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- The Bicycle Man

1. Before pumping up the tire you have to undo the little knurled nut on the valve Now you see a small threaded rod with a knurled nut that comes out of the valve Undo the knurled nut by loosening it as far as it goes To pump up the tire and check the pressure you need a pump with a gauge preferably a solid standing air pump Put the knob of the pump on the valve push it completely on the valve and then retract it a little bit Now you can pump up your tire easily After you have pumped up the tire to the maximum pressure pull off the pump knob Secure the valve through turning the knurled nut on the threaded rod as far as it will go to wards the valve Finally put on the valve cap again Danger Never pump up your tires beyond the maximum pressure tire may burst while riding or come off the rim which may result in a serious fall HI Velotechnik Maintenance and care Wheels Cleaning and conservation Danger Check your tires for damage on a regular basis You should exchange tires with worn threads or damaged sidewalls Damaged rim tapes have to be exchanged immediately Damages at the tires may lead to a sudden burst of the tire and thus result in a serious fall When you exchange tires please note the maximum width limit of 50 mm approxlmately 2 We recommend tires that 32 40 mm wide both wheels you have to use tires of ISO size 406 20 The tire width possible at your
2. Ex eb fi B LIO Operating Manual and Service Instructions February 2008 Table of Contents General safety instructions Intended use 3 The first miles 3 Legal requirements 3 Load capacity 4 Carrying luggage 4 Transport in the car 5 Do not take kids with you 5 Trailers 5 Added parts and accessories 5 Fairings 5 Replacement of parts 6 No alteration of parts 6 Final assembly 6 Screws and bolts 6 Adjusting your new bike Adjusting the leg length 7 Adjusting the seat position Adjusting the handlebars Adjusting the suspension 16 Handling instructions Learning the new riding technique 24 Wear protective clothing 25 Use clipless pedals Seat 25 Slowly increase the strain 26 Do not ride freehand 26 How to ride correctly and safely 26 Quick release levers 27 Brakes 28 Gear system 30 Light system 31 Prop stand 32 Folding GrassHopper fx 33 Velotechnik Maintenance and care Wear and Tear 35 Brakes 35 Gear system 37 Chain 38 Chain tubes 40 Chain roller 42 Suspension fork 43 Rear suspension element 47 Swing arm pivot 49 Headset 50 Seat cushion 51 Water bottle cage 52 Mudguards 52 Wheels 53 Cleaning and conservation 54 Storing the bicycle 56 Screws and bolts 56
3. Check the chain regularly for lengthening For this purpose try to remove the chain from the chain ring The chain may come off to a maxi mum of 5 mm For a more precise reading you can buy a chain measurement gauge in your bike shop that you simply put into the chain Only use chains that are suitable for the gear system of your bike Otherwise a precise gear shifting is not guaranteed any more Please consult your dealer on this topic He will also assist you in checking your sprockets and chain rings A new chain does not fit a worn sprock et or chain ring We recommend chains from SRAM with smoothly rounded edges They also shift gears very well Caution When you change the chain take care that the new chain does not show any sharp edges or thin racing chains are also not suitable since they wear the chain tubes and the chain roller much faster HP VELOTECHNIK delivers spare chains by the meter via your dealer For this purpose please indicate the exact length of your chain or or der it a little bit longer if you want to be sure it fits You will need approxlmately 3 8 m of chain The chain length has to be fitted so that the arm of the derailleur is not fully stretched when you shift onto the big chain ring in the front and the big rear sprocket The derailleur must be able to compensate a tightening of the chain by 4 cm Please see also the manual of the derailleur manufacturer on the choice of the c
4. 22 IB e Recommended pressure settings load pressure 80 kg 183 Ibs 9 bar 00 kg 230 Ibs 10 5 bar 30 kg 286 Ibs bar Maximum allowed pressure is 18 bar Danger Take care that the rear wheel or mudguard or suspension element never hit the frame seat or rear rack box while the suspension is fully compressed Therefore fully deflate the air shock Have a second person mount the bicycle and make the suspension bottom out by pushing on the seat or the rear rack If the distance between the wheel or mud guard and the frame seat or rear rack is smaller than cm you will have to have your bike dealer mount an additional spacer in side the air shock In case you don t the mudguard may break suddenly or the rear wheel might be blocked which can lead to serious crashes Adjusting the damping By adjusting the damping you can adjust the performance of the suspension precisely to your individual riding situation A rough street with many harsh bumps that occur in a row or even cobblestones needs a low damping rate while a road with long stretched bumps that occur more regularly needs a stronger damp ing to achieve a smooth road holding When you add a lot of luggage you will need to adjust the spring stiffness in that case an adjustment of the damping may even give you more riding comfort Finally the oil used in the damper becomes thicker and more viscous at lower tempera tures which can be
5. Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts Velotechnik 67 Warranty Pass Warranty Pass Ith service No later than 30000 kilometers or ten years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 12th service No later than 33000 kilometers or eleven years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 2 Velotechnik 13th service No later than 36000 kilometers or twelve years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 14th service No later than 39000 kilometers or thirteen years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts HP 9 Velotechnik Warranty Pass WE Huru T8111 HP Velotechnik e Paul J W Hollants und Dipl Ing Daniel Pulverm ller GbR Elisabethenstr e D 65830 Kriftel e Tel 49 61 92 97 99 20 e Fax 91 02 18 www hpvelotechnik com
6. In the following table you will find the pre scribed tightening torques they refer to greased screws The grease also prevents your screws from seizing in their threads so that they won t un screw anymore particular screws made of stainless steel are susceptible to this and therefore have always to be put in with grease Do use high quality acid free grease if possible a lubricant with added solid particles like Teflon or MoS2 Their ingredients still work properly 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 before you put it into the thread Always check the screws very diligently for signs of corrosion Rust at the screw heads may also lead to the screw seizing in the thread When the metallic and shiny coating of galvanised screws comes off and discloses dull gray brown steel you have to exchange the screw When you exchange screws please do only use screws of the same type Screws come in different strength classes Please do only use galvanised screws of the same type and strength corresponding to the German strength classes 8 8 or stainless steel screws grade A2 70 when not given any other recom mendation If you are in doubt please ask your specialist dealer Tightening torques for screws The values indicated are meant for a friction value p 0 125 greased threads and screw heads The
7. 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 This service plan is intended to give you a rough overview over the required mainte nance and service works In no case it can re place the detailed instructions in this manual You can perform service works marked with a e if you have the required skills and tools as for example a torque wrench If you discover any defects while checking your bicycle they have to be repaired immediately If you are in doubt please consult your local bike shop dismount lubricate replace if necessary Works marked with a A should only be car ried out by a trained bicycle mechanic At the annual service the bicycle mechanic has to carry out all works listed as well as all serv ices and maintenance works necessary accord ing to the momentary technical standard and professional knowledge Please follow at any rate the manuals of the parts manufacturers annually note see page before every ride monthly The service intervals given in this Warranty Pass refer to an average use and a riding per formance of 3 000 km per
8. Tightening torques for screws 57 Warranty Pass Warranty 58 Warranty Pass 59 Service Plan 61 Proofs of service 63 Revision February 2008 For latest product in formation please check out our website at www hpvelotechnik com All trademarks be long to their respective owners HP VELOTECHNIK Elisabethenstrasse 65830 Kriftel Germany Tel 49 0 61 92 97 99 2 0 Fax 49 0 61 92 91 02 18 Introduction Dear customer thank you for buying a recumbent bike designed by HP VELO TECHNIK and congratulations on the purchase of your new GrassHopper or foldable GrassHopper fx With the GrassHopper a high quality touring bike you will enjoy many years of exhilarating riding pleasure Your safety and your satisfaction are our main concern On the following pages this manual will inform you about important safety issues as well as maintenance and care instructions Even if you have many years of experience with bicycles please do take your time to read this manual carefully before the first ride Your recumbent bike is designed with the latest bicycle technology 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 riding style as well as your size and weight In addition to this we have put together a collection of information on care and mainte nance as well as special techn
9. damaged Take the retention springs off this spacer and put on the new retention springs Turn the springs so that the retention springs run under the 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 Push the bolt through the chain roller the washer the chain retention hook and the spacer with the retention spring into the frame Secure the thread with Loctite and tighten the nut with 17 19 Nm Changing the lower chain tube Open the retention clips On the bottom side of the clip there is a lid that is put over a hook You can lift up the lid with a screwdriver and expand the clip Change the lower chain tube and close the clips by fastening the lids over the hooks Hi Velotechnik E T Maintenance and care Chain roller Chain roller The chain roller guides the chain below the seat to the rear wheel and is an essential part of the HP VELOTECHNIK No Squat design It en sures that no pedaling influences get into the suspension Compared to other models the chain roller has a big diameter and it has a higher section in the middle to make the chain move as smoothly as possible Due to this higher sec tion the chain does not lie on the roller with its sharp edged links but with the bushes in the middle that function like small bushings In addition to a very low rolling resistance it also supports a quiet chain movement
10. spension fork as described in the respective chapters Check that the quick releases are tightly closed The inner fork steerer tube is tightly fitted and glued in the fork crown never try to tear this connection apart or to change the tube Never add threads to the steerer tube danger of breaking The hydraulic damping cartridge is pressurized and must not be opened In case of damage the whole cartridge has to be replaced Caution After you have removed the adjustment screw 5 you ll see a small hex headed screw in the piston rod of the damper never undo this screw It is under pressure If this screw is un done too far it can damage the damper Before every ride check the suspension fork for signs of damage deformation or corrosion If this is the case don t use your bicycle anymo re Ask your local dealer for service Velotechnik E Maintenance and care Suspension Fork Assembly drawing MEks suspension forks Suspension fork MEKs Carbon AC with hydraulic damper cartridge version MEKS Carbon All does not have a hydraulic damper cartridge but springs on both sides No Part Crown Stanchion tube and Steerer tube fixed unit can t be disassembled One piece lower leg Oil damper cartridge Adjuster cap Damper Adjuster Screw M8 Washer Damper cap 9 Preload adjuster 10 MCU Elastomer upper plastic bush I2 Spring 13 lower plastic bush 14 aluminum push ro
11. A chain re tention hook between the frame and the chain roller locks the roller at the bottom and keeps the chain on the roller when you pedal back wards Caution If this chain retention hook is missing the chain may fall down When you start pedaling then the chain roller the seat or the frame may be damaged through the chain Please consult your local specialist dealer in case you have lost this hook The chain roller wears slowly and gradually shows a sprocket shape in the higher section in the middle When this middle section is worn completely the links of the chain will run on the roller In that case you will notice that the chain makes more noise while running and you should change the roller You can pur chase the plastic part without the bearing or the complete roller through your dealer The chain roller is not symetrically shaped the recessed side of the chain roller has to face to the frame the flat side outwards Velotechnik Caution The roller comes with two main tenance free sealed bearings The bearings are exchangeable Between the bearings there is a spacer that keeps the correct dis tance If you forget to put in the spacer after you have dismounted the bearings they will be destroyed when you tighten the screw while remounting them The bearings must not be treated with a jet of water from a high pressure cleaner or with solvents since it destroys the seals and re moves grease in the be
12. It is important to adjust the spring stiffness of the suspension according to the load see the chapter about adjusting the suspension in this manual page 16 With an attached trailer the maximum total weight must not be higher than 150 kg 330 Ibs Carrying luggage Luggage transport is only allowed with the special rear rack or lowrider rack designed by HP VELOTECHNIK Maximum load Rear rack 25 kg 57 Ibs Lowrider under the seat 25 kg 57 Ibs When a rear rack is mounted you have to make sure that when the rear suspension is fully compressed there is at least a cm 3 distance between the rear tire or mudguard and the rear rack If you want to increase this distance you have to decrease the suspension travel of the rear suspension element with clip on spacers For that purpose please con sult your local dealer Additional loading can influence the handling of your bike considerably If you plan on riding with heavy luggage we advise you to make a test ride on a street with no traffic to adjust to the new situation The load should be placed as close to the body of the rider as possible since this leads to a more stable performance You can also im prove the handling of the bike by positioning the center of gravity of the luggage as low as possible so pack heavy items in the bottom of Velotechnik your panniers Hang heavy panniers on the lowrider rack preferably to the rear rack Be careful that
13. SW6 30 32 Nm headset clamp M5 SW4 4 6 Nm steering rod mounts M6 8 10 Nm ASS stem stem fork steerer tube M6 SW5 8 10 Nm height adjustment M5 SW4 4 6 Nm Velotechnik Ey Maintenance and care Warranty Warranty Your authorised dealer has to fully set up and adjust your bicycle so that safe function is guaranteed 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 its value of suitability for the described purpose The exact details will vary according to the country Germany this liability ends two years after purchase In addition to this HP VELOTECHNIK offers 10 year warranty max 30 000 km on the frame of the GrassHopper against damage through material or manufacturing defects This warran ty applies only to the original purchaser Damage trough wear and tear corrosion or damage at the surface coating is excluded Damage through inappropriate use inadequate care and maintenance falls crashes overload ing through excess weight incorrect assembly or modifications to the bike is also not cov ered The onus rests with the purchaser The warranty is void if any of the instructions in this manual are neglected The warranty starts with the date of purchase receipt of the bike dealer of a new bicycle The warranty is processed
