifiedbike mechanic.

Hydraulic brakesMAGURA hydraulic brakes use low viscositymineral oil that, contrary to DOT brake liquidused in cars, does not absorb water.Thus, youdon't have to change the oil. Please read theMAGURA manual that comes with the bike.Youwill find more detailed maintenance instruc-tions in the manual "Workshop" that is avail-able for download from MAGURA atwww.magura.com. In case of a damaged hoseor any leakage of oil always consult a qualifiedtechnician in a bike shop.

Brakes

Caution! Never activate the lever bladewithout the brake pads in place and with thewheel dismounted.When you transport thebicycle without wheels always use the trans-port clips delivered with your bike or put apiece of cardboard in the brake calliper toreplace the disc. Carefully separate brakepads that have moved together with ascrewdriver.

Danger! All maintenance work on the hy-draulic system of your brakes may only becarried out by a qualified technician. In casethese works are carried out without the re-quired knowledge and skills the brake sys-tem might fail which can lead to a seriouscrash.

Caution! Keep the brake cable clean whereit is not protected by the cable housing. Dueto the mounting position of the brake leverwith under seat steering, moisture and dirtmay enter the cabel and cause drag and ex-cessive wear. Lube the ends of the cable toprotect against moisture.

Caution! Keep the brake lever clean. Dueto the mounting position, water and dirtcould collect inside the lever around the hy-draulic cylinder.This could lead to excessivewear or leakage of the hydraulic system.

All moving parts of the gear system are affect-ed by wear. Cleaning and lubricating theseparts frequently can prolong the life of theseparts, however they will have to be replacedonce worn out.

The cables have to be checked, cleaned andserviced regularly. Expect more wear and cor-rosion when the bike is often parked outsidein bad weather conditions.

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Gear SystemPlease read the manual of the gear systemmanufacturer carefully when you want to workon it.

Your dealer will have carefully adjusted yourderailleur gearing system before handing overthe bike. But during the first 300 kilometres(186 miles) of riding the gear cables canstretch, making the gear indexing imprecise.The chain then climbs only hesitantly onto thenext sprocket.

Adjusting the gear indexing for the rear derailleurAdjust the barrel adjuster where the gear ca-ble goes into the rear derailleur. Do it in smallsteps of half a turn.

Check after each adjustment whether thechain moves smoothly up to the next largersprocket.To do this, either turn the cranks byhand or ride the bike.

When the chain climbs up easily, you need tocheck that it still goes down easily onto thesmallest sprocket. If necessary turn the barreladjuster a little more and then try shiftinggears again.

Gear system

Danger! If the chain shifts over the smallestor the biggest sprocket you have to readjustthe end-limit adjusters of the rear or thefront derailleur. Incorrect adjustment canlead to the chain coming off, getting stuck ordamaging the spokes, which may result in se-rious falls.The adjustment of the end-limitadjusters is a job for the professional cyclemechanic.

Danger! If the bike falls over, the derailleuror its mounting can be bent so that themovement of the derailleur changes. Checkthe movement and have it readjusted byyour bicycle mechanic, if necessary.

Caution! Damaged cables that show forexample single wires have to be changedimmediately. Otherwise they may damageyour gear system.Take care that the endsof the cables are protected with fittingcaps.

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ChainThe chain is a wearing part that has to be lu-bricated regularly and to be changed at signsof excessive wear and tear.

Lubricating the chainDiligent lubrication is important.The chain ofyour GrassHopper is approximately 2.5 timeslonger than a standard bicycle chain(approxImately. 3.8 m). But it also lasts longersince a chain only wears while bending at thesprockets and the chain rings.

Use a good chain oil that won't leave a stickyfilm on the chain.The chain oil must not con-tain any aggressive chemical substances thatmight affect the surface of the chain tubes orchain idler.

Specialist stores sell biodegradable lubricants.HP VELOTECHNIK solely recommendsPROFIDRYLUBE.This lubricant is purely based onPTFE (Teflon) that keeps the chain clean anddry.This way dirt simply falls off and the tubesalways stay clean.Your dealer can obtain itfrom HP VELOTECHNIK.

It is important that you clean the chain with acloth before lubricating. Otherwise the freshoil washes the dirt that clings to the chain intothe gaps and the bushings where the dirt caus-es heavy wear.

Do not use any solvents to clean the chain!The solvent washes the oil off the bearingparts, stays there and dilutes the fresh oil sothat a sufficient lubrication is not guaranteed. Ifyou have treated the chain with a solvent youwill have to heat it up with a hot air torch orboil it in chain grease.

An effective protection against corrosion iscritical for a long chain life. Some minutes afteryou have oiled the chain rub it with a cloth toremove superfluous oil from the outer surface.Wax the chain thoroughly with a wax spray.The wax keeps off water, protects from corro-sion and makes dirt fall off easily.

If the chain has become wet after riding in therain you should put your bicycle in a dry andheated room, and every day you should turnthe crank and so move the chain until it is dryagain. Otherwise it is difficult for the moisturein the tubes to evaporate which may lead tocorrosion at the chain.

Chain

Danger! Take care not to pour any oil onthe rims, brake discs or the tires.The brakesystem could fail or the tires could slip awaysuddenly.The oil affects the rubber of yourtires and could damage them.While lubricat-ing cover the surrounding area with an oldnewspaper.

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Changing the chainThe chain is one of the parts of the bike thatwill wear out.This shows in a stretching of thechain.Worn out chains do not fit the sprocketsand chain rings anymore and wear them awayvery quickly.

Check the chain regularly for lengthening. Forthis purpose try to remove the chain from thechain ring.The chain may come off to a maxi-mum of 5 mm. For a more precise reading youcan buy a chain measurement gauge in yourbike shop that you simply put into the chain.

Only use chains that are suitable for the gearsystem of your bike. Otherwise a precise gearshifting is not guaranteed any more. Pleaseconsult your dealer on this topic. He will alsoassist you in checking your sprockets and chainrings.A new chain does not fit a worn sprock-et or chain ring.We recommend chains fromSRAM with smoothly rounded edges.They alsoshift gears very well.

