HP Velotechnik Scorpion fs 26, Scorpion fs 2016 Operating Manual And Service Instructions

Operating manual and
ser vice instructions

January 2013

2013

recumbent
technology

HP

Velotechnik

www.hpvelotechnik.com

General safety instructions

Intended use – 3
The first miles – 3
Load capacity – 3
Carrying luggage – 3
Transport in the car – 4
Final assembly – 4
Screws and bolts – 4

Safety instructions (bike)

Legal requirements – 5
Do not take kids with you – 5
Trailers – 5
Added parts and accessories – 6
Fairings – 6
Replacement of parts – 6
No alteration of parts – 6

Safety instructions (S-Pedelec)

Legal requirements – 7
Trailers – 7
Do not take kids with you – 7
Electric motor – 7
Added parts and accessories – 7
Replacement of parts – 7
No alteration of parts – 8
Factory sign – 8
No riding without accumulator – 8

Adjusting your new trike

Adjusting the leg length – 9
Adjusting the seat position – 13
Adjusting the handlebars – 15
Adjusting the suspension – 17

Handling instructions

Learning the new riding technique – 24
Wear protective clothing – 25
Use clipless pedals – 25
Slowly increase the strain – 26
Do not ride freehand – 26

Table of contents

-

HP

Velotechnik

How to ride correctly and safely – 26
Quick release levers – 27
Brakes – 28
Gear system – 30
Lighting system – 31
Folding – 33

Maintenance and care

Wear and tear – 35
Brakes – 35
Gear system – 37
Chain – 38
Chain tubes – 40
Chain roller – 42
Front wheel alignment – 43
Rear suspension element – 46
Front suspension – 48
Swing arm pivot – 55
Mudguards – 56
Seat cushion – 57
Wheels – 58
Water bottle cage – 60
Cleaning and conservation – 60
Storing the trike – 62
Screws and bolts – 62
Tightening torques for screws – 63
Warranty – 64

Warranty pass

Warranty Pass – 65
Service Plan – 66
Proofs of service – 70

Revision January 2013.All trademarks belong to
their respective owners.For latest product informa­tion,visit our website at www.hpvelotechnik.com.

HP VELOTECHNIK OHG
Kapellenstr.49
65830 Kriftel / Germany
Tel.++49 (0) 61 92 - 97 99 2-0
Fax ++49 (0) 61 92 - 91 02 18

thank you for buying a recumbent trike designed by HP VELO-

TECHNIK and congratulations on the purchase of your new

Scorpion fs 26! With the Scorpion,a high-quality touring trike,
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 trike is designed with the latest recum­bent technology by HP V

ELOTECHNIK that partly needs special

treatment and care.
In this manual you will find detailed instructions on how to

optimize your Scorpion fs 26 to meet your demands and riding
style as well as your size and weight.In addition to this, we have
put together a collection of information on care and mainte­nance as well as special technical advice from our engineers.
Important: Please send us the attached warranty registration
form for your extended warranty (see page 64.)

This guide helps you to keep your Scorpion fs 26 in perfect
condition so you will always experience maximum fun, comfort
and safety.

Enjoy yourselves and have a great ride!

Paul J.W.Hollants,Dipl.-Ing. Daniel Pulvermüller
and the HPV

ELOTECHNIK team

1

HP

Velotechnik

Introduction

Dear customer,

The manuals of component manufacturers
such as the brake manufacturer, the gear sys­tem manufacturer,and the pedal manufacturer
also belong to this manual. They give detailed
information on operating and maintaining
these specific parts. Please read the manuals of
the part manufacturers as carefully as this
manual.Please provide this manual to any oth­er user of your recumbent before using it.

The maintenance and adjustment of this re­cumbent partly requires special tools and
skills.Do only works within your limits and,
for the purpose 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 Scorpion fs 26 with
standard parts from the series production of
HP V

ELOTECHNIK.

On special demand HP V

ELOTECHNIK delivers

frame kits to put a specialist dealer in a posi­tion to assemble a tricycle individually. In this
case the manuals on the operation and mainte­nance of the parts only represent a guideline,
please read every manual of every part manu­facturer separately.The specialist dealer is re­sponsible for the expert assembly, please con­tact him for detailed information! A tricycle
that has been assembled from a frame kit must
always be tested and approved by a qualified
bicycle mechanic before your first ride.

Introduction

2

HP

Velotechnik

Caution!The texts in the grey boxes are
particularly important for your safety.Texts
that begin with "Danger!" mark an immedi­ate danger for your life and your health.
Please read them carefully.

General safety instructions

3

HP

Velotechnik

General safety instructions

Intended use

Your Scorpion fs 26 is a tricycle for the use on
streets and paved roads.

This tricycle is not designed for the use in rac­ing and off-road riding,for jumping or acrobat­ics,and you must not ride across curbs,stairs,
etc.

Damage through inappropriate use, assembly
errors,accidents or similar activities and wilful
damage results in the loss of any warranty.

The intended use also includes the precise ob­servation of the prescribed usage and mainte­nance regulations and instructions.

The first miles

The first 300 km (186 miles) are an important
for breaking in the tricycle.During the first use
of a new tricycle the screws may settle and
become 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 lat­est you will have to take your tricycle to a bi­cycle mechanic for the first service. Please
record this first service and the works per­formed in the warranty pass on page 65.This
first service is the prerequisite for further use
of the tricycle and for your warranty claims.

Load capacity

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 17.

The maximum load (rider + luggage) is 140 kg
(308 lbs). The maximum total weight (bicycle +
rider + luggage) is 160 kg (352 lbs). The lower
limit is valid. With an attached trailer,the maxi­mum total weight must not be higher than 160
kg (352 lbs).