14. That means that the bicycle after having passed a bump does not immediately spring back to the initial po sition or even further than that The damper converts spring energy into friction and finally into heat and thus takes away energy from the suspension system That way the damper pre vents that the spring swings uncontrolled after an initial stimulation In addition the damper helps to avoid self enforcing oscillations of the suspension that may be caused by reoccurring stimulation like pedaling forces within a crank revolution or the rhythmic up and down movement of the legs The hydraulic damping of the rear suspension is adjustable in case you have mounted the op tional suspension element DT Swiss 180 You should always set the damping as low as possible to give the bicycle the possibility to quickly 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 the body the recumbent does not experience ex treme variations in the load as it is known from dancing on the pedals while riding uphill on a mountain bike In addition to this varying pedaling forces have very little influence on the suspension of the bicycle due to the No Squat design of the sus pension system of the GrassHopper So when you adjust the damping always start with a low damping It is necessary to choose the correct spring stiffness
15. a little bit backwards while pulling Thus the chain is not under ten sion Adjusting your new bike Unscrew the clamping screw to adjust the front boom Caution After you have unscrewed the clamping screws take them off and examine them for deformation Lubricate threads and heads thoroughly Then re fit the screws If they don t turn easily you will have to re place the screws Hi Velotechnik EE Adjusting the leg length 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 your leg is fully extended when your heel wearing flat shoes is in the foremost position on the pedal Experience shows that the pedal to seat distance on a recumbent can be slightly longer than on a conventional bike While you are pedaling the ball of your foot should be positioned over the center of the pedal axle It is important that your leg is not fully straightened when the crank is in the foremost position If the distance is too great it is diffi cult to overcome this dead point pedaling be comes uncomfortable and there is too much strain on the sinews of your feet and legs If the distance is too short you may suffer from knee pain or your legs may bump on the han dlebar 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 b
16. aligned to the front wheel Then tighten both clamping screws alternately with 8 10 Nm Check the clamping by trying to turn the stem against the front wheel Check the play of the head set bearing see bage 50 Danger The hex headed screw in the cap adjusts the play of the steering head bearing This screw does not help to clamp the stem tightly to the steerer tube It does not se cure it against turning Take care that both clamping screws on the side are tightened as prescribed after you have finished your works at the stem Otherwise the stem may turn while riding and cause an accident Height adjustment of the handlebars The stem is height adjustable by telescopically sliding the stem extension on the lower part Loosen the clamping screw of the clamp at the lower end of stem extension Move the stem extension to the desired position Align the stem extension parallel to the front wheel so that the handlebars are perpendicular to the front wheel Tighten the clamping screw with 4 6 Nm Danger The stem extension must not be positioned higher than the max mark the lower stem part In no case may the end of the lower stem half become visible in the slot of the stem extension The clamp must be positioned tightly to the lower end of the stem extension The clamping slot of the clamp must be aligned to the slot in the stem extension Adjusting your new bike Angle adjustment of the folding stem The Glideflex u
17. and pierce thorugh the seat net with a hot soldering iron to melt the fabric Before you do this make sure the tension of the seat net straps is as desired as no further adjust ment will be possible once the water bottle cages are installed Another useful alternative to water bottles are systems with a water bag and a drinking hose e g from SOURCE or CAMELBAG You can simply strap them behind the seat onto the rear rack or into the Speedbag Velotechnik Mudguards At bicycles with suspension mudguards are ex posed to very strong vibrations through which they may break Please check the stays of the mudguard regularly for their position and check the mudguards for cracks or deforma tions Immediately replace damaged mud guards Caution You must not mount additional parts like rear lights or reflectors to the mudguards since those may break then In order to prevent falls you have to fasten the stays of the front mudguard with a security clip that opens under pressure When the clip has opened once please replace it with a new one Danger If branches or other obstacles get caught in the wheels while riding and are moved around they may drag the mudguards along The mudguard can possibly fold up be tween frame and tire and hence block the wheel which may lead to a serious fall If you hear any unknown noises while riding stop immediately and remove anything that might cling to the mudguards or the wheels Al
18. approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts When you assemble a frame kit please list the components on an extra sheet and at tach it to this Warranty Pass 2 Velotechnik Ist service No later than 300 kilometers or 2 months after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 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 Velotechnik 65 Warranty Pass Warranty Pass 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 4th service No later than 9000 kilometers or three years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 2 Velotechnik 5th service No later than 12000 kilometers or four years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date Dealer s Stamp and Signature Exchanged or additionally mounted parts 6th service No later than 15000 kilometers or five years after the purchase Order No milage approx km Date
19. back to achieve the preferred seat length achieve the smallest possible seat length move the 2 upper screws from the top to the middle holes Tighten all 4 screws with 5 6 Nm Move the seat back rest to the preferred angle and close the quick release lever firmly Reinstall the seat cover Caution Do not loosen or tighten the 4 screws in the lower seat part to adjust the seat length Maximum tightening torque of these screws is 3 4 Nm Caution To avoid noise from the seat when loaded the contact surfaces between the two seat halfs need to be seperated by self adhesive plastic sheets and all contact sur faces of seat and seat mounts and frame need to be lubricated with grease Adjusting your new bike Length adjustment of the Airflow cushion The optional Airflow cushion consits of two parts that connect in a V type shape Loosen the velcro mount of the upper part and place it in the desired position than fasten the vel cro Adjusting the seat back angle A big advantage of the BodyLink seat on your GrassHopper is that you can adjust the seat back angle very quickly For beginners or rides in the city you can choose an upright seat po sition for a better view and for longer rides you can choose a flat position for better aero dynamics The seat back is fastened with a quick release lever on a slotted aluminum seat mount You can adjust the seat back angle by 10 degrees by simply opening the quick release l
20. bearing supports the front fork in the frame It has to be adjusted so that the fork with the front wheel turns easily without showing play To check the bearing play pull the front brake and grab with your other hand the upper bearing cup Now move your bicycle back and forth If the steering head bearing has play the upper cup moves noticeably in contrast to the fixed part In that case undo the clamping screw s and tighten the screw in the cap a bit more To check whether the front wheel turns smoothly lift your bicycle at the frame so that the front wheel moves freely above the ground Lean your bike to the side Now the handlebars should move smoothly immediately When you hold the frame straight and push the handlebars slightly they should move smoothly from their middle position If the bearing is too tight undo the clamping screws at the side and loosen the hex headed screw in the cap a little bit by turning it counter clockwise Now move slightly move the stem upwards by swinging it a little bit Above seat steering After you have adjusted the bearing play check if the stem is adjusted in a parallel position to the front wheel and tighten the two clamping screws alternately with 8 10 Nm Check the clamping by trying to turn the stem against the front wheel Under seat steering Tighten the clamping screw M5 SWA of the headset clamp with 4 6 Nm Check whether the handlebars move freely without unnormally touching the
21. boom can turn during a ride which may cause your feet to slip from the pedals and lead to a dangerous fall HP 9 Velotechnik Adjusting your new bike Adjusting the leg length When moving the bottom bracket tube your dealer has to adjust the chain length By default the GrassHopper comes with a very long chain so that the adjustment range of the bicy cle can be fully used without the need to lengthen the chain After the first adjustment of the leg length that you have done together with your dealer while handing over the bicycle the chain has to be shortened so that the arm of the derailleur is not fully turned forward while shifting on the big 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 least 4 cm 1 1 2 In order to choose the right chain length please consult the manual of the derailleur manufacturer 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 expands the rivet while riveting i e ROHLOFF Revolver A poorly joined chain may break and thus lead to a fall Have adjustments of the chain length or the changing of the chain be done by your bicycle mechanic Caution Take care that the chain tubes have at least a clearance of 5 cm 2 to the rear derailleur and the front changer even under maximum tension of the chain and that the tubes stay tight in
22. corresponding in the end to 15 20 kg 46 Ibs In its final position the lever should lie parallel with the bicycle and should not stick out to one side Check the security of the lever by attempting to twist the lever If the lever can be made to pivot around in a circle the clamping is too loose You must re open the quick release hold the lever and increase the clamping ten sion Do this by screwing the adjustment nut on the other side by half a turn Close the lever and check the clamping anew Finally check that the part being secured is firmly fixed Lift each wheel several inches off the ground and give it a slap onto the tire from above A properly fixed wheel will remain secure in the frame s dropouts The dropouts of the fork of your GrassHopper are designed as safety dropouts Therefore you always have to loosen the clamping nut of the quick release when you take off the front wheel When you reassemble it do not forget to tighten the nut again Parts that are fastened with a quick release open easily Thus they are more susceptible to theft Therefore always secure the wheels with a lock when you park your bicycle It is also possible to exchange the quick releases with special security screws e g from PITLOCK or KRYPTONITE that can only be opened with a special tool For this please consult your local specialist dealer Hi Velotechnik EL instructions ing ins Handl Brakes Brakes The GrassHopper i
23. drag and ex cessive wear Lube the ends of the cable to protect against moisture mechanical disc brakes If the brake pads are worn so far that tighten ing the cable tension is not sufficient you can re align the brake calliper in the slotted holes and adjust the inner brake pad with the hex bolt at the hub side of the brake calliper Have this adjustment work done by a qualified bike mechanic Check your brake pads frequently as explained in the manual supplied by the brake manufac turer Worn brake pads oily od damaged pads must be exchanged immediately by a qualified bike mechanic Hydraulic brakes MAGURA hydraulic brakes use low viscosity mineral oil that contrary to DOT brake liquid used in cars does not absorb water Thus you don t have to change the oil Please read the manual that comes with the bike You will find more detailed maintenance instruc tions in the manual Workshop that is avail able for download from MAGURA at www magura com In case of a damaged hose or any leakage of oil always consult a qualified technician in a bike shop Velotechnik Danger All maintenance work on the hy draulic system of your brakes may only be carried out by a qualified technician In case these works are carried out without the re quired knowledge and skills the brake sys tem might fail which can lead to a serious crash hydraulic rim brakes To balance the wear of the brake pads there is a tur
24. frame or the seat Velotechnik Danger The hex headed screw in the cap adjusts the play of the steering head bearing This screw does not help to clamp the stem tightly to the steerer tube It does not se cure it against turning Take care that both clamping screws on the side are tightened as prescribed after you have finished your works at the stem Otherwise the stem may turn while riding and cause an accident Seat Cushion Seat cushion BodyLink seat The standard seat cushion consists of a 1 4 cm thick layer of flexible EVA foam This is a black material with closed cells that is also used in the production of high quality camping mats It feels very comfortable without appearing too soft or spongy It is waterproof so that you can dry your seat with a sweep of your hand in case your bicycle has become wet Caution The seat cushion is fastened with Velcro and you can take it off For this pur pose it is important not to simply grab the foam and take it off since the Velcro could come off In order to take off the seat cush ion lift up the upper part a little bit from the seat Then you grab the cushion on both sides together with the end of the Velcro that 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 to extreme heat or focused sunlight The mate rial warms up considerably The heat may melt the glue of
25. is sufficient clamp ing The rear end of the front boon must never be visible in the clamping slot Caution The minimum insertion depth of the front boom into the main frame is 10 cm 4 In no case may the end of the front boom be visible in the clamping slot when you look at the main frame from below since it may result in a damage of the frame Danger In the opening of the main frame there must be a spacer a slotted tube of black plastic with edges to the front and the clamping slot that is glued into the frame This spacer ensures safe clamping of the front boom and protects the paint It is im portant that you take care that this spacer is always visible at the front end of the main frame The lower slot has to be aligned in accordance with the slot in the main frame If this spacer is missing or is moved to the back of the tube while inserting the front boom secure clamping is no longer guaran teed even if it seems to be the case at first glance If the front boom is not clamped properly it may turn and lead to a fall A missing or misaligned spacer will lead to a frame damage The plastic spacer between front boom and main frame must be visible at all time If the spacer is missing or not alligned properly or the screws are tightened too much the frame can break Danger If the screws are tightened too much or bent the screw or the frame can break If the clamping is insufficient the front
26. mounts the chain will touch the retention spring leading to breakage of the spring and mounts As a result the chain tube can get into the drive train and block it Expanding the tube ends The ends of the tubes are expanded like a trumpet so that the chain can enter smoothly without friction and without making noises When the ends are worn out you can renew them through expansion Remove the chain by opening the power link or open it with a spe cial chain riveting tool Cut the worn part of the tube exactly perpendicular with a sharp knife Heat the last 5 10 mm at the end of the tube with a gas burner or a candle and turn it per manently until the colour of the utmost edge turns from a dull black to a shiny black Now you expand the end with a proper tool e g the rounded grip of a screwdriver Quench the expanded end immediately with cold water Take care that the tubes don t catch fire At any rate work in a place with sufficient ventila tion If the tube is too short after you have cut it so that there is not enough protection anymore it has to be replaced You can buy spare tubes ei ther as uncut tubes or already cut into the correct length complete with retention spring from your specialist dealer Changing the tubes In order to exchange single parts in the upper chain tubes cut the old tube at the retention spring at the chain roller and pull the remain ing part off the spring Now move the smooth part of