HP VELOTECHNIK delivers spare chains by themeter via your dealer. For this purpose pleaseindicate the exact length of your chain or or-der it a little bit longer if you want to be sureit fits.You will need approxImately. 3,8 m ofchain.

The chain length has to be fitted so that thearm of the derailleur is not fully stretchedwhen you shift onto the big chain ring in thefront and the big rear sprocket.The derailleurmust be able to compensate a tightening ofthe chain by 4 cm. Please see also the manualof the derailleur manufacturer on the choiceof the correct chain length.

See that the joining link is not bigger in sizethan the other chain links to avoid irregularchain sounds.We recommend the joining linksby SRAM (power links). Every time you changethe chain you also have to mount a new pow-er link.

Make sure that any chain links in the chain arenot stiff, as this can cause some annoying andnot obvious problems with the gear system.

Make sure that you have not wtisted the chainthrough 180 degrees before joining it back to-gether.

Caution! When you change the chain takecare that the new chain does not show anysharp edges or burrs.Very thin racing chainsare also not suitable since they wear thechain tubes and the chain roller much faster.

Caution! The chain has to be closed with aspecial joining link or a chain riveting toolthat expands the ends of the rivet while riv-eting (ROHLOFF revolver).A poorly joinedchain may break, you can come off the ped-als and fall. If you are in doubt please haveadjustments of the chain length or thechanging of the chain be done by your bicy-cle mechanic.

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Chain tubesThe chain protection tubes are made of a longlasting plastic that features very low friction,slow wear and good noise damping.The tubesprotect your clothes against the chain oil aswell as the chain against dirt from the road.

The upper tubes are fastened with inter-changeable retention springs, the lower tuberuns through an adjustable clip.

The tubes are worn by the chain and have tobe cut at the ends and expanded again (or ex-changed) after 3.000-5.000 km approximately,depending on how many kilometres have beenridden, on the chain type and the overall ridingcondition.You can extend this maintenance in-terval by turning the tubes by a quarter turnfrom time to time so that they do not keepwearing out in the same place.

The intensity of the wear depends mainly onthe chain type.

In order to perform any work at the chaintubes you'll have to open the chain and finallyclose it again. Please see the instructions on"Chain" on page 38.

The distance of the upper chain tube to thechainwheel can be adjusted by sliding the tubein the retention spring. It must be securedwith the rubber tube over the spring.

Expanding the tube endsThe ends of the tubes are expanded like atrumpet so that the chain can enter smoothlywithout friction and without making noises.

When the ends are worn out you can renewthem through expansion. Remove the chain byopening the power link or open it with a spe-cial chain riveting tool. Cut the worn part ofthe tube exactly perpendicular with a sharpknife.

Heat the last 5-10 mm at the end of the tubewith a gas burner or a candle and turn it per-manently until the colour of the utmost edgeturns from a dull black to a shiny black. Nowyou expand the end with a proper tool, e.g.the rounded grip of a screwdriver. Quench theexpanded end immediately with cold water.

Take care that the tubes don't catch fire.Atany rate, work in a place with sufficient ventila-tion.

Chain Tubes

Caution! The rear ends of the upper chaintube have to be secured against moving witha tight rubber tube over the retentionspring.Without the rubber tube the chaintube may be dragged forward into the turn-ing chain guide and thus be damaged by thechain.

Caution! Take care that the chain tubeskeep at least a 5 cm distance to the rear andfront derailleur when the chain is stretchedto the maximum, and that the tubes are wellfastened. If necessary you will have to short-en the tubes. If the end of a chain tube getsinto the rotating drive train it can beblocked and the chain tubes may be de-stroyed.

Caution! Check the chain tubes frequentlyif they are damaged or defective. Replace de-fective chain tubes immediately. If the chaintubes are worn in the aerea of the retentionspring or tube mounts, the chain will touchthe retention spring, leading to breakage ofthe spring and mounts.As a result, the chaintube can get into the drive train and blockit!

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If the tube is too short after you have cut it sothat there is not enough protection anymore ithas to be replaced.You can buy spare tubes ei-ther as uncut tubes or already cut into thecorrect length, complete with retention springfrom your specialist dealer.

Changing the tubesIn order to exchange single parts in the upperchain tubes cut the old tube at the retentionspring at the chain roller and pull the remain-ing part off the spring. Now move the smoothpart of the new tube through the spring andexpand the tube end as described above.

Changing the complete upper chain pro-tection or the retention springsDisassemble the chain roller. For this purposehold the nut on the left side of the frame witha ring spanner SW 13 and undo the screw inthe chain roller with an Allen key SW 8.

The screw also connects the rear suspensionelement with the main frame.

Remember the exact position of the spacers.Take the bolt off the frame together with thechain roller. Between frame and chain roller isa spacer that is encased in a transparent plas-tic tube.

Take the retention springs off this spacer andput on the new retention springs.Turn thesprings so that the retention springs run underthe spacer to the tubes and the wires lie be-tween frame and chain tube; that way the spi-rals look outward.

Lubricate the shaft of the retaining bolt. Pushthe bolt through the chain roller, the washer,the chain retention hook and the spacer withthe retention spring into the frame. Secure thethread with Loctite and tighten the nut with17–19 Nm.

Changing the lower chain tubeOpen the retention clips. On the bottom sideof the clip there is a lid that is put over ahook.You can lift up the lid with a screwdriverand expand the clip. Change the lower chaintube and close the clips by fastening the lidsover the hooks.

Danger! If the bicycle does not stand onthe ground while undoing the screws of thesuspension element the rear swing arm maycome down uncontrolled afterwards andhurt you seriously. In addition to this the ca-bles of the gear system and the brakes mayoverstretch and you would have to replacethem. Ensure that the rear swing arm comesdown in a controlled and gentle fashion byputting up a solid string or cable tie be-tween the main frame and the rear swingarm.When the bicycle is standing on theground the frame and the swing arm comeup against each other. Please make sure thatthis happens in a controlled and gentle fash-ion. Put a cloth between the contact points.Otherwise, if they come up against each oth-er uncontrolled your hands may get caughtbetween main frame, rear arm swing andsuspension element and your bicycle may bedamaged.

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Chain rollerThe chain roller guides the chain below theseat to the rear wheel and is an essential partof the HP VELOTECHNIK No Squat design. It en-sures that no pedaling influences get into thesuspension.

Compared to other models the chain rollerhas a big diameter and it has a higher sectionin the middle to make the chain move assmoothly as possible. Due to this higher sec-tion the chain does not lie on the roller withits sharp edged links but with the bushes inthe middle that function like small bushings. Inaddition to a very low rolling resistance it alsosupports a quiet chain movement.A chain re-tention hook between the frame and the chainroller locks the roller at the bottom and keepsthe chain on the roller when you pedal back-wards.

The chain roller wears slowly and graduallyshows a sprocket shape in the higher sectionin the middle.When this middle section isworn completely the links of the chain will runon the roller. In that case you will notice thatthe chain makes more noise while running andyou should change the roller. You can pur-chase the plastic part without the bearing orthe complete roller through your dealer.

The chain roller is not symetrically shaped; therecessed side of the chain roller has to face tothe frame, the flat side outwards.

The bearings must not be treated with a jet ofwater from a high-pressure cleaner or withsolvents since it destroys the seals and re-moves grease in the bearings. If the bearingsdon't move smoothly anymore you'll have toreplace them.

Dismounting the chain rollerSee the notes on changing the chain tubes,page 39.

The chain roller is mounted with a special highstrength screw of the German quality grade12.9 and it may only be exchanged with ascrew of the same type and strength.

Chain roller

Caution! If this chain retention hook ismissing the chain may fall down.When youstart pedaling then the chain roller, the seator the frame may be damaged through thechain. Please consult your local specialistdealer in case you have lost this hook.

Caution! The roller comes with two main-tenance free sealed bearings.The bearingsare exchangeable. Between the bearingsthere is a spacer that keeps the correct dis-tance. If you forget to put in the spacer afteryou have dismounted the bearings they willbe destroyed when you tighten the screwwhile remounting them.

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Suspension ForkSuspension forkClean and grease your suspension fork regu-larly.

Always use a high quality silicone or Teflon lu-bricant.You can purchase special lubricants forsuspension forks at your local specialist dealer.

Clean and lubricate the fork legs every fourweeks with a thin film of grease.

If your suspension fork has lubricating nipplesat the back you should insert a small amountof grease every four weeks.

After six months at the latest the fork has tobe lubricated again. For that purpose open thefork and dismount the parts as described inthe following paragraph. If you are in doubtplease have your bicycle mechanic do thework.

If your suspension fork comes with a dustboot please clean the lower and upper leg andthe seal under the dust boots every fourweeks. Otherwise, dirt and water can lead tocorrosion.

The following instructions refer to MEKS

Carbon suspension forks. For the SPINNER

Grind2 fork or other brands please see the in-struction manual that comes with the forks.

Always check the correct position of brakesand wheels after you have worked on the su-spension fork as described in the respectivechapters. Check that the quick releases aretightly closed.

The inner fork steerer tube is tightly fitted andglued in the fork crown, never try to tear thisconnection apart or to change the tube.

Never add threads to the steerer tube - dangerof breaking!

The hydraulic damping cartridge is pressurizedand must not be opened. In case of damage thewhole cartridge has to be replaced. Caution:After you have removed the adjustment screw(5) you'll see a small hex-headed screw in thepiston rod of the damper: never undo thisscrew. It is under pressure. If this screw is un-done too far it can damage the damper.

Before every ride check the suspension forkfor signs of damage, deformation or corrosion.If this is the case don't use your bicycle anymo-re.Ask your local dealer for service.

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Suspension ForkAssembly drawing MEKS suspension forksSuspension fork MEKS Carbon AC with hydraulic damper cartridge.The version MEKS Carbon Alldoes not have a hydraulic damper cartridge but springs on both sides.

No. Part1 Crown, Stanchion tube and

Steerer tube (fixed unitcan’t be disassembled)

2 One piece lower leg3 Oil damper cartridge4 Adjuster cap5 Damper Adjuster6 Screw M87 Washer8 Damper cap9 Preload adjuster10 MCU-Elastomer11 upper plastic bush12 Spring13 lower plastic bush14 aluminum push rod15 Negative spring16 Rebound-Elastomer PUB17 Dust seal18 Screw M619 Screw M6

Exchanging springsGently turn the adjustment knob for the pre-load on the adjustment unit (9) clockwise asfar as it will go.This causes the spring to relax.

Place a matching spanner or an adjustablewrench on the two parallel surfaces of thepre-load adjustment unit.Then remove the en-tire unit by turning it anti-clockwise.

Carefully remove the springs with one fingeror the head of a spoke from the fork.Alternately put your bicycle upside down andcatch the springs when they fall down.

Exchange the springs, lightly grease all partsand assemble the fork again in reverse order.

After having finished the assembly please checkif the fork works properly by compressing itseveral times manually.

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Lubricating the fork / DismountingIn order to lubricate the fork have your bicy-cle mechanic dismount it completely.

First remove the pre-load adjustment unit andsprings as described under "Exchangingsprings".

If your spring has an adjustable damping (MEKS

Carbon AC) turn the knob clockwise as far asit will go so that the fork does not decom-presses again.

Undo and remove the screw M6 on the lowerpart of the leg (18).To prevent the push rod(14) from turning too press the fork togetherentirely and hold the push-rod with a longAllen key SW5.

At the suspension fork MEKS Carbon All per-form the same work on the second springstrut. Now you can pull the upper part of thefork out of the lower part.

At the suspension fork MEKS Carbon AC re-move the screw on the lower part of the leg(19). Usually the damping cartridge (3) doesnot turn. However, when you have difficultiesin removing the screw you can fix the car-tridge in the upper leg with a screw driver andthus prevent it from turning too. For this pur-pose, undo the entire damper adjustment unitby placing a wrench on the cap (8). Caution:Never disassemble the adjustment unit (4, 5, 6,7, 8)!