27. release Secure the folded bike by inserting the plastic strap into the fastener mounted under the front frame part If you have Above seat steering secure the handlebar with the attached velcro strap to the rear rack or rear wheel A shoulder strap and bag for transport of the folded bike are available as an option for your GrassHopper fx Velotechnik Folded GrassHopper fx with Above Seat Steering Folded GrassHopper fx with Under Seat Steering 5 Unfolding To unfold and reassemble your bike please fol low above steps in the opposite order If your bike is equipped with under seat steering plea se follow the instructions on page 14 for prop per installation and alignment of the handle bars Danger Before riding your bike make sure the quick release of the folding hinge is se curely closed The security bolt must be in its proper lock position The quick release lever must be closed in a horizontal posi tion Check that the lever does not obstruct the steering or the cables of your bike Maintenance and care Brakes Maintenance and care Your GrassHopper is fitted with the latest bi cycle technology that does not require much maintenance 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 function of all par
28. release lever of the stem un der the frame while pushing the security but ton on the lever Pull the handlebar and stem half out of the stem Position the handlebars on the left side of the bike Stow the handlebar by inserting the attached stem half into the hole of the rubber mount on the seat tube of the main frame 4 Fold the frame Position yourself on the left side of the bike Open the quick release lever on the left side of the folding hinge Pull the quick release to the rear sliding it out of its rest position at the front part of the folding hinge Push the quick release axle downwards to move the security bolt that is connected to the quick release ax le out of its rest position Hold the bolt against the spring pressure in this position and use your other hand to fold the front part of the frame to the right side HI Velotechnik instructions ing ins Handl Folding GrassHopper fx Open the quick release lever then push the quick release down to unlock the security bolt of the folding hinge Make sure all cables and electric wires are long enough to allow proper folding The chain tubes are connected by a flexible rubber joint positioned in the area of the fold ing hinge Grab the both chain tubes at the rubber joint with one hand and pull them up and tight to the folding hinge Move the front frame half backwards until it rests on the rub ber bumper attached to the middle seat quick
29. their fastenings The front upper tube can be moved to the rear for length adjustment Shorten the tubes if necessary If the end of the chain tube gets into the rotating drive train it could be locked up and destroyed The end of the chain tubes have to be tightly secured with a rubber tube over the retention spring Velotechnik 2 Check that there is at least a 5 cm 2 clearance between the end of the chain tube and other parts of the drive train After you have adjusted the front boom you should seal the gap in the clamping slot be tween the front boom and the main frame with wax or silicone in order to protect your frame from the penetration of water and dirt and hence damage through corrosion which may lead to a broken frame We recommend to slightly readjust the front boom every 3 months so that knees muscles and ankles will be used differently and you might find a more comfortable and more effi cient riding position A wrong adjustment may lead to pain in your knees and inefficient pedaling In addition we recommend to ride with a high pedaling ca dence which means to pedal fast and with lit tle pressure Pedalling with too much pressure may also lead to pain in the knees You will find more information about this on page 26 Adjusting the seat position Adjusting the seat length Your GrassHopper is equipped either with the ErgoMesh mesh seat or the adjustable BodyLink9 seat from HP VELO
30. to have a well operating suspension system The spring stiffness is a measure for the compression of a spring at a certain load It is either given in N mm Newton per Millimeters or Ibs inch Pounds per Inch Sometimes you only find Ibs printed on the springs The spring stiffness of the optional air shock DT Swiss XM180 is set by adjusting the air pressure The suspension is designed in a way that the spring compresses considerably when you mount your bicycle This is called negative sus pension travel or sag and it enables the bi cycle to decompress on bumpy roads Which is in fact a definitely positive feature You should choose a spring stiffness with which this negative suspension travel takes up around 30 of the overall suspension travel This value usually provides a very comfortable ride on your fully suspended recumbent bike designed by HP VELOTECHNIK Adjusting to load The luggage carriers of the GrassHopper are mounted to the suspended part of the frame That way your luggage is also fully suspended and it spares the material Most notably even under heavy load the suspension will compensate an uneven road much better and quicker compared to a design where the luggage carrier would be mounted to the unsuspended parts e g the rear swing arm Additional luggage changes the load of the wheels and their suspension The suspensions are more compressed through the load That way there is less suspension
31. travel for bumps while riding Your suspension could seize up more often The suspension of the front wheel is less affected since luggage at the rear rack almost only puts weight on the rear wheel Only in case of heavy luggage on the lowrider under the seat is there an influence on the front wheel In order to compensate the variations in the load you can change the pre load For details see the following chapter Theoretically this can compensate for a load change of approx 10 kg 23 Ibs at the rear wheel In case of higher variations in the load you would have to exchange the spring for another spring with another spring stiffness In practice you can often do without it the GrassHopper offers with 90 mm 3 2 a lot of suspension travel for a touring bike When you choose the spring stiffness so that the full 90 mm are at your disposal when your recumbent is under maximum load you will have a somewhat smaller but still very comfortable suspension travel when you ride without luggage The optional air shock DT Swiss XM180 can be easily pumped up to compensate load increases HB E E Adjusting your new bike Adjusting the suspension Adjusting the suspension fork The knob must turn easily If a knob does not The front fork of the GrassHopper comes turn any further you have reached the final po with telescopic suspension forks from SPINNER sition In that case turn the knob again in the or MEKs other direction about ha
32. via the bike dealer who ordered the bicycle from us Velotechnik In case of damage the dealer has to send the damaged frame to us so that we can check it if asked to do so by us In case of warranty we will replace or repair the damaged part with a part of our choice or a new part equal to the old one warranty ob ligation We do not cover any transport labour or any secondary costs In the event of any action that falls under war ranty the original warranty period will not be prolonged and no new warranty will be given If HP VELOTECHNIK refuses to count a repair as warranty case we will only carry out a repair with costs after having talked to the customer or his representative the respective dealer It is necessary for the purchaser to fill in the enclosed warranty registration form to benefit from the extended warranty This filled in form has to be sent to HP VELOTECHNIK within 4 weeks after the purchase The warranty is only valid when the warranty pass at the end of this manual has been filled in when you received your bike and when every inspection listed has been done and recorded by your bicycle mechanic within the described time schedule In the event of any warranty the warranty pass together with a copy of the proof of purchase has to be sent to HP VELOTECHNIK through your dealer This warranty does not have any influence on the rights of the purchaser according to his statutory rights Warranty Pa
33. your luggage on the racks is safely stored Bags must be tightly fastened to the rack so they can not move In no case may loose parts like straps or belts touch the wheels the derailleur or the suspension The rear rack is designed for standard bike panniers lowrider rack under the seat can be used with special lowrider front wheel bags Take care that your luggage does not cover the lighting system and the reflectors of your bicycle and that they stay fully functional In case you want to park your bicycle take care to lean it on a wall or any other solid ob ject With the kickstand alone it is not possible to safely park a bicycle loaded with luggage it could fall down and be damaged Transport in the car The best way of transporting your bicycle is inside the car See that it does not lie on the derailleur If you want to transport it outside the car we recommend a roof rack or a rear carrier Take care to fasten your bicycle at the frame only Caution Do not fasten your bicycle at the handlebar or with disassembled wheels at the dropouts The wind causes violent forces that can stress the parts and therefore may cause damage Such damage may not be no ticed immediately Please remove any part that could come loose during transport seat cushion water bottles luggage bags pumps pennants etc Do not take kids with you The GrassHopper is not designed for the transport of children You are not all
34. SENSOR po sition a twilight sensor in the lamp turns the lighting system on and off automatically de pending on the brightness of the environment You switch on the hub generator light system with the integrated switch at the front light The SON hub generator is highly efficient and works silently When the dynamo is turned off it has a very low turning resistance Although you can feel the single poles of the used per manent magnets very distinctly when turning it by hand the real rolling resistance is minute The loss is at 15 km h under Watt For details on the hub generator please visit www nabendynamo de Velotechnik Prop stand For the GrassHopper you can use a rear prop stand from HP VELOTECHNIK at the rear swing arm Caution To protect the prop stand from turning it must be mounted with 2 screws to the mounting plate at the rear frame Do not use standard prop stands with only one screw Danger Before every ride check whether the 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 prop stand can touch the ground and cause a fall After a fall you will have to check the prop stand and the area where it is mounted for damage and deformation Before riding check that the prop stand in any position does not affect the function of other parts The prop stand is only suitable for parking the bike on even solid g
35. TECHNIK The following instructions refer to the BodyLink seat Length seat back angle and lower seat angle are adjustable for this seat The adjustment of the seat length and the proper seat angle is crucial for a comfortable feeling while riding your recumbent The upper curve of the seat back in the area of the shoulder blades determines the correct seat length Through this shape the shoulder and neck area is lifted from the recumbent po sition so that the head rests in a natural and relaxed position For this reason you shouldn t need a head rest if you have the right seat po sition On long rides a head rest can increase your riding comfort as you can relax your neck for a few seconds by leaning back You can 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 much into a hunchback It is too large when you have the impression that the seat angle is too far back when you are in the most upright po sition or when you hit the upper seat edge with the back of your head when you look up wards Adjusting the seat length Take off the seat cover see page 51 Open the quick release lever for the seat back angle adjustment so that the seat is not bent with inner tension Loosen the 4 screws at the in ner side of the seat back with an allen key SW4 a few turns Step behind your bike and hold the seat back with both hands Pull or push the seat
36. a binding system As soon as you are comfortable with riding your GrassHopper you should use those clipless pedals Due to the rigid connection between shoe and pedal you don t have to keep your foot on the pedals with pressure anymore This enables a more relaxed and round pedaling movement where you may even pull a little on the pedals Without this connection to the pedals your feet may come off suddenly which may result in a fall Modern system pedals with binding therefore contribute to safe riding At first you will have to practice with these pedals to make sure that you can get off quick ly in a dangerous situation Please read the manual of the pedal manufacturer that comes with this manual and have your dealer explain the use of the pedals to you In the beginning set the release force of the binding to a low value to make sure you can get off safely Please use exclusively the original shoe plates cleats from the manufacturer of the pedals do not use any other brand If you re using shoe plates that are not authorised the binding sys tem won t work properly Take off the seat Open all three quick release levers of the seat mounts Unscrew the nut of the upper seat quick release approximately 4 turns Turn the quick release levers of the middle and lower seat quick release counter clockwise approxi mately 4 turns Eventually it may be easier to hold the quick release lever and turn the flat nut on the right side chain
37. ads you have to use the front brake very carefully to avoid that your front wheel slips If it does so you will no longer be able to handle your bike which might lead to a serious fall Do not brake in a bend always brake before a bend Braking increases the risk of slipping Especially when it is wet the rear wheel imme diately slides out of the bend while braking and this can result in a serious fall Danger In case you get into a situation like that during an emergency stop you have to let go of the brakes immediately balance your bicycle and brake again If you are not familiar with the brakes we recommend you to train at first at low speed and with little braking effect until you find the correct dose for an emergency stop If you should hear any unusual sounds while braking the braking pads might be worn Do not use your bike any further until you have checked the braking pads according to the manual of the brake manufacturer or ask your local dealer Danger Always make sure that the disc and brake pads are free of oil and grease If these parts are dirty please do not use your bicy cle any more You can clean oily rims or discs with alcohol or a special spray Oily brake pads have to be replaced If you are in doubt please have your specialist dealer maintain your brake system Danger Disc brakes can overheat on long down hill rides fade and fail On down hill rides do not brake constantly but in several interva
38. ance of the parts only represent a guideline please do read every manual of every part manufacturer The specialist dealer is responsible for the ex pert assembly please contact him for detailed advice A bicycle that has been assembled from a frame kit must always be tested and ap proved by a qualified bicycle mechanic before your first ride Caution The texts in the gray boxes are particularly important for your safety Texts that begin with Danger mark an immedi ate danger for your life and your health Please do read them carefully D HB General Safety Instructions Intended use Your GrassHopper is a bicycle for the use on streets 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 assembly errors accidents or similar activities and willful damage 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 miles The first 300 km 186 miles are an important phase in which you break in the bicycle During the first use of a new bicycle the screws may bed in and come loose Cables and spokes 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 ta