Clean all parts with a cloth. Grease the bush-ings, legs, springs and threads thoroughly andassemble the fork again.

After you have relaxed the pre-load unit of the spring you canturn off the entire unit.

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Suspension ForkThe bushings, seals and gliding surfaces of thesuspension fork suffer from wear and tearthrough normal use. It depends on the use ofthe fork, the amount of dirt on it and themaintenance and lubrication how long it lasts.

If the bushings are worn the fork has toomuch play. Please have your specialist dealerreplace the bushings in that case.

Hydraulic dampers are effected by wear andtear through normal use. It depends on theusage of the bike, the amount of dirt on it andthe maintenance and lubrication how long itlasts.After 3000 km the damper must receivean inspection by a trained mechanic, worn outparts or the hydraulic cartridge can be repla-ced then. Due to wear of the seals oil can leakdrom the damper or the internal oil can beco-me foamy.This may lead to some noise whenthe damper is working.This noise does not ef-fect the function of the damper. Only if thereis no obvious damping after the first 5 mm oftravel, the damper should be replaced.

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Rear suspension elementRear suspension element

Changing the steel spring /DV-22)You can buy the spring for the rear suspensionelement in different spring stiffnesses fromyour dealer.

We recommend the following spring stiffnes,depending on the overall weight:

up to 80 kg (183 lbs): 450 lbs./inchup to 100 kg (230 lbs): 650 lbs./inchup to 130 kg (286 lbs): 850 lbs./inch

In addition to this, your dealer can also usesprings with other spring stiffness or speciallightweight springs made of titanium.

In most cases the stiffness is printed onto thespring.Take care to read the imprint carefully,since the term "B650" that sometimes occursdoes not mean 650 lbs./inch!

Spring length:DV22: 83 mm (70-90 mm)

In order to change the spring you will have toremove the rear screw and swing away the re-ar frame.

Hold the main frame of your bicycle in a workstand.

If there is a safety ring at the thread of the su-spension element push it to the front so thatyou can undo the adjustment ring completelyand then turn it to the utmost position at thefront. Remove the slotted spring retention discat the rear end.

Undo the screws of the rear suspension ele-ment with two Allen keys and push the screwout of the suspension element eye.

Move the rear swing arm down carefully. Indoing this, take care that you don't bend orstretch any cables.

Remove the spring from the suspension ele-ment and put in the exchange spring. Make su-re that the new spring has the same diameterand length as the old spring and that it lies sa-fely on the adjustment ring.

Put back the slotted rear spring retention discon the piston rod. If necessary, compress thespring a little bit with a screw driver.Thespring retention disc has to match its seatingat the rear end of the suspension element.

Danger! If the bicycle does not stand onthe ground while undoing the screws of thesuspension element the rear swing arm maycome down uncontrolled afterwards andhurt you seriously. In addition to this the ca-bles of the gear system and the brakes mayoverstretch and you would have to replacethem. Ensure that the rear swing arm comesdown in a controlled and gentle fashion byputting up a solid string or cable tie bet-ween the main frame and the rear swingarm.

Danger! When the bicycle is standing onthe ground the frame and the swing arm co-me up against each other. Please make surethat this happens in a controlled and gentlefashion. Put a cloth between the contact po-ints. Otherwise, if they come up against eachother uncontrolled your hands may getcaught between main frame, rear arm swingand suspension element and your bicyclemay be damaged.

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Rear Suspension ElementSecure the spring by tightening the adjustmentring until the spring doesn't have any play any-more. If there is a safety ring, push it back intothe slot on the thread.

Move the rear swing arm back up and connectthe rear end of the suspension element withthe rear swing arm with the bolt. Lubricate thebolt thoroughly.

Secure the screws of the suspension elementwith LOCTITE and tighten the screw with 6-8Nm.

After having exchanged the spring you have toreadjust the spring pre-load as described inthe chapter on "Adjusting your new bicycle"on page 18.

Cleaning and lubricatingDo clean the suspension element, especiallythe polished piston rod, if it is dirty. Remainingdirt and sand can damage the seals of the hy-draulic system and so shorten its life consider-ably.When you often use dirty roads you canprotect the suspension element from dirt withan elastic cover that you can buy at your localdealer.

From time to time grease the thread for thespring pre-load with a drop of acid-free oil.Thus, you can always turn the adjustment ringeasily by hand. Once a year you have to greasethe pivots of the suspension element. For thatpurpose dismount the suspension element asdescribed under "Changing the Spring" on page47.

Remove the plastic spacers and pull the metaltube out off the bushing. Lubricate the bushingand the tubes with grease. Finally remount thesuspension element.

Hydraulic dampers are effected by wear andtear through normal use. It depends on theusage of the bike, the amount of dirt on it andthe maintenance and lubrication how long itlasts.After 3000 km the damper must receivean inspection by a trained mechanic, worn outparts or the hydraulic cartridge can be repla-ced then. Due to wear of the seals oil can leakdrom the damper or the internal oil can beco-me foamy.This may lead to some noise whenthe damper is working.This noise does not ef-fect the function of the damper. Only if thereis no obvious damping after the first 5 mm oftravel, the damper should be replaced.

Please also note the maintenance instructionsof the damper manufacturer provided withyour bike.

The bushings of the rear spring element need to be lubricatedonce a year.

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The bushings are exchangeable. For that pur-pose you will have to dismount the rear swingarm and send it together with the axle viayour specialist dealer to HP VELOTECHNIK.Afterhaving been mounted the bushings are ma-chined to adjust them.

Undoing the axle screwsIn order to mount the rear rack or thelowrider the axle screws have to be undone.We recommend you to leave one screw inplace to prevent the axle from turning.

In case the rear swing arm is to be dismount-ed completely you can prevent the axle fromturning by inserting a thin metal rod in thehole of the axle through the drilling of therear swing arm under the axle.

Swing arm pivotSwing arm pivotThe rear swing arm pivot comes with mainte-nance free bushings.They have a self lubricatingsystem with Teflon particles.The bushings sus-tain a very high load and they show almost nowear.

In case you notice play or a creaking noise atthe rear swing arm please check the twoscrews that keep the axle in the frame.Theyhave to be secured with LOCTITE.

Tightening torque: 17-19 Nm

Danger! If the screws at the axle are nottight enough this leads to play and noiseswhen the spring compresses. In extremecases the swing arm may come loose whichleads to a serious fall. If the screws are tootight the thread of the axle may tear out orthe screw may be damaged.

Caution! There has to be a big washer be-tween the main frame and the end of thebushing else the bushing is not able to func-tion without play and the frame will be dam-aged.

You can prevent the axle from turning by inserting a thin metalrod in the hole of the axle.

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Head setAdjusting the head set playThe head set bearing supports the front forkin the frame. It has to be adjusted so that thefork with the front wheel turns easily withoutshowing play.

To check the bearing play pull the front brakeand grab with your other hand the upperbearing cup. Now move your bicycle back andforth. If the steering head bearing has play theupper cup moves noticeably in contrast to thefixed part. In that case undo the clampingscrew(s) and tighten the screw in the cap a bitmore.

To check whether the front wheel turnssmoothly lift your bicycle at the frame so thatthe front wheel moves freely above theground. Lean your bike to the side. Now thehandlebars should move smoothly immediately.When you hold the frame straight and pushthe handlebars slightly they should movesmoothly from their middle position. If thebearing is too tight undo the clamping screwsat the side and loosen the hex-headed screwin the cap a little bit by turning it counterclockwise. Now move slightly move the stemupwards by swinging it a little bit.

Above seat steering: After you have adjustedthe bearing play check if the stem is adjustedin a parallel position to the front wheel andtighten the two clamping screws alternatelywith 8–10 Nm. Check the clamping by tryingto turn the stem against the front wheel.

Under seat steering: Tighten the clampingscrew M5 SW4 of the headset clamp with 4–6Nm.

Check whether the handlebars move freelywithout unnormally touching the frame or theseat.

Danger! The hex-headed screw in the capadjusts the play of the steering head bearing.This screw does not help to clamp the stemtightly to the steerer tube. It does not se-cure it against turning.Take care that bothclamping screws on the side are tightened asprescribed after you have finished yourworks at the stem. Otherwise the stem mayturn while riding and cause an accident.

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Seat cushion (BodyLink seat)The standard seat cushion consists of a 1,4 cmthick layer of flexible EVA foam.This is a blackmaterial with closed cells that is also used inthe production of high quality camping mats. Itfeels very comfortable without appearing toosoft or spongy. It is waterproof so that you candry your seat with a sweep of your hand incase your bicycle has become wet.

For better ventilation, an airflow cushion isavailable as accessory.This cushion consists ofseveral layers:A rigid mesh and a soft mesh,which provides for an approximately 1 cmthick air cushion with excellent circulation.These two layers are wrapped up in a coverthat consists of fine mesh like it is known fromhigh quality Rucksacks.

You can wash the material at 30° centigradeand it dries very quickly.

The seat cushion suffers from wear throughconstant use.At the parts that are under punc-tual strain the mesh can be pressed togetherpermanently. In order to provide a good ridingcomfort in that situation the airflow cushionhas additional rigid mesh padding.

Seat Cushion

Caution! The seat cushion is fastened withVelcro and you can take it off. For this pur-pose it is important not to simply grab thefoam and take it off since the Velcro couldcome off. In order to take off the seat cush-ion lift up the upper part a little bit from theseat.Then you grab the cushion on bothsides together with the end of the Velcrothat sticks out slightly and remove the cush-ion slowly. In case the Velcro comes off fas-ten it again with a good glue.

Caution! Never expose the seat cushion toextreme heat or focused sunlight.The mate-rial warms up considerably.The heat maymelt the glue of the Velcro.The seat cushioncan be damaged when the rays of the sunare bundled through a lens.Take care to nev-er leave any bubble wrap on the seat in thesun.The air bubbles in the film act like aburning glass and shrink the seat cushion.

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Water bottle cageYou can mount a water bottle cage with a spe-cial bracket behind the seat.The derailleurtube at the front of the frame comes withthreading inserts M5 for an additional waterbottle cage as well.

If your bike is equipped with ErgoMesh seat,your can mount watter bottle cages on theseat frame.You will find threaded inserts onthe the side of the seat frame, covered by theseat net.To access these threads, locate thethreads and pierce thorugh the seat net with ahot soldering iron to melt the fabric. Beforeyou do this, make sure the tension of the seatnet straps is as desired as no further adjust-ment will be possible once the water bottlecages are installed.

Another useful alternative to water bottles aresystems with a "water bag" and a drinkinghose, e.g. from SOURCE or CAMELBAG.You cansimply strap them behind the seat, onto therear rack or into the Speedbag.

MudguardsAt bicycles with suspension mudguards are ex-posed to very strong vibrations through whichthey may break. Please check the stays of themudguard regularly for their position andcheck the mudguards for cracks or deforma-tions. Immediately replace damaged mud-guards.

In order to prevent falls you have to fasten thestays of the front mudguard with a securityclip that opens under pressure.When the cliphas opened once please replace it with a newone.

Alternatively you can mount the stays at thetwo outer screws of the U-brace or fasten itwith a clip in the middle of the lower leg ofthe suspension fork.

After you have performed service work or re-placed mudguards check if the wheels turnfreely. Between mudguard and wheel has to bea distance of at least 7 mm.

Water bottle Cage, Mudguards

Caution! You must not mount additionalparts like rear lights or reflectors to themudguards since those may break then.

Danger! If branches or other obstacles getcaught in the wheels while riding and aremoved around they may drag the mudguardsalong.The mudguard can possibly fold up be-tween frame and tire and hence block thewheel, which may lead to a serious fall. If youhear any unknown noises while riding stopimmediately and remove anything that mightcling to the mudguards or the wheels.