39. arings If the bearings don t move smoothly anymore you ll have to replace them Dismounting the chain roller See the notes on changing the chain tubes page 39 The chain roller is mounted with a special high strength screw of the German quality grade 12 9 and it may only be exchanged with a screw of the same type and strength Suspension Fork Suspension fork Clean and grease your suspension fork regu larly Always use a high quality silicone or Teflon lu bricant You can purchase special lubricants for suspension forks at your local specialist dealer Clean and lubricate the fork legs every four weeks with a thin film of grease If your suspension fork has lubricating nipples at the back you should insert a small amount of grease every four weeks After six months at the latest the fork has to be lubricated again For that purpose open the fork and dismount the parts as described in the following paragraph If you are in doubt please have your bicycle mechanic do the work If your suspension fork comes with a dust boot please clean the lower and upper leg and the seal under the dust boots every four weeks Otherwise dirt and water can lead to corrosion 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 brakes and wheels after you have worked on the su
40. atches deformations damaged parts loose spokes etc If you are in doubt please consult your local bike shop Caution Any damage of the paintwork has to be cleaned from rust and repaired imme diately else the damaged part in the frame gives way to corrosion that nests in the sur rounding paintwork This can result in dam age of the frame In case of small scratches at the surface of the powder coating of the frame or the surface of the seat you can simply polish them away You can buy a special polishing agent for epoxy resins at a specialist dealer for boat building Do not use a polish for metal After you have cleaned the bicycle dry it and treat the paintwork and the metal surfaces with wax You can purchase this wax from your local bike dealer as a convenient spray The wax passes moisture and flows into tiny gaps and pores After some minutes the sol vent evaporates and leaves a dull and glutinous film 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 the spokes hubs screws and nuts etc You can also conserve the chain with wax spray after lubri cating it see also the chapter on Chain page 38 The frame has small holes for ventilation that prevent condensation in the frame These drilling holes must not be sealed However moisture may enter the frame through the drilling holes Therefore protect the inside of your frame by applying wax sp
41. avy wear Do not use any solvents to clean the chain The solvent washes the oil off the bearing parts stays there and dilutes the fresh oil so that a sufficient lubrication is not guaranteed If you have treated the chain with a solvent you will have to heat it up with a hot air torch or boil it in chain grease Velotechnik Danger Take care not to pour any oil on the rims brake discs or the tires The brake system could fail or the tires could slip away suddenly The oil affects the rubber of your tires and could damage them While lubricat ing cover the surrounding area with an old newspaper An effective protection against corrosion is critical for a long chain life Some minutes after you have oiled the chain rub it with a cloth to remove 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 the rain you should put your bicycle in a dry and heated room and every day you should turn the crank and so move the chain until it is dry again Otherwise it is difficult for the moisture in the tubes to evaporate which may lead to corrosion at the chain Changing the chain The chain is one of the parts of the bike that will wear out This shows in a stretching of the chain Worn out chains do not fit the sprockets and chain rings anymore and wear them away very quickly
42. bicycle depends on the size of your rims Please ask your local dealer After you have exchanged the tires please check if the wheels turn freely and check the minimum distance between mudguards and frame The spokes of the wheels connect the rim with the hub They transmit the braking power of the disc brakes and in addition they trans mit the pedal forces at the rear wheel Danger Take care that your spokes are al ways in perfect condition and the spoke ten sion is balanced Do not ride with wheels that run untrue or wheels with loose or missing spokes These faults may lead to a total failure of the wheel while braking and result in a serious fall Velotechnik Caution To true up the wheels you need special skills please have this work done by an experienced bicycle mechanic The wheels are fastened with a quick release lever and therefore they are susceptible to theft For this reason always lock the wheels along with the frame to a solid object when you park your bicycle somewhere It is also possible to exchange the quick release axles with axles that have special security locks e g PITLOCK or KRYPTONITE that can only be opened with a special tool Cleaning and conservation The frame of the GrassHopper has a high quality and environmentally friendly powder coating The surfaces of the aluminum parts are either polished or anodised Threads and tech nical contact areas can be unfinished and must be protect
43. ch the leg on the inside of the curve stop pedaling on ly then start steering into the curve Only when you ride straight ahead again should you resume pedaling Small riders should shorten the front mudguard to get more clearance Danger Please note that due to your low seat height other road users may notice you very late Ride anticipatory with this in mind This is especially important while riding in darkness You yourself have a much better view than others perceive you Ride defen sively We recommend you to mount a well visible and reflecting flag to the bicycle while using it in traffic Please ask your dealer for more information Protective clothing clipless pedals seat Wear protective clothing Riding a bicycle is a potentially dangerous sport where accidents can happen even when you take care of every safety instruction pre scribed We recommend you to wear an approved bi cycle helmet that fits well Protect yourself by wearing special sports clothing that fits tight and is reflective If you re wearing wide pants use clips to protect them from getting caught in the chain or use an old fashioned method and put the pants in your sockets When you fall with a recumbent you usually land on the side of your hips and your hands Wearing reinforced cycling shorts and gloves reduces the danger of skin injuries consider ably Use clipless pedals The pedals of your GrassHopper can be up graded on demand with
44. compensated through a change in the damper setting Please note that you can seriously spoil the riding comfort through a bad damper setting especially through unsystematic playing with the knobs that may result in much to high damper values In the worst case the suspen sion element will neither compress nor de compress If you are in doubt please consult your local dealer The rebound damping prevents an eventual jumping of the rear wheel and provides a good traction By improving the road surface contact the suspension of the GrassHopper al so increases your riding safety A higher damping value prolongs the time until the decompression movement is finished Only then can the suspension compensate the next shock with the full suspension travel Therefore when you ride on very bumpy streets with shocks that occur fast in a row you might want to use a lower damping value Air Shock DT Swiss XMI80 Damping ist adjusted with the red knob at the rear end A good setting for maximum comfort is achieved when the rear wheel decompresses completely after a shock and then oscillates only once In order to check the adjustment you will need a second person that compress es the suspension by pushing the bicycle down while you are sitting on the bicycle in the rid ing position The other person can then ob serve the suspension movements Adjusting your new bike In order to adjust the damping during decom pression turn t
45. d 15 Negative spring 16 Rebound Elastomer PUB 17 Dust seal 18 Screw M6 19 Screw M6 BN 9 8 R HI Velotechnik Exchanging springs Gently turn the adjustment knob for the pre load on the adjustment unit 9 clockwise as far as it will go This causes the spring to relax After you have relaxed the pre load unit of the spring you can turn off the entire unit Place a matching spanner or an adjustable wrench on the two parallel surfaces of the pre load adjustment unit Then remove the en tire unit by turning it anti clockwise Carefully remove the springs with one finger or the head of a spoke from the fork Alternately put your bicycle upside down and catch the springs when they fall down Exchange the springs lightly grease all parts and assemble the fork again in reverse order After having finished the assembly please check if the fork works properly by compressing it several times manually Lubricating the fork Dismounting In order to lubricate the fork have your bicy cle mechanic dismount it completely First remove the pre load adjustment unit and springs as described under Exchanging springs If your spring has an adjustable damping MEKS Carbon AC turn the knob clockwise as far as it will go so that the fork does not decom presses again Undo and remove the screw M6 on the lower part of the leg 18 To prevent the pu
46. d regulations the brightness of bicycle lights may be considerably lower than that of other vehicles Therefore always keep in mind that other road users may only see you very late or not at all For the GrassHopper HP VELOTECHNIK offers two different dynamo light systems one with a tire dynamo and the other with a hub genera tor Both light systems come with strong LEDs for headlamp and rear light The LEDs last consi derably longer approx 100 000 working hours than a light bulb For your safety the light system has a standlight system at the front and at the rear light which makes the LEDs shine on approximately 10 minutes after you have stopped riding The electronic system is maintenance free Because of the capacitors used you don t have to worry about batteries The cables and the contacts can be affected by corrosion or mechanical damage Therefore check the light system before every ride Tire dynamo You 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 the red button at the dynamo until it moves to wards the rear wheel To turn the light off you turn the dynamo by hand back to its initial po sition _ ed button pressure adjuster You switch on the tire dynamo by pressing the red button switch off the dynamo move it away from the wheel Danger Do not try to operate the dynamo lever while riding y
47. d stay between 80 100 revolutions per minute and not fall be low 60 while going uphill If necessary consult your local dealer and have him retrofit the gear 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 the manual 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 an index derailleur system that positions the chain always on the chosen sprocket so that you don t have to search for the gears It is not possible to index the left lever so that you have to adjust the front derailleur while shifting by slightly moving the shifter to stop the front derailleur from dragging against the chain while pedaling Riding a recumbent requires foresighted gear shifting Before stopping you should timely change in a low gear to make it easy to start off again without having to pedal heavily and struggling with your balance H Velotechnik You may only change the gears while you keep pedaling smoothly and without applying great force all the time that the chain is moving be tween the sprockets Due to the long cables that expand under pressure and the housing that compresses under pressure it may be helpful for changing gears quickly to turn the bar end shifter a litt
48. dewalls 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 suspension fork clean and oil thread push rod air chamber lubricate bushes replace worn out parts hydraulic cartridge 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 2 Velotechnik check bearings grease see see page see page before every ride monthly annually every 6 months replace aluminium bars every 2 years Warranty Pass Warranty Pass Service plan continued check bearing play and brake discs mount check bearing play check binding mechanism check clamping of the front boom clean and conserve
49. ear indexing imprecise The chain then climbs only hesitantly onto the next sprocket Adjusting the gear indexing for the rear derailleur Adjust the barrel adjuster where the gear ca ble goes into the rear derailleur Do it in small steps of half a turn Check after each adjustment whether the chain moves smoothly up to the next larger sprocket To do this either turn the cranks by hand or ride the bike When the chain climbs up easily you need to check that it still goes down easily onto the smallest sprocket If necessary turn the barrel adjuster a little more and then try shifting gears again Danger If the chain shifts over the smallest or the biggest sprocket you have to readjust the end limit adjusters of the rear or the front derailleur Incorrect adjustment can lead to the chain coming off getting stuck or damaging the spokes which may result in se rious falls The adjustment of the end limit adjusters is a job for the professional cycle mechanic Danger If the bike falls over the derailleur or its mounting can be bent so that the movement of the derailleur changes Check the movement and have it readjusted by your bicycle mechanic if necessary All moving parts of the gear system are affect ed by wear Cleaning and lubricating these parts frequently can prolong the life of these parts however they will have to be replaced once worn out The cables have to be checked cleaned and serviced regularly Ex
50. ecially when riding in a bend this allows a higher speed and also improves the safety In order to achieve maximum riding comfort the suspension settings have to match your weight as well as the road condition The goals of the adjustment are e maximum use of the available suspension travel without the suspension frequently bottoming out quick reaction of the suspension without obvious oscillation after having passed a bump e avoiding self enforcing oscillations that means increasing oscillations of the suspension system due to pedaling influence rhythmic body movements or permanent wavy underground Velotechnik Suspension and damping The suspension systems of the suspension fork and the rear swing arm are fitted with the actual springs and dampers which are mounted separately Often the terms suspension and damping are used 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 it has saved during compression The front fork of your recumbent bike is fitted with steel coil springs and springs made of mi crocellular foam elastomers MCU The rear swing arm is suspended with steel coil springs in the standard version The optional rear shock DT Swiss XM180 uses air as spring medium The damper slows down the process of com pression and decompression
51. ed posi tion perpendicular to your arms Under seat steering Most riders are com fortable with a 45 angle so that the grip points diagonally to the front and up The more upright the grip position the lesser is the max imum possible cramp of the handlebars since it touches your legs earlier In order to change the angle loosen the screws of the handlebar clamping Turn the handlebars until they are in your favourite po sition Check that the stem clamps the handle bars exactly the middle Tighten the clamp ing screws with 8 10 Nm Check the correct clamping of the handlebars by mounting your bike and pulling the handlebars In doing so the handlebar grips must not turn Please take care that the clamping area of the stem is thoroughly trimmed and does not have any sharp edges which may lead to a rupture of the handlebars While riding you should allow your arms to rest in a relaxed position on the handlebars Do not pull on the handlebars If the handle bars turn in the stem clamping during the ride stop immediately and tighten the clamping screw of the handlebars If the handlebars turn in a stem that is not sufficiently clamped the handlebars or the stem might be damaged or deformed In that case a secure clamping can no longer be guaranteed even with the cor rect tightening torque and handlebars and stem have to be exchanged Adjusting the cable length Caution After you have adjusted the han dlebar positio