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Small riders that moved the front boom far in-side the main frame will have the bottombracket positioned closely to the front wheel.These riders can shorten the front mudguardto avoid extensive contact with their feetwhen taking sharp turns. Please see the noteson safe cornering on page 24.

Check whether the suspension can still fullycompress with the mounted mudguards.Themudguards, stays and screws (especially at theU-brace of the suspension fork) must nottouch other parts under maximum compres-sion.

WheelsThe correct air pressure is decisive forsmooth running and a good protection againstpunctures.The maximum pressure is printedon the side of your tire. Since yourGrassHopper is fully suspended you can alwaysgo for the maximum pressure.You might findan indication of the minimum required pres-sure on the side of the tire as well.

Since the tubes in the tires gradually loose airyou should check the air pressure beforeevery ride.

The tubes come with Presta valves (also calledfrench valves).They are very airtight and easyto pump up. For that purpose first undo thevalve cap.

Now you see a small threaded rod with aknurled nut that comes out of the valve. Undothe knurled nut by loosening it as far as itgoes.

To pump up the tire and check the pressureyou need a pump with a gauge, preferably asolid standing air pump. Put the knob of thepump on the valve, push it completely on thevalve and then retract it a little bit. Now youcan pump up your tire easily.

After you have pumped up the tire to themaximum pressure pull off the pump knob.Secure the valve through turning the knurlednut on the threaded rod as far as it will go to-wards the valve. Finally put on the valve capagain.

Mudguards,Wheels

Before pumping up the tire, you have to undo the little knurlednut on the valve.

Danger! Never pump up your tires beyondthe maximum pressure.The tire may burstwhile riding or come off the rim, which mayresult in a serious fall.

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When you exchange tires please note themaximum width limit of 50 mm(approxImately. 2 ").We recommend tires thatare 32-40 mm wide.At both wheels you haveto use tires of ISO size 406 (20").The tirewidth possible at your bicycle depends on thesize of your rims. Please ask your local dealer.

After you have exchanged the tires pleasecheck if the wheels turn freely and check theminimum distance between mudguards andframe.

The spokes of the wheels connect the rimwith the hub.They transmit the braking powerof the disc brakes, and in addition they trans-mit the pedal forces at the rear wheel.

The wheels are fastened with a quick releaselever and therefore they are susceptible totheft. For this reason always lock the wheelsalong with the frame to a solid object whenyou park your bicycle somewhere. It is alsopossible to exchange the quick release axleswith axles that have special security locks (e.g.PITLOCK or KRYPTONITE) that can only beopened with a special tool.

Cleaning and conservationThe frame of the GrassHopper has a highquality and environmentally friendly powdercoating.The surfaces of the aluminum parts areeither polished or anodised.Threads and tech-nical contact areas can be unfinished and mustbe protected with wax.

To keep the surfaces brilliant over many yearsand to protect them effectively against corro-sion the bicycle has to be cleaned from dirtand then conserved.

Dried sweat but also environmental influencessuch as air pollution, dirt on the roads and es-pecially grit affect the parts, and not only maythis cause flaws but also serious structuraldamage of the parts through corrosion.

In contrast to a widespread belief particularlythe "non-rusting" aluminum is dramatically af-fected by grit! This kind of damage may not bevisible in the beginning but it leads to a seriousdanger when the part breaks.

Wheels, Cleaning and conservation

Danger! Check your tires for damage on aregular basis.You should exchange tires withworn threads or damaged sidewalls.Damaged rim tapes have to be exchangedimmediately. Damages at the tires may leadto a sudden burst of the tire and thus resultin a serious fall.

Danger! Take care that your spokes are al-ways in perfect condition and the spoke ten-sion is balanced. Do not ride with wheelsthat run untrue or wheels with loose ormissing spokes.These faults may lead to atotal failure of the wheel while braking andresult in a serious fall!

Caution! To true up the wheels you needspecial skills, please have this work done byan experienced bicycle mechanic.

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Do clean and conserve your bicycle diligently!

The best things to clean your bicycle with arewarm water and a soft cloth. If your bicycle isvery dirty first take a wet sponge to soften thedirt and then remove it. In case of bad greaseor oil stains you should use a special cleansingagent for bicycles in addition.

While cleaning your bicycle check it for anycracks, scratches, deformations, damaged parts,loose spokes etc. If you are in doubt pleaseconsult your local bike shop.

In case of small scratches at the surface of thepowder coating of the frame or the surface ofthe seat you can simply polish them away.Youcan buy a special polishing agent for epoxyresins at a specialist dealer for boat building.Do not use a polish for metal!

After you have cleaned the bicycle, dry it andtreat the paintwork and the metal surfaceswith wax.You can purchase this wax from yourlocal bike dealer as a convenient spray.

The wax passes moisture and flows into tinygaps and pores.After some minutes the sol-vent evaporates and leaves a dull and glutinousfilm. Now polish the waxed parts of your bicy-cle with a soft cloth to make it real shiny.

Do not only wax the frame but also thespokes, hubs, screws and nuts etc.You can alsoconserve the chain with wax spray after lubri-cating it, see also the chapter on "Chain", page38.

The frame has small holes for ventilation thatprevent condensation in the frame.Thesedrilling holes must not be sealed. However,moisture may enter the frame through thedrilling holes.Therefore protect the inside ofyour frame by applying wax spray through theholes.

Protect the parts where cables or chain tubesmay scratch the frame with a layer of tape.Youcan buy extra strong transparent tape at yourdo-it-yourself-store.That way you avoidscratches in the powder coating and coatingcoming off.

Caution! Do not use any cleansing agentsthat scrub or are chemically aggressive sincethey affect the paintwork. Before using anycleansing agent please test it at a part ofyour bicycle that is not immediately visible.

Caution! Do not use any high-pressurecleaner.The strong jet of water goes throughthe seals of the bearings, blows away thelube and causes corrosion of the bearingparts and the chain. In addition to this it maydamage stickers.