52. ed with wax To keep the surfaces brilliant over many years and to protect them effectively against corro sion the bicycle has to be cleaned from dirt and then conserved Dried sweat but also environmental influences such as air pollution dirt on the roads and es pecially grit affect the parts and not only may this cause flaws but also serious structural damage of the parts through corrosion In contrast to a widespread belief particularly the non rusting aluminum is dramatically af fected by grit This kind of damage may not be visible in the beginning but it leads to a serious danger when the part breaks Do clean and conserve your bicycle diligently The best things to clean your bicycle with are warm water and a soft cloth If your bicycle is very dirty first take a wet sponge to soften the dirt and then remove it In case of bad grease or oil stains you should use a special cleansing agent for bicycles in addition Caution Do not use any cleansing agents that scrub or are chemically aggressive since they affect the paintwork Before using any cleansing agent please test it at a part of your bicycle that is not immediately visible Caution Do not use any high pressure cleaner The strong jet of water goes through the seals of the bearings blows away the lube and causes corrosion of the bearing parts and the chain In addition to this it may damage stickers While cleaning your bicycle check it for any cracks scr
53. en your hands or tools are close to the suspension element Otherwise your hands may get caught and squeezed when the suspension compresses For the rear suspension of the GrassHopper a spring element is combined with a hydraulic damping unit a suspension element damping results from fluid friction of an oil flow through thin holes of a throttle valve in between two chambers inside the damper A slightly noticeable sound that may occur from this oil flow is normal Due to the fluid friction the spring element may heat up therefore touch the spring element after a ride very carefully Danger The suspension elements are filled with gas under high pressure Never try to open the damper or to remove the screw at the gas tank Inside the damper there are no user serviceable parts In case of damage you will have to take the complete suspen sion element to your dealer The GrassHopper comes standard with a steel spring rear shock As an option you can get the air shock DT Swiss XM180 that uses air as spring medium 20 Hi IB e Steel spring rear shock The pre load determines how far the suspen sion compresses when you are sitting on the bicycle while standing still For the rear wheel the same guidelines as for the suspension fork are valid for maximum riding comfort the suspension should com press by about 3076 of the total suspension travel while you mount the bicycle in driving position For that purpose meas
54. ension Thus you need less force for the adjustment Push or pull the seat front edge firmly until you reach the desired position and close the quick release lever firmly Then adjust the seat back angle as described above If the quick release lever pressure is to loose when closed open the lever and turn the screw on the end of the quick release axle clockwise The low profile design of the screw head gives more clearance for the drive train Velotechnik Adjusting the lumbar support The BodyLink seat is ergonomically shaped and supports the natural S curve of your spine Forces from pedaling are supported in the area of your lower back just above your hips The amount of support in this area lum bar support is adjustable by moving the seat back and lower seat opposite to each other To get more lumbar support lower the seat front edge and put the seat back in a more re clined position To get less lumbar support rise the front seat edge and put the seat back more upright For more extreme adjustments loosen the 4 screws for the seat length adjustment in the seat back Thus the seat back can expand and bend into the desired shape Tighten the screws and quick releases as described above Caution The two quick releases have to be closed firmly tightening force 15 20 kg 45 Ibs to safely hold the seat You not al lowed to open them while riding After they have been closed the imprint close must be vi
55. ever In the medium seat position the angle is about 35 from horizontal Velotechnik E Adjusting the seat position Adjusting the seat back angle is easy when you push the seat closely to the seat mount into the desired position By pulling at the upper seat edge you would twist the seat creating tension and locking up the adjustment mecha nism Because of the flexibility of the BodyLink seat and 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 force while riding so this point determines the dis tance to the pedals The advantage of this de sign is that you adjust the distance from the seat to the bottom bracket only once as de scribed above a change in the seat angle does not require an adjustment of the front boom Adjusting the front seat edge The front seat edge can be slightly lowered to accommodate smaller riders With a lower front seat edge it is easier to put your feet on the ground without pressure from the seat edge on the back of your legs With a higher front seat edge the seat will give more sup port and avoid the feeling of sliding down the seat that occurs with upright seat angles To adjust the front seat edge open the quick release lever at both the lower and the upper seat half so that the seat has no inner t
56. ew turns Hold the front wheel and align the handlebar perpendi cular to the front wheel Push the adaptor fully into the fork steerer tube so that the metal plate welded onto the tube is positioned di rectly at the end of the fork steerer tube Tighten the allen bolt with 30 32 Nm Danger This tightening torque is mandato ry If you do tighten the bolt with a wrong torque the adaptor could turn or bolt could break while riding leading to a crash Only use our original bolt of the strength type 12 9 The bolt head and threads must be lu bricated Do not use a washer The clamping part and the inner steerer tube must not be greased If you are unsure about this let your bike mechanic carry out this work Danger Before every ride check the se cure clamping of the adaptor and all steering parts The steerer rod bolts must be secured with loctite and stop nuts Never adjust the alignment of the handle bars to the front wheel by changing the length of the steerer rod The distance be tween the two rod pivots is a fixed measure The adaptor must stay perpendicular to the front wheel or the front wheel could sud denly turn in sharp corners Adjusting the handlebar angle By changing the angle of the handlebars you can adjust the position of the grip to the length of your upper body and your arms Above seat steering Turn the handlebars so that the grips point downward or slightly for wards Your wrists should be in a relax
57. f the suspension element For that purpose dismount the suspension element as described under Changing the Spring on page 47 Remove the plastic spacers and pull the metal tube out off the bushing Lubricate the bushing and the tubes with grease Finally remount the suspension element p H Velotechnik E p o The bushings of the rear spring element need to be lubricated once a year Hydraulic dampers are effected by wear and tear through normal use It depends on the usage of the bike the amount of dirt on it and the maintenance and lubrication how long it lasts After 3000 km the damper must receive an inspection by a trained mechanic worn out parts or the hydraulic cartridge can be repla ced then Due to wear of the seals oil can leak drom the damper or the internal oil can beco me foamy This may lead to some noise when the damper is working This noise does not ef fect the function of the damper Only if there is no obvious damping after the first 5 mm of travel the damper should be replaced Please also note the maintenance instructions of the damper manufacturer provided with your bike Swing arm pivot Swing arm pivot The rear swing arm pivot comes with mainte nance free bushings They have a self lubricating system with Teflon particles The bushings sus tain a very high load and they show almost no wear In case you notice play or a creaking noise at the rear s
58. ge 57 in this manual Adjusting the leg length Before the first ride adjusting your new GrassHopper The seating position is essential for your riding comfort well being and efficient cycling on the GrassHopper Therefore you should adjust the frame seat handlebar and suspension to your individual requirements In order to adapt the GrassHopper as closely as possible to your body dimensions and to find the ideal seating position you need to ad just the front boom seat and handlebars Danger All procedures described here re quire a certain degree of skill suitable tools and mechanical aptitude After any adjust ment perform a static check and take a test ride on a quiet street away from traffic If you have any doubts please contact your lo cal dealer If your bike is equipped with the optional front boom quickadjust please read the instructions in the seperate manual in addition to the fol lowing instructions Adjusting the leg length moving the front boom In order to adjust the leg length you have to move the front boom the front part of the frame where the cranks are mounted within the main frame Unscrew the screw M8x35 un der the main tube with a 6 mm Allen key Take a grip on the front changer tube or both cranks and move the front boom into the frame or pull it out while cautiously turning it When you pull out the front boom shift the chain on the smallest chain ring and sprocket and turn the cranks
59. he adjustment knob on top of the rear end of the suspension element If you turn the knob in direction of the you will 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 HI Velotechnik 23 Learning the new riding technique Learning the new riding technique Your new bicycle has been assembled by your dealer and adjusted together with you as de scribed on the previous pages under Adjusting your new bicycle Before you mount your bike and enjoy your first ride please make yourself familiar with the instruc tions on the riding technique and the handling To ride this recumbent you will have to make yourself acquainted with the different riding position Make sure that you and all other fu ture users of this bicycle will have read this manual carefully prior to the first ride If you are 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 from traffic Before you ride the bicycle in traffic you must master the handling completely Go to a road where you can ride straight ahead without being hindered Hold your bike at the handlebars and pull a break Then mount your bicycle and lean back Leave one foot on the ground and put one on the pedal Therefore r
60. ical advice from our engineers Important Please send us the attached warranty registration form 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 and safety Enjoy yourselves and have a great ride Paul J W Hollants Dipl Ing Daniel Pulverm ller and the HP VELOTECHNIK team Velotechnik Introduction To this user manual also belong the original manuals of component manufacturers such as the brake manufacturer the gear system manu facturer and the pedal manufacturer These manuals tell you in detail how to operate and maintain those specific parts Please do read the manuals of the part manufacturers as care fully as the manual on hand Please have other users 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 in contact with your local dealer The instructions in this manual apply only to a completely assembled GrassHopper with stan dard parts from the series production of HP VELOTECHNIK On special demand HP VELOTECHNIK delivers frame kits with which a specialist dealer can assemble a bicycle individually In this case the manuals on the operation and mainten
61. ke your bicycle to a bi cycle mechanic for the first service Please record this first service and the tasks per formed in the warranty pass on page 59 This first service is the prerequisite for further use of the bicycle and for your warranty claims Legal requirements When you ride your bike on the public road it must comply with national legislation and guidelines These will vary from country to country In general there are minimum standards for brakes reflectors and lighting systems as well as usually a general duty to ensure that your vehicle is in roadworthy safe condition There will 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 observe all the applicable laws and regulations In most countries including Germany and the UK two independent braking systems are re quired Do not ride with only one brake work ing Please contact your local dealer to find out about your legal obligations As an addition we recommend to mount a flag on a pole for better visibility in traffic The safety equipment on your bike must be checked before every ride and maintained in proper condition Velotechnik General safety instructions General Safety Instructions Load capacity The maximum load rider luggage is 130 kg 286 Ibs The maximum total weight bicycle rider luggage is 150 kg 330 Ibs The lower limit is valid
62. lding brazing paint methods that add heat or any other chemical treatment If any of these works is done improperly it may result in a loss of strength through direct damage or increased susceptibility to corrosion 2 Velotechnik Final assembly Your bike has been delivered to your specialist dealer only partly assembled Your dealer has carefully finished the assembly perhaps altered the specification of your bike to meet your special requirements and per formed a test ride Please make sure that this pre 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 arm pivot and wheels Please follow the tightening torque settings listed in the table on page 57 Rear derailleur and brakes must be checked and adjusted Please follow the instructions in the manuals of the parts manufacturers that come with this manual Screws and bolts Caution Screws must be tightened with prescribed tightening torque In this manual tightening torques are given in Nm Newtonmeter Always use a torque wrench wherever a torque setting is given in this manual Never rely on feel Screws tightened too much or not enough can break which can lead to dangerous acci dents case you don t own a torque wrench have your bicycle mechanic do the respective work You will find a table with the prescribed torque settings on pa
63. le bit farther than neces sary to select a gear and turn it back to the in dexed position once the chain has properly shifted overshift When the chain length has been properly ad justed you can choose every combination of front chain rings and rear sprockets to shift gears However it is useful to ride the lowest gears with the smallest chain ring the biggest rear sprocket the middle gears with the mid dle chain ring and the highest fastest gears with the biggest chain ring The setup of the chain rings and sprocket leads to an overlap of some gears This means that different combinations of chain rings and sprockets can result in the same gear It would be possible to arrange a gear system so that double gears do not occur but this requires a lot of concentration when you shift gears while riding since you will always have to change the rear sprockets as well as the front chain rings If you would like to change the set up of your gears please consult your local dealer Danger Do practice shifting gears on a traffic free street In the course of this make yourself familiar with the functioning of the bar end shifters Doing this in traffic could distract your attention from possible dan gers Light system Light system If 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 to laws an
64. lf a turn At your request different types of suspension Do not turn the knob by force beyond the fi forks can be mounted to your GrassHopper nal position since this will damage the plastic please notice the manuals of the suspension thread inside fork manufacturer that are possibly enclosed The suspension travel of the SPINNER fork is 45 mm of the 5 fork approxlmately 50 mm 2 The suspension fork should compress by 30 while mounting the bike which corresponds to 12 15 mm 1 2 You set this value by adjusting the pre load of the spring provided you chose the correct spring stiffness page 19 Every model has a turning knob on the fork legs that allows a simple adjustment of the pre load The suspension fork MEKS Carbon All has springs in both fork legs the suspension fork MEKS Carbon AC has springs only in the left fork leg since the other fork leg contains a hy draulic damping cartridge By turning the knobs clockwise you increase the pre load by turning them anti clockwise you decrease the pre load It is sufficient to set the pre load in the two fork legs to approximately the same level It is not necessary to match them exactly Velotechnik The suspension fork MEKs Carbon AC is fitted with a hydraulic damping unit On the right fork leg is a turning knob to adjust the damp ing You increase the damping by turning the knob clockwise We recommend you to start with the lowest po
65. lide into each other The connection is made with an quick release lever clamping Open the lever while pushing the security but ton on the lever Sit on the bike and align the handlebars horizontally so that both bar ends are at same height Close the quick release lever untill the security button locks in Check the safe clamping by trying to turn the handle bars in the stem This should only be possible with high forces If the clamping is to loose open the quick release lever and adjust the counter nut of the QR The ability to turn is designed on purpose In case the bike drops over the handlebars can turn without being bent or broken immediately We suggest to fully insert the stem half If you move the handlebars further back you will in crease your turning circle as the handlebar with contact the frame or lowrider earlier Danger The minimum insertion depth of the stem half is 5 cm 2 In no case may the rear end of the inserted stem half be come visible in the clamping slot Velotechnik Caution On the left side of the handlebars there is a foam liner to protect the paint where the handlebar touches the frame Check that it is in the correct position and replace it when worn or lost Alignment of the handlebars to the wheel To align the handlebars perpendicular to the front wheel turn the adaptor for indirect steering clamped into the bottom end of the fork steerer tube Loosen the allen key bolt a f
66. ls with higher pressure If you notice that the brake power starts to fade do stop immediately and let your brakes cool down Danger Never touch neither the brake disc nor the brake calliper after long braking as this may cause serious injury risk of burns New brake systems new brake pads and new brake discs need a break in period to achieve maximum brake power This period lasts for about 30 40 stops from about 30 km h 20mph which should be done in a safe area without traffic Check before every ride e that the brake system does not have any da mages or leaks by activating the lever holding it and checking the hose connections for possible leaks that the brake lever pressure is ok by pulling the lever and ensuring that full braking per formance is achieved before the lever tou ches the handlebar If this is not the case ad just the cable or change the brake pads for hydraulic disc brakes pull the lever several ti mes pump until it feels firm check the hydraulic brake system for the correct pressure by pulling the lever holding the pressure and checking the hose connec tions bleeding screw and compensating tank for possible leaks HP 9 Velotechnik instructions ing ins Handl Gear system Gear system With 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 terrain and the desired speed Your pedaling frequency shoul
67. n the adjustment ring Put back the slotted rear spring retention disc on the piston rod If necessary compress the spring a little bit with a screw driver The spring retention disc has to match its seating at the rear end of the suspension element Velotechnik E Maintenance and care Rear Suspension Element Secure the spring by tightening the adjustment ring until the spring doesn t have any play any more If there is a safety ring push it back into the slot on the thread Move the rear swing arm back up and connect the rear end of the suspension element with the rear swing arm with the bolt Lubricate the bolt thoroughly Secure the screws of the suspension element with LOCTITE and tighten the screw with 6 8 Nm After having exchanged the spring you have to readjust the spring pre load as described in the chapter on Adjusting your new bicycle on page 18 Cleaning and lubricating Do clean the suspension element especially the polished piston rod if it is dirty Remaining dirt 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 can protect the suspension element from dirt with an elastic cover that you can buy at your local dealer From time to time grease the thread for the spring pre load with a drop of acid free oil Thus you can always turn the adjustment ring easily by hand Once a year you have to grease the pivots o
68. n you have to adjust the length of the brake cables and shifter cables The cables have to run smoothly without any sharp turns and they may not be bent sharply or stretched when the handlebar is at maximum cramping or the above seat steering stem is folded forwards Also avoid large arches that could be caught up in oth er parts You can make smaller adjustments by moving the cables in their guides at the frame and the stem so that there is enough room at all mo bile parts If this proves not to be sufficient you will have to have your specialist dealer shorten the cables or replace them by longer cables Cover all contact areas where cables move and touch the frame with sturdy transparent tape This protects the paint against scratching and wear Handlebar grips The grips on the handlebar are susceptible to wear and tear Have your grips replaced by your bike shop once they don t feel comfort able anymore The grips always need to be at tached firmly to the handlebar Velotechnik E E Adjusting your new bike Adjusting the suspension Purpose of the adjustment of the suspension Your GrassHopper is fitted with a suspension fork for the front wheel and a rear swing arm for the suspension of the rear wheel This sys tem compensates slight bumps on the road so that riding is comfortable and the strain on your bicycle is reduced A well adjusted suspension improves the trac tion of your bicycle on uneven roads Esp
69. nge them if necessary cable operated mechanical brakes The brake pads of your brakes are worn when you can pull the lever further and further to the handlebar before the pads touch the rim Rim brakes When the pads are so worn that you can t see the cross grooves of the pad anymore you will have your bicycle mechanic exchange the brake pads To balance the wear of the brake pads you can tighten the cable with the adjuster barrel where the cable goes into the brake lever First loosen the locknut then undo the screw so far that the wheel turns barely not touching the pads hold the screw and tighten the locknut again towards the brake lever Take care that the slot of the adjuster points down so that no moisture enters from above or the front Caution Damaged cables with single wires sticking out have to be exchanged immedi ately Otherwise your brake system may fail danger Please take care that the cable ends are always protected with a cap Always keep the cables shortly trimmed Leaving too much cable extending past the cable anchor can result in the cable catching in the rotor or wheel which could then be pulled in the calliper causing the wheel to look up Velotechnik KE Maintenance and care Brakes Caution Keep the brake cable clean where it is not protected by the cable housing Due to the mounting position of the brake lever with under seat steering moisture and dirt may enter the cabel and cause
70. ning knob at the brake lever Turn this knob anti clockwise to move the pads closer to the rim As soon as the knob doesn t turn anymore the brake pads have to be exchanged Before you change the pads turn the knob clockwise as far as it will go back to the initial position hydraulic disc brakes MAGURA disc brakes feature a fully automatic pad wear adjustment Brake pads are subject to wear therefore regularly check the thick ness of your brake pads and replace them if necessary The minimum thickness of the brake pad incl metal backing is 2 5 mm Caution Never activate the lever blade without the brake pads in place and with the wheel dismounted When you transport the bicycle without wheels always use the trans port clips delivered with your bike or put a piece of cardboard in the brake calliper to replace the disc Carefully separate brake pads that have moved together with a screwdriver Caution Keep the brake lever clean Due to the mounting position water and dirt could collect inside the lever around the hy draulic cylinder This could lead to excessive wear or leakage of the hydraulic system Gear system Gear System Please read the manual of the gear system manufacturer carefully when you want to work on it Your dealer will have carefully adjusted your derailleur gearing system before handing over the bike But during the first 300 kilometres 186 miles of riding the gear cables can stretch making the g
71. ning machines in a fitness center When you repeat it regularly it is harmful for the knees Pain in the knees often results from an overuse of the muscles in the knee that can al so be strengthened through exercise Also a wrong adjustment of the front boom to the leg length in most cases too short can lead to pain in the knees 26 Hi j mm Your pedaling cadence should stay between 80 100 revolutions per minute and not fall be low 60 revolutions when going uphill If neces sary have your specialist dealer adjust the gear range to your riding style and the terrain you usually ride You will find many tips on proper training for cyclists in miscellaneous books and magazines for cyclists In case of persistent problems please consult your doctor Do not ride freehand Danger In order to ride safely you have to keep both hands at the handlebar Even when signalling keep at least one hand at the handlebar Otherwise unforeseen bumps in the road or oscillations of the steering may lead to a serious fall How to ride correctly and safely Always adjust your speed to the traffic the road and the weather conditions Ride slowly in curves and on unknown roads Always ride at a safe distance from other road users and when you ride in a group never ride side by side When you approach a traffic light never ride past the line of waiting cars since even the most attentive car driver may not see you due to your low seating
72. nit is equipped with a backstop adjustment screw close to the pivot axle adjust the backstop fold the stem forward and turn the backstop screw in or out with a 4 mm allen wrench Turning the bolt in clock wise allows the handlebars to fold further back turning the bolt out stops the handlebars from going as far back Caution Do not turn the screw so far out that it contacts the top of the stem when it is folded back The bolt must contact the sloping surface Adjusting the folding friction To adjust the folding friction tighten or loosen the pivot bolt with a 5 mm allen wrench Tightening the bolt will increase friction loos ening will decrease friction HI Velotechnik a E Adjusting the handlebars Danger Do not loosen the bolt past the minimum friction point If you do retighten the bolt until you can feel the friction in crease The bolt must be secured with Loctite The friction adjustment should not need fre quent readjustment in normal use Sometimes rain will cause the friction to drop slightly but things should go back to normal when dried out Adjusting the under seat steering handlebars Your GrassHopper with under seat steering is equipped with an indirect steering The han dlebars are supported by a stem that pivots in the frame The front fork is connected with a steerer rod to the stem Horizontal alignment of the handlebars The stem is made of two parts that telescopi cally s
73. o that you can undo the adjustment ring completely and then turn it to the utmost position at the front Remove the slotted spring retention disc at the rear end Undo the screws of the rear suspension ele ment with two Allen keys and push the screw out of the suspension element eye Danger If the bicycle does not stand on the ground while undoing the screws of the suspension element the rear swing arm may come down uncontrolled afterwards and hurt you seriously In addition to this the ca bles of the gear system and the brakes may overstretch and you would have to replace them Ensure that the rear swing arm comes down in a controlled and gentle fashion by putting up a solid string or cable tie bet ween the main frame and the rear swing arm Danger When the bicycle is standing on the ground the frame and the swing arm co me up against each other Please make sure that this happens in a controlled and gentle fashion Put a cloth between the contact po ints Otherwise if they come up against each other uncontrolled your hands may get caught between main frame rear arm swing and suspension element and your bicycle may be damaged Move the rear swing arm down carefully In doing this take care that you don t bend or stretch 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 diameter and length as the old spring and that it lies sa fely o
74. oom and the inner wall of the tube must be totally free from grease other wise it won t clamp properly and turn while you are riding Velotechnik For riders with a short leg length the front boom has to be cut by a bicycle mechanic so that it be inserted to the maximum It is important to trim the end of the tube neatly The bare metal of the shortened tube end has to be protected against corrosion with a paint stick or wax spray Caution When you move the front boom take care that its end does not damage any light cables that possibly come out of the main frame near the fork Please inform yourself about the length of the front boom on your bike before you do any work While moving the front boom you also have to move the light cables The light cable must never be stressed by pulling Adjust the front boom so that the bottom bracket axle is horizontal when you look at it from the front For that purpose look beyond the bottom bracket shell at the rear wheel axle and align the front boom parallel to it Align your eyes with the bottom bracket axle and not the front changer tube above Then sit on your bicycle and check the position Hint When you have the impression that the bot tom bracket is turned alternately to the left and then to the right when cycling you will have found the correct middle position Tighten the screw with a torque wrench tightening torque 14 16 Nm On your first ride check whether there
75. orrect chain length Caution The chain has to be closed with a special joining link or a chain riveting tool that expands the ends of the rivet while riv eting ROHLOFF revolver A poorly joined chain may break you can come off the ped als and fall If you are in doubt please have adjustments of the chain length or the changing of the chain be done by your bicy cle mechanic See that the joining link is not bigger in size than the other chain links to avoid irregular chain sounds We recommend the joining links by SRAM power links Every time you change the chain you also have to mount a new pow er link Make sure that any chain links in the chain are not stiff as this can cause some annoying and not obvious problems with the gear system Make sure that you have not wtisted the chain through 180 degrees before joining it back to gether HP 9 Velotechnik Maintenance and care Chain Tubes Chain tubes The chain protection tubes are made of a long lasting plastic that features very low friction slow wear and good noise damping The tubes protect your clothes against the chain oil as well as the chain against dirt from the road The upper tubes are fastened with inter changeable retention springs the lower tube runs through an adjustable clip The tubes are worn by the chain and have to be cut at the ends and expanded again or ex changed after 3 000 5 000 km approximately depending on how many kilometre
76. otate the crank in the top position so that you can pedal immediately with power Try to keep your balance in that position Assure yourself that you can stop whenever you want to and hold the bicycle with one foot on the ground When you feel safe put pressure on the pedal loosen the brake pedal with a lot of force and immediately put your second foot on the other pedal Do not care on which side of pedal you are currently pedaling in the beginning Hold the handlebar loose but steady and accelerate with a few pedal strokes Your bicycle needs speed to stabilise m HB Look ahead in the direction where you want to ride not on the handlebar at your feet or the front wheel In order to stop brake carefully with both brakes until the bicycle has come to a com plete stop Only then do put a foot on the ground and keep the balance Danger Never touch the ground with your feet while the bicycle is still moving The feet could be caught on the ground and be pulled backwards which could lead to a serious in jury Danger With a compact recumbent like the GrassHopper it is possible that a foot of the 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 at all times since in extreme situations it may lead to a fall and injuries To control the bicycle you will therefore have to apply the following cornering tech nique when you ride a curve stret