Caution! Any damage of the paintwork hasto be cleaned from rust and repaired imme-diately, else the damaged part in the framegives way to corrosion that nests in the sur-rounding paintwork.This can result in dam-age of the frame.

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Storing the bicycleBefore storing your bicycle over a longer peri-od of time, e.g. over winter, please take care ofthe following steps:

● Clean your bicycle and protect it fromcorrosion as described in the chapter on "Cleaning".

● Store your bicycle in a dry and warm place.● Avoid direct sun and storage close to the

heating since it affects the rubber of your tires.

● Choose the smallest sprocket and the smallest chain ring.That way the cables arein the most relaxed position.

● The tubes of your tires loose air when standing over a longer period of time. If the bicycle then rests on flat tires the tires may be damaged.Therefore hang up your bicycle or check the air pressure regularly.

The winter months are a convenient period oftime for the annual service since then youwon't have to wait long for an appointment.Many dealers offer special prices for the win-ter check.

.

Screws and BoltsScrews gradually settle in and through thisthey can come loose.Therefore check thescrews and bolts regularly if they are tightenedappropriately with a torque wrench.

In the following table you will find the pre-scribed tightening torques, they refer togreased screws!

The grease also prevents your screws fromseizing in their threads so that they won't un-screw anymore. In particular, screws made ofstainless steel are susceptible to this andtherefore have always to be put in with grease.

Do use high quality acid free grease, if possiblea lubricant with added solid particles likeTeflon or MoS2.Their ingredients still workproperly after the thinner grease has been re-moved from the contact points.

Alternatively you can use LOCTITE screw secur-ing fluid that you apply to the screw beforeyou put it into the thread.

Always check the screws very diligently forsigns of corrosion. Rust at the screw headsmay also lead to the screw seizing in thethread.When the metallic and shiny coating ofgalvanised screws comes off and discloses dull,gray-brown steel you have to exchange thescrew.

When you exchange screws please do onlyuse screws of the same type. Screws come indifferent strength classes. Please do only usegalvanised screws of the same type andstrength, corresponding to the Germanstrength classes 8.8 or stainless steel screwsgrade A2-70, when not given any other recom-mendation. If you are in doubt please ask yourspecialist dealer.

Storing the bicycle, Screws and bolts

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Tightening torques for screwsThe values indicated are meant for a friction value µ=0,125 (greased threads and screw heads).They only refer to the in-dicated parts. Please do always follow the values given in the manuals of the parts manufacturers since the following val-ues may not be up to date due to changes in the product line!

part connection screw tightening torque

V-brake:-brake lever handlebar/grip M6 SW5 4 Nm-brake calliper calliper/frame M6 8–10 Nm

cable clamping 7–9 Nmdisc brake:-brake lever handlebar/grip clamping M6 SW5 4 Nm-brake lever compensation tank Torx T7 0,6 Nm-brake calliper calliper/frame M6 SW5 6 Nm-brake disc disk/hub M4 Torx T25 4 Nm -brake housing brake lever SW8 4 Nmdynamo dynamo/adaptor M6 SW5 6–8 Nm

adaptor/frame M5 SW4 4–6 Nmsuspension element element/frame M6 6–8 Nmrear rack at the seat tube M6 SW5 8–10 Nmrear swing arm axle/frame M8 17–19 Nmb.b. set cartridge/frame 50–60 Nmchain roller roller/frame M8 SW 6 17–19 Nmcrank crank/axle 35 Nm

chain ring screws 8–11 Nmhub cassette ring 38–42 Nmquick release wheel/frame 9–12 Nmpedal pedal/crank SW15 35–40 Nmshifter lever lever/adaptor 2,5–3 Nm

adaptor/handlebar SW6 5–6 Nmderailleur derailleur/frame SW6 8–10 Nm

cable clamping 4–6 Nmmudguard stay/frame M5 SW4 4–6 Nmseat upper seat part / seat mt M6 SW4 5–6 Nm

lower seat part / frame M6 SW4 3–4 Nmframe front boom clamping M8 SW6 14–16 Nmfront derailleur front derailleur/frame M5 SW5 5–6 Nm

cable clamping M5 SW5 4–6 NmUSS stem length adjustment M6 SW5 8–10 Nm

main Axle / bearings 17–19 Nmadaptor / steerer tube M8 SW6 30–32 Nmheadset clamp M5 SW4 4–6 Nmsteering rod / mounts M6 8–10 Nm

ASS stem stem / fork steerer tube M6 SW5 8–10 Nmheight adjustment M5 SW4 4–6 Nm

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WarrantyYour authorised dealer has to fully set up andadjust your bicycle, so that safe function isguaranteed.The dealer has to make a final safe-ty check and carry out a test ride.

Your cycle dealer is obliged by law to ensure,among other things, that your bicycle is not af-fected by defects which materially diminish itsvalue of suitability for the described purpose.The exact details will vary according to thecountry. In Germany, this liability ends twoyears after purchase.

In addition to this HP VELOTECHNIK offers a 10year warranty (max. 30 000 km) on the frameof the GrassHopper against damage throughmaterial or manufacturing defects.This warran-ty applies only to the original purchaser.

Damage trough wear and tear, corrosion ordamage at the surface coating is excluded.

Damage through inappropriate use, inadequatecare and maintenance, falls, crashes, overload-ing through excess weight, incorrect assemblyor modifications to the bike is also not cov-ered.The onus rests with the purchaser.Thewarranty is void if any of the instructions inthis manual are neglected.

The warranty starts with the date of purchase(receipt of the bike dealer) of a new bicycle.The warranty is processed via the bike dealerwho ordered the bicycle from us.

In case of damage the dealer has to send thedamaged frame to us so that we can check it,if asked to do so by us.

In case of warranty we will replace or repairthe damaged part with a part of our choice ora 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 falls under war-ranty the original warranty period will not beprolonged and no new warranty will be given.If HP VELOTECHNIK refuses to count a repair aswarranty case we will only carry out a repairwith costs after having talked to the customeror his representative, the respective dealer.

It is necessary for the purchaser to fill in theenclosed warranty registration form to benefitfrom the extended warranty.This filled in formhas to be sent to HP VELOTECHNIK within 4weeks after the purchase.