77. our hands could be caught in the wheel and be injured To turn the light system on or off stop riding dis mount your bicycle and only then do turn the dynamo lever Turn the lever carefully without applying force else you might bend the lever and damage the plastic parts of the dynamo Danger The dynamo must always be safely fastened to the bracket at the frame so that it can not turn If the screws comes loose the dynamo can get caught in the spokes and block the rear wheel danger of a seri ous fall Always check the position and se cure attachment of the dynamo before a ride You can adjust the pressure of the dynamo against the wheel with the turning knob at the side The pressure is right when the dynamo wheel just does not slip at the wheel if the light flickers the pressure is too low and you have to increase it The position of the dynamo should be so that the extension of the dynamo axle points through the center of the wheel Take care that the dynamo is mounted safely and does not turn Worn dynamo wheels be exchanged Please ask your specialist dealer Velotechnik instructions ing ins Handl Light system Prop stand Hub generator The light system with a hub generator is switched on electrically For this purpose you will find a switch on the back of the rear light with three labelled switch positions With the switch you can turn the lighting system ON OFF or set it to SENSOR In the
78. owed to mount a child s seat It is only allowed to transport children in a trailer that has been specially designed for that purpose Trailers You are allowed to use trailers up to 40 kg 88 Ibs with the GrassHopper We recommend you to assemble it with the WEBER coupling Type Always check that the suspension and the trailer still work properly after you have mounted the trailer Take care that the trailer does not damage the frame in case the bicycle falls over Added parts and accessories Additional accessories may impair the function of your GrassHopper We advise you to gener ally ask your dealer before you mount any spe cial parts or accessories to your bicycle Caution Mounting additional parts or ac cessories is at your own risk It is important that you carefully read the installation guide of the manufacturer Additions to the handle bar like fairings handlebar fittings bottle holders etc may impair your safety due to additional loading or clips with sharp edges Take care that the handlebar and the suspen sion always stay mobile You may not add parts to the handlebar or the seat that might endanger the rider through sharp edged or pointed shapes while steering getting on and off the bike or bumping against something Before you purchase a bell or a lighting system make sure that these accessories conform to your national laws and regulations Fairings As a front fairing for the GrassHopper yo
79. pect more wear and cor rosion when the bike is often parked outside in bad weather conditions Caution Damaged cables that show for example single wires have to be changed immediately Otherwise they may damage your gear system Take care that the ends of the cables are protected with fitting caps Velotechnik KL Maintenance and care Chain Chain The chain is a wearing part that has to be lu bricated regularly and to be changed at signs of excessive wear and tear Lubricating the chain Diligent lubrication is important The chain of your GrassHopper is approximately 2 5 times longer than a standard bicycle chain approxlmately 3 8 m But it also lasts longer since a chain only wears while bending at the sprockets and the chain rings Use a good chain oil that won t leave a sticky film on the chain The chain oil must not con tain any aggressive chemical substances that might affect the surface of the chain tubes or chain idler Specialist stores sell biodegradable lubricants HP VELOTECHNIK solely recommends PRoriDRYLuse This lubricant is purely based on PTFE Teflon that keeps the chain clean and dry This way dirt simply falls off and the tubes always stay clean Your dealer can obtain it from HP VELOTECHNIK It is important that you clean the chain with a cloth before lubricating Otherwise the fresh oil washes the dirt that clings to the chain into the gaps and the bushings where the dirt caus es he
80. position way of riding Quick release levers Caution Always carry your bicycle over stairs and curb stones Do not ride through big road holes Especially when road holes are filled with water it is very difficult to guess how deep they really are In case you hit such an obstacle frame and fork may be damaged which can result in a serious fall first the damage may be unnoticed Please check your bicycle immediately for deforma tions and cracks If you are in doubt please consult your local dealer Quick release levers Quick release levers hold wheels and seat in position Danger An incompletely or improperly closed quick release can result in parts com ing loose and hence in a crash possibly re sulting in serious injury A quick release lever consists of two basic parts the lever on one side provides the clamping force With the adjusting nut on the other side you adjust the clamping tension on the screw thread To open the quick release move the lever away from the frame In doing so the inscrip tion open should be visible on the lever To close the quick release move the lever with power in the other direction so that the word close is visible on the outward side of the lever At the start of the lever s motion for say half of its movement the lever should move very easily without any clamping action In the second half of the lever s movement the force on the leer should increase considerably
81. ray through the holes Protect the parts where cables or chain tubes may scratch the frame with a layer of tape You can buy extra strong transparent tape at your do it yourself store That way you avoid scratches in the powder coating and coating coming off Velotechnik Maintenance and care Storing the bicycle Screws and bolts Storing the bicycle Before storing your bicycle over a longer peri od of time e g over winter please take care of the following steps e Clean your bicycle and protect it from corrosion as described in the chapter on Cleaning e Store your bicycle in a dry and warm place e Avoid direct sun and storage close to the heating since it affects the rubber of your tires e Choose the smallest sprocket and the smallest chain ring That way the cables are in the most relaxed position e 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 of time for the annual service since then you won t have to wait long for an appointment Many dealers offer special prices for the win ter check Velotechnik Screws and Bolts Screws gradually settle in and through this they can come loose Therefore check the screws and bolts regularly if they are tightened appropriately with a torque wrench
82. round In case of unsuit able ground luggage load or mounted fairings we recommend to lean the bike securely against a solid wall or pole Folding GrassHopper fx 1 Bring right pedal to the front Turn the right crank counterclockwise so that the right pedal is located in the forward posi tion Once folded the pedal will thus have room next to the rear wheel 2 Take off the seat Open all three quick release levers of the seat mounts Unscrew the nut of the upper seat quick release approximately 4 turns Turn the quick release levers of the middle and lower seat quick release counter clockwise approxi mately 4 turns With a Lowrider rack or water bottle mount installed space is limited and it may be easier to hold the quick release lever and turn the flat nut on the right side chainside of the seat mounts by hand or with a 5 mm allen key Pull the lower seat half out of its mounts then the upper seat half Caution When storing the seat please take care not to bend or break the seat mounts Protect the edges of the seat mounts with padding to avoid scratching other objects with the seat mounts Bring right pedal to the front and fold handlebars forward 3a Fold the Above Seat Steering On bikes with Above Seat Steering push the handlebar stem forward thus folding it down to the front end of the bike 3b Stow the Under Seat Steering Position yourself on the left side of the trike Open the quick
83. s After 3000 km the damper must receive an inspection by a trained mechanic worn out parts or the hydraulic cartridge can be repla ced then Due to wear of the seals oil can leak drom the damper or the internal oil can beco me foamy This may lead to some noise when the damper is working This noise does not ef fect the function of the damper Only if there is no obvious damping after the first 5 mm of travel the damper should be replaced Velotechnik Rear suspension element Rear suspension element Changing the steel spring DV 22 You can buy the spring for the rear suspension element in different spring stiffnesses from your dealer We recommend the following spring stiffnes depending on the overall weight up to 80 kg 183 Ibs 450 Ibs inch up to 100 kg 230 Ibs 650 Ibs inch up to 130 kg 286 Ibs 850 Ibs inch In addition to this your dealer can also use springs with other spring stiffness or special lightweight springs made of titanium In most cases the stiffness is printed onto the spring Take care to read the imprint carefully since the term B650 that sometimes occurs does not mean 650 Ibs inch Spring length DV22 83 mm 70 90 mm In order to change the spring you will have to remove the rear screw and swing away the re ar frame Hold the main frame of your bicycle in a work stand If there is a safety ring at the thread of the su spension element push it to the front s
84. s equipped with a powerful high quality brake system You may choose be tween rim brakes and disc brakes Please do read 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 brake and which the rear brake If the arrangement of the levers does not cor respond to what you are used to please have a bicycle mechanic change it Please contact your local bike dealer to find out if there exists any legal requirement for the arrangement of the brake 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 effective brake on the GrassHopper With the front brake you achieve a much higher braking ef fect than with the rear brake The rear wheel has a tendency to lock up and slip on the pavement even under low braking forces The braking effect of modern brake systems can be more powerful than what you have been used to until now Do brake carefully When you brake too much with the front brake the rear wheel may lift off the street and the bike may tumble over 28 Hi a Danger Please note that the braking dis tance is much longer when it is wet or when the bike is heavily loaded When riding on wet sandy icy or slippery ro
85. s have been ridden on the chain type and the overall riding condition You can extend this maintenance in terval by turning the tubes by a quarter turn from time to time so that they do not keep wearing out in the same place The intensity of the wear depends mainly on the chain type In order to perform any work at the chain tubes you ll have to open the chain and finally close it again Please see the instructions on Chain on page 38 Caution Take care that the chain tubes keep at least a 5 cm distance to the rear and front derailleur when the chain is stretched to the maximum and that the tubes are well fastened If necessary you will have to short en the tubes If the end of a chain tube gets into the rotating drive train it can be blocked and the chain tubes may be de stroyed The distance of the upper chain tube to the chainwheel can be adjusted by sliding the tube in the retention spring It must be secured with the rubber tube over the spring Velotechnik Caution The rear ends of the upper chain tube have to be secured against moving with a tight rubber tube over the retention spring Without the rubber tube the chain tube may be dragged forward into the turn ing chain guide and thus be damaged by the chain Caution Check the chain tubes frequently if they are damaged or defective Replace de fective chain tubes immediately If the chain tubes are worn in the aerea of the retention spring or tube
86. sh rod 14 from turning too press the fork together entirely and hold the push rod with a long Allen key SW5 At the suspension fork MEKS Carbon All per form the same work on the second spring strut Now you can pull the upper part of the fork out of the lower part At the suspension fork Carbon move the screw on the lower part of the leg 19 Usually the damping cartridge 3 does not turn However when you have difficulties in removing the screw you can fix the car tridge in the upper leg with a screw driver and thus prevent it from turning too For this pur pose undo the entire damper adjustment unit by 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 and assemble the fork again HI Velotechnik E Maintenance and care Suspension Fork The bushings seals and gliding surfaces of the suspension fork suffer from wear and tear through normal use It depends on the use of the fork the amount of dirt on it and the maintenance and lubrication how long it lasts If the bushings are worn the fork has too much play Please have your specialist dealer replace the bushings in that case Hydraulic dampers are effected by wear and tear through normal use It depends on the usage of the bike the amount of dirt on it and the maintenance and lubrication how long it last
87. sible If the quick releases are not tight ened appropriately the seat can move while riding so that you may no more be able to control your bicycle Height adjustment of the head rest The 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 that it fits under the edge of your helmet The cush ion should support your upper neck and lower head when leaning your head back Caution Do not push or carry your bike on the head rest this could damage the head rest or your seat Adjusting the handlebars Adjusting the above seat steering handlebars Your GrassHopper with above seat steering is equipped with a height adjustable and foldable stem It comes with the Glideflex folding pivot from TERRACYCLE Alignment of the stem to the front wheel Danger Aligning the stem can require ad justment of the head set bearings In case of assembly errors the danger of accidents is increased If you are in doubt have your bicy cle mechanic adjust the stem Check the parallel alignment of the stem to the front wheel by folding it completely for ward and looking at both stem and front wheel To adjust this alignment loosen both clamping screws of the stem fork steerer tube connection Do not loosen the screw in the headset cap Sit on the bike hold the front wheel with your feet and turn the stem so that it is
88. side of the seat mounts with a 5 mm allen key Pull the lower seat half out of its mounts then the upper seat half Caution When storing the seat please take care not to bend or break the seat mounts Protect the edges of the seat mounts with padding to avoid scratching other objects with the seat mounts Velotechnik instructions ing ins Handl Strain riding freehand way of riding Slowly increase the strain We recommend you to perform only short rides without much power during the first weeks Always use a low gear and ride with a high pedaling frequency Only after having acquired some training do increase the strain slowly When you ride on a recumbent you use other muscles than on a conventional bicycle and they have to be trained first The very high po sition of the bottom bracket requires your muscles and blood transport system to slowly familiarise with the new position In case of an overload the blood circulation in your legs may be affected which shows in loss of power a prickling in the toes falling asleep of the legs or cramps When you have a sporty way of riding it can take up to 6 months until you 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 the back sometimes misleads to putting the full power of the legs in the pedal similar to the leg trai
89. spring is too soft and has to be re placed a harder spring too big pre load of a too soft spring does not take advantage of the full comfort potential You will find more information on changing springs in this manual under Maintenance and Care page 47 Danger The adjustment ring has always to be screwed so far towards the spring that the spring has no play when unloaded Otherwise the adjustment ring could come loose through shocks while riding so that the slotted rear spring retention disc comes off In that case the suspension element may be damaged or the rear wheel could hit the frame or rear rack which may lead to seri ous falls Always have an initial pre load of at least half a turn on the spring Danger Take care that the rear wheel or mudguard or suspension element never hit the frame seat rear rack or luggage box while the suspension is fully compressed Therefore relax the spring completely by turning the spring retention disc on the thread of the spring element as far as it will go before this push the possibly existing safety spring ring from its slot in the thread ed section as far as it will go Have a second person mount the bicycle and make the sus pension bottom out by leaning on the seat or the rear rack If the distance between the wheel or mud guard and the frame seat rear rack or Speedbag is smaller than cm you will have to mount an additional spacer In case you don t the mudg
90. ss Warranty Pass With the HP VELOTECHNIK Warranty Pass you can assure the safety and proper function of your bicycle for many years Like any other vehicle your bicycle has to be checked for safe operation before riding Your bicycle has to be maintained at regular inter vals at least once a year you will have to take your bicycle to a qualified bicycle mechanic for a thorough check The service plan on the next page shows you our mandatory maintenance and service works If you wish you can set an upper price limit for the service with your bicycle mechanic If the necessary works exceed this limit you will be informed in advance You can avoid seasonal waiting periods in spring and summer when you have your annual inspection done in the quiet months from October to January Many bike shops then have special winter check offers any rate do make an appointment Clean your bicycle prior to the inspection since then many of the checks by sight can be done quickly and at low cost Please have your specialist dealer record every inspection and service work in the Warranty Pass This is a requirement for the validity of our extended warranty that exceeds the legal warranty HP 9 Velotechnik Warranty Pass Warranty Pass Service Plan part light system check function adjust headlamp and rear light check cable contacts clean reflectors replace missing reflectors check air pressure check tread and si
91. ssible damping Only when the fork oscil lates more than once after you have gone over a bump should you increase the damping When the fork works fine when passing a sin gle bump but stiffens distinctly when passing several bumps that come quickly in a row the damping is too high However when the fork jumps during the rebound movement the damping has to be increased Choosing the spring stiffness of the suspension fork Your suspension fork comes by default with a standard spring that covers a wide range of load and riding styles If the spring stiffness should not meet your quirements after adjusting the pre load or if the suspension bottoms out too much you can order a spring with another spring stiff ness through your dealer and have it mounted there 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 the suspension bottoming out However in case this never occurs the spring might be to hard which means you don t use the total suspen sion travel HP 9 Velotechnik Adjusting your new bike Adjusting the suspension Adjusting the rear suspension ele ment Danger While adjusting the rear suspen sion element never load the bicycle e g through resting on the seat or loading the rear rack wh
92. ternatively you can mount the stays at the two outer screws of the U brace or fasten it with a clip in the middle of the lower leg of the suspension fork After you have performed service work or re placed mudguards check if the wheels turn freely Between mudguard and wheel has to be a distance of at least 7 mm Mudguards Wheels Small riders that moved the front boom far in side the main frame will have the bottom bracket positioned closely to the front wheel These riders can shorten the front mudguard to avoid extensive contact with their feet when taking sharp turns Please see the notes on safe cornering on page 24 Check whether the suspension can still fully compress with the mounted mudguards The mudguards stays and screws especially at the U brace of the suspension fork must not touch other parts under maximum compres sion Wheels The correct air pressure is decisive for smooth running and a good protection against punctures The maximum pressure is printed on the side of your tire Since your GrassHopper is fully suspended you can always go for the maximum pressure You might find an indication of the minimum required pres sure on the side of the tire as well Since the tubes in the tires gradually loose air you should check the air pressure before every ride The tubes come with Presta valves also called french valves They are very airtight and easy to pump up For that purpose first undo the valve cap
93. the Velcro The seat cushion can be damaged when the rays of the sun are bundled through a lens Take care to nev er leave any bubble wrap on the seat in the sun The air bubbles in the film act like a burning glass and shrink the seat cushion For better ventilation an airflow cushion is available as accessory This cushion consists of several layers A rigid mesh and a soft mesh which provides for an approximately cm thick air cushion with excellent circulation These two layers are wrapped up in a cover that consists of fine mesh like it is known from high quality Rucksacks You can wash the material at 30 centigrade and it dries very quickly The seat cushion suffers from wear through constant use the parts that are under punc tual strain the mesh can be pressed together permanently In order to provide a good riding comfort in that situation the airflow cushion has additional rigid mesh padding Velotechnik El Maintenance and care Water bottle Cage Mudguards Water bottle cage You can mount a water bottle cage with a spe cial bracket behind the seat The derailleur tube at the front of the frame comes with threading inserts M5 for an additional water bottle cage as well If your bike is equipped with ErgoMesh seat your can mount watter bottle cages on the seat frame You will find threaded inserts on the the side of the seat frame covered by the seat net To access these threads locate the threads
94. the new tube through the spring and expand the tube end as described above Changing the complete upper chain pro tection or the retention springs Disassemble the chain roller For this purpose hold the nut on the left side of the frame with a ring spanner SW 13 and undo the screw in the chain roller with an Allen key SW 8 The screw also connects the rear suspension element with the main frame Remember the exact position of the spacers Take the bolt off the frame together with the chain roller Between frame and chain roller is a spacer that is encased in a transparent plas tic tube Danger If the bicycle does not stand on the ground while undoing the screws of the suspension element the rear swing arm may come down uncontrolled afterwards and hurt you seriously In addition to this the ca bles of the gear system and the brakes may overstretch and you would have to replace them Ensure that the rear swing arm comes down in a controlled and gentle fashion by putting up a solid string or cable tie be tween the main frame and the rear swing arm When the bicycle is standing the ground the frame and the swing arm come up against each other Please make sure that this 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 caught between main frame rear arm swing and suspension element and your bicycle may be
95. ts of your bicycle can be guaranteed It maintains the value of your bicycle as well as the fun and the safety while riding for many years Read in this chapter how you can carry out smaller maintenance and care works between the services For a quick overview of the works to be done take a look at the warranty pass on page 60 Caution The maintenance works of this re cumbent partly require special tools and skills Do only work within your limits and in the interests of your own safety do not go beyond Should you be uncertain at any point get in contact with your local dealer Wear and Tear As on many other vehicles some parts on a bicycle are affected by wear and tear The life time expectation of these parts depends on the intensity and type of use as well as on the maintenance and care Please keep in mind that the process of wear and tear is normal and no reason for a warranty claim against your deal er or HP Velotechnik You will find more specific information on wear and tear in the chapters on the relevant parts Brakes The brake pads suffer from wear due to fric tion and have to be exchanged then Please read the manual of the brake manufacturer carefully With rim brakes the rim walls suffer from wear When the rims are too worn the tire pressure can tear up the rim and damage the wheel danger Please have your bicycle me chanic check your rims at the latest after the second brake pad change and excha
96. u may use the Streamer offered by HP VELOTECHNIK Please take care to assure a good vision over the fairing and sufficient freedom of movement below Please take into account that any fairing makes the bicycle more prone to crosswind influ ences In strong wind or gusts of wind unsafe situations may occur Please remove the fairing in such weather conditions before riding Velotechnik General safety instructions General Safety Instructions Replacement of parts The replacement of parts relevant for safety especially brakes light system stem handlebar fork drive train suspension elements should only be done with original parts by a bicycle mechanic since it requires a certain degree of skill suitable tools and mechanical aptitude Any technical change you perform on your own is at your own risk Danger If any part is deformed e g due to an accident or overload especially frame fork handlebar seat mounts pedals cranks and brakes it is not allowed to use it any further or repair it Do not try to straighten bent parts You must replace them for your own safety If you do not replace a damaged part it can result in a total failure of the part and you may be seriously injured No alteration of parts Caution You are not allowed to perform any work on the parts of the bicycle espe cially frame fork handlebar and seat which might endanger their solidity These works include drilling holes we
97. uard may break suddenly or the rear wheel might be blocked which can lead to serious crashes The suspension travel is adjusted by adding clips to the piston rod of the spring element HI Velotechnik 2 Adjusting your new bike Adjusting the suspension Air shock DT Swiss 180 Please follow the instructions in the separate manual from the rear shock manufacturer This rear shock contains pressurized air in a main positive air chamber as suspension medium Air shocks are lighter than steel spring rear shocks Another advantage is that the spring stiffness can be easily adjusted with an air pump By increasing the pressure the spring becomes harder Air shocks have a progressive spring behaviour whereas steel springs have a linear spring be haviour This means that the air shock gets progressively harder e g it is much stiffer when fully compressed than when only slightly com pressed The advantage of this progressive spring be haviour is the good bottom out protection when heavily loaded The valve for the air chamber is located at the back end of the air shock valve is protect ed by a metal valve cap To pump up the air shock you need a special air pump designed for bicycle air shocks It must have a fitting schrader valve adaptor and a pressure indicator When attaching or removing the pump to from the valve you will loose some air about 0 5 1 bar Take off the pump quickly
98. ure similar to the method described for the suspension fork the distance between the two suspension element bolts or between rear rack and rear wheel while the bike is unloaded as well as while sit ting on the bicycle in riding position Also take into account possible luggage Find out the to tal suspension travel possible for your bicycle with the method described above depending on the mounted add on parts and clips on the piston rod The static compression should amount to about one third of the overall sus pension travel You can affect this negative suspension travel depending on how much you weigh and how much you load your bike either by adjusting the suspension pre load for fine tuning or by replacing the spring with a spring with a differ ent stiffness in the rough tuning In order to adjust the suspension pre load turn the knobby adjustment ring on the threaded part of the suspension element by hand Turning the adjustment ring clockwise looking at it from behind reduces the pre load turning it anti clockwise you screw the adjustment ring towards the spring and in crease the suspension pre load It is helpful to turn the spring together with the adjustment ring Steel spring suspension element with fixed damping rate The adjustment ring should be turned no more than five turns measured from the re laxed position towards the spring If the sus pension compresses still too far even after six turns the
99. wing arm please check the two screws that keep the axle in the frame They have to be secured with LOCTITE Tightening torque 17 19 Nm Danger If the screws at the axle are not tight enough this leads to play and noises when the spring compresses In extreme cases the swing arm may come loose which leads to a serious fall If the screws are too tight the thread of the axle may tear out or the screw may be damaged Caution There has to be a big washer be tween the main frame and the end of the bushing else the bushing is not able to func tion without play and the frame will be dam aged The bushings are exchangeable For that pur pose you will have to dismount the rear swing arm and send it together with the axle via your specialist dealer to HP VELOTECHNIK After having been mounted the bushings are ma chined to adjust them Undoing the axle screws In order to mount the rear rack or the lowrider the axle screws have to be undone We recommend you to leave one screw in place to prevent the axle from turning In case the rear swing arm is to be dismount ed completely you can prevent the axle from turning by inserting a thin metal rod in the hole of the axle through the drilling of the rear swing arm under the axle You can prevent the axle from turning by inserting a thin metal rod in the hole of the axle HP 9 Velotechnik Maintenance and care Head set Adjusting the head set play The head set
100. y 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 Nm disc 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 SWw8 4 Nm dynamo dynamo adaptor M6 SW5 6 8 Nm adaptor frame 5 SWA 4 6 Nm suspension element element frame M6 6 8 Nm rear rack at the seat tube M6 SW5 8 10 Nm rear swing arm axle frame M8 17 19 Nm b b set cartridge frame 50 60 Nm chain roller roller frame M8SW 6 17 19 Nm crank crank axle 35 Nm chain ring screws 8 11 Nm hub cassette ring 38 42 Nm quick release wheel frame 9 12 Nm pedal pedal crank SWI5 35 40 Nm shifter lever lever adaptor 2 5 3 Nm adaptor handlebar SW6 5 6 Nm derailleur derailleur frame SW6 8 10 Nm cable clamping 46 Nm mudguard stay frame M5 SW4 4 6 Nm seat upper seat part seat mt M6 SW4 5 6 Nm lower seat part frame M6 SW4 3 4 Nm frame front boom clamping M8 SW6 14 16 Nm front derailleur front derailleur frame M5 SW5 5 6 Nm cable clamping M5 SW5 4 6 Nm USS stem length adjustment M6 SW5 8 10 Nm main Axle bearings 17 19 Nm adaptor steerer tube 8
101. year When you ride more kilometres per year or often ride under bad conditions like rain grit or other dirty factors it is necessary to have shorter maintenance intervals In order to measure your riding performance we recommend you to use a bicycle computer The regular service maintains the safe opera tion and the value of your bicycle Not only does the completed Warranty Pass record the maintenance works for the validation of your warranty but also does it prove the care and the value of your bicycle a good thing to have when you are going to sell your GrassHopper one day Velotechnik Warranty Pass Warranty Pass Your personal Warranty Pass name adress telephone frame no stamped into gusset of the main frame have received the bicycle in good condition ad justed to my size and performed a test ride have been informed about the correct use of the recumbent the components like derailleur and especially steering and brakes as well as the necessity of regular service and maintenance will read the manuals prior to the first ride and have all future users read them too am aware that need to send the warranty registration form to HP Velotechnik within four weeks of the pur chase to qualify for the extended warranty Date Customer s Signature Dealer s Signature an Stamp service at delivery At the delivery of a new GrassHopper Order No milage

- The Bicycle Man

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