The warranty is only valid when the warrantypass at the end of this manual has been filledin when you received your bike and whenevery inspection listed has been done andrecorded by your bicycle mechanic within thedescribed time schedule.

In the event of any warranty the warranty passtogether with a copy of the proof of purchasehas to be sent to HP VELOTECHNIK throughyour dealer.

This warranty does not have any influence onthe rights of the purchaser according to hisstatutory rights.

Warranty

War

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y Pa

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Warranty PassWith the HP VELOTECHNIK Warranty Pass youcan assure the safety and proper function ofyour bicycle for many years.

Like any other vehicle your bicycle has to bechecked for safe operation before riding.Yourbicycle has to be maintained at regular inter-vals, at least once a year you will have to takeyour bicycle to a qualified bicycle mechanic fora thorough check.

The service plan on the next page shows youour mandatory maintenance and serviceworks.

If you wish you can set an upper price limit forthe service with your bicycle mechanic. If thenecessary works exceed this limit you will beinformed in advance.

You can avoid seasonal waiting periods inspring and summer when you have your annualinspection done in the quiet months fromOctober to January. Many bike shops thenhave special winter check offers.At any ratedo make an appointment. Clean your bicycleprior to the inspection since then many of thechecks by sight can be done quickly and at lowcost.

Please have your specialist dealer record everyinspection and service work in the WarrantyPass.This is a requirement for the validity ofour extended warranty that exceeds the legalwarranty.

Warranty Pass

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Warranty Pass

Service Plan

part work

light system check function

adjust headlamp and rear light, check cable contacts

clean reflectors, replace missing reflectors

tires check air pressure

check tread and sidewalls

brakes check for damages

check for leaking oil

check rigid feel brake lever blades when pads reach rotor

check brake pads for wear

suspension element clean and oil thread, push rod, air chamber

lubricate bushes

replace worn out parts / hydraulic cartridge

suspension fork check dust boot and correct position

lubricate

check fork play, adjust if necessary

replace worn out parts / hydraulic cartridge

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 exchange tubes

chain roller check for wear, check bearing

crank check, tighten

paintwork conserve and repair

wheels check alignement and spoke tension

handlebar check for damage / bends

check adaptor and linkage rod for proper mount

headset check bearings, grease

War

rant

y Pa

ss

61HPVelotechnik

see page before every ride monthly annually note

31 ●

●

●

53 ●

●

29 / 35 ●

●

●

●

47 ●

●

▲

43 ●

▲ every 6 months

●

▲

49 ▲

▲

53 ▲

38 ●

40 ●

▲

42 ●

▲

54 ●

53 ●

13 ▲ replace aluminium

13 ● bars every 2 years

14 ▲

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Warranty Pass

Service plan (continued)

parts work

hubs check bearing play and brake discs mount

pedal check bearing play, check binding mechanism

frame check clamping of the front boom

clean and conserve

check for damage, damage to paintwork

quick release check correct closing

derailleur check for movement and function

clean and lubricate

screws and nuts check and tighten

mudguards check for damage and correct position

valves check for correct position and air tightness

stem check clamping

check clamping screws

cables dismount, lubricate, replace if necessary

This service plan is intended to give you arough 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 asfor example a torque wrench.

If you discover any defects while checking yourbicycle they have to be repaired immediately. Ifyou are in doubt please consult your local bikeshop.

Works marked with a "▲" should only be car-ried out by a trained bicycle mechanic.

At the annual service the bicycle mechanic hasto carry out all works listed as well as all serv-ices and maintenance works necessary accord-ing to the momentary technical standard andprofessional knowledge.

Please follow at any rate the manuals of theparts manufacturers.

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rant

y Pa

ss

63HPVelotechnik

see page before every ride monthly annually note

▲

▲

7 ●

54 ●

●

27 ●

37 ●

●

56 ●

53 ●

53 ●

13 ●

▲

37 ▲

The service intervals given in this WarrantyPass refer to an average use and a riding per-formance of 3.000 km per year.

When you ride more kilometres per year oroften ride under bad conditions like rain, gritor other dirty factors it is necessary to haveshorter maintenance intervals.

In order to measure your riding performancewe recommend you to use a bicycle computer.

The regular service maintains the safe opera-tion and the value of your bicycle. Not onlydoes the completed Warranty Pass record themaintenance works for the validation of yourwarranty but also does it prove the care andthe value of your bicycle - a good thing tohave when you are going to sell yourGrassHopper one day.

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service at delivery

At the delivery of a new GrassHopper

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

(When you assemble a frame kit please listthe components on an extra sheet and at-tach it to this Warranty Pass.)

Warranty Pass

Your personal Warranty Pass

name:

adress:

telephone:

frame no:(stamped into gusset of the 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 ofthe recumbent, the components like derailleurand especially steering and brakes as well as thenecessity of regular service and maintenance. Iwill read the manuals prior to the first ride andhave all future users read them too. I am awarethat I need to send the warranty registration formto HP Velotechnik within four weeks of the pur-chase to qualify for the extended warranty.

Date:

Customer’s Signature:

Dealer’s Signature an Stamp::

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rant

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65HPVelotechnik

2nd service

No later than 3000 kilometers or one year af-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 afterthe purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

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Warranty Pass

4th service

No later than 9000 kilometers or three yearsafter 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:

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6th service

No later than 15000 kilometers or five yearsafter 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 yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

Warranty Pass

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11th service

No later than 30000 kilometers or ten yearsafter 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 yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

69HPVelotechnik

War

rant

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13th service

No later than 36000 kilometers or twelve yearsafter 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 thirteenyears after the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

HP Velotechnik ● Paul J. W. Hollants und Dipl.-Ing. Daniel Pulvermüller GbRElisabethenstr. 1 ● D-65830 Kriftel ● Tel. +49 - 61 92 - 97 99 20 ● Fax 91 02 18 ● www.hpvelotechnik.com

NEWrecumbent-technology

2008HPVelotechnik