The permitted axle load is 100 kg (220 lbs) on
the front axle and 95 kg (209 lbs) on the rear
axle.

Carrying luggage

Luggage transport is only allowed on the spe­cial racks designed by HP VELOTECHNIK .

The maximum load on the rear rack is 25 kg
(55 lbs).

When a rear rack is mounted you have to
make sure that when the rear suspension is
fully compressed there is at least a 1 cm (

1

/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 con­sult your local dealer.

Additional loading can influence the handling of
your trike considerably. If you plan on riding
with heavy luggage we advise you to make a
test ride on a street with no traffic to get used
to the new situation.

4

HP

Velotechnik

The load should be placed as close to the
body of the rider as possible, since this results
in better riding performance. You can also im­prove the handling of the trike by positioning
the center of gravity of the luggage as low as
possible, so pack heavy items in the bottom of
your panniers.

Take care that your luggage is safely stored on
the racks.Bags must be tightly fastened to the
racks so they can not move.Make sure that
loose parts like straps or belts can not touch
the wheels,the derailleur, or the suspension.

The rear rack is designed for standard bike
panniers.

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

Transport in the car

The best way to transport your tricycle is in­side the car.Take care 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 tricycle at the frame only.

Please remove any par ts that could come
loose during transport (seat cushion, water
bottles,luggage bags, pumps, pennants,etc.).

Final assembly

Your trike has been delivered to your special­ist dealer only partly assembled.

Your dealer has carefully finished the assembly,
perhaps altered the specification of your trike
to meet your special requirements and per­formed a test ride. Please make sure that this
pre-delivery service is recorded in the
Warranty Pass at the end of this manual.

All screws must be checked and tightened, es­pecially on the handlebar, stem, knuckles,swing
arm pivot and wheels.Please follow the tight­ening torque settings listed in the table on
page 63.

Derailleurs 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 "feeling".Screws
tightened too much or not enough can
break,which can lead to dangerous acci­dents.In 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 page 63 in
this manual.

General safety instructions

Safety instructions

5

HP

Velotechnik

Legal requirements

When you ride your trike on public roads it
must comply with national legislation and
guidelines. They will var y 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 respon­sible manner. If you ride your HP V

ELOTECHNIK

trike 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 re­quired.Do not ride with only one brake work­ing! Please contact your local dealer to find
out about your legal obligations.

In the scope of German StVZO your equip­ment has to meet the following requirements:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Safety instructions (bike)

Additionally, you are allowed to mount parking
light or battery lights which both have to fea­ture an authoritative permission sign.You are
not allowed to use battery lights only.

As an addition,we recommend to mount a flag
on a pole for better visibility in traffic. You can
find a bracket for the pole at the rear rack or
the rear light mount.

The safety equipment on your trike must be
checked before every ride and maintained in
proper condition.

Do not take kids with you

The Scorpion fs 26 is not designed for the
transport of children.You are not allowed 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 (double trail
only) up to 40 kg (88lbs) with the Scorpion fs

26.
We recommend to use a trailer hitch mounted

to the rear dropout.Please make sure the
maximum allowed load on the trailer hitch is
not exceeded.

Always check that the suspension and the
trailer still work properly after you have
mounted the trailer.

two functional,independent brakes
a dynamo driven lighting system with a
white headlight aiming forward whose be­am center touches the road 10 m ahead
a red taillight and a red rear reflector
which may be combined
at least one white reflector aiming foward
and a red large area reflector with “Z” la­bel aiming to the back
two yellow reflectors attached to the spo­kes in every wheel; may be substituted by
tires or rims with white reflective ring
yellow pedal reflectors on both sides fo
the pedals
a bell

HP

Velotechnik

Added parts and accessories

Additional accessories may impair the function
of your Scorpion fs 26. We advise you to gen­erally ask your dealer before you mount any
special parts or accessories to your tricycle.

Take care that the handlebar and the suspen­sion always stay moveable. You must not add
any parts to the handlebar or the seat that
might endanger the rider through sharp edged
or pointed shapes while steering,getting on
and off the trike 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 Scorpion fs 26,you
may use the Streamer fairing offered by HP
V

ELOTECHNIK.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 tricycle more prone to crosswind influ­ences.In strong wind or gusts of wind unsafe
situations may occur.Please remove the fairing
before riding in such weather conditions.

Caution! Mounting additional parts or ac­cessories is at your own risk.It is important
that you carefully read the installation guide
of the manufacturer.Additions to the handle­bar like fairings,handlebar fittings,bottle
holders,etc. may impair your safety due to
additional loading or clips with sharp edges.

6

Safety instructions (bike)

Replacement of parts

The replacement of parts relevant for safety
(especially brakes,lighting system,stem,handle­bar, knuckles, drivetrain,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!

No alteration of parts

Danger! If any part is deformed (e.g. due to

an accident or overload),especially frame,
knuckles,handlebar, seat mountings,pedals,
cranks and brakes,it is not allowed to use it
any further or repair it.Do not try to
straighten bent parts. You must replace them
for your own safety.If you do not replace a
damaged part it can result in a total failure
of the part and you may be seriously in­jured!

Caution!You are not allowed to perform
any work on the parts of the tricycle,espe­cially frame, fork, handlebar and seat, which
might endanger their solidity.
These works include drilling holes,welding,
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 by direct damage or in­creased susceptibility to corrosion.

Trailers

Towing a trailer is not allowed.

Do not take kids with you

The Scorpion fs 26 is not designed for the
transport of children.You are not allowed to
mount a child's seat.

Electric assistance system

Operating and safety instructions regarding the
electric drive can be found in the operating
manual of the propulsion system.

Added parts and accessories

Additional accessories may invalidate the oper­ating licence or impair the function of your S­Pedelec. This may also be valid for accesories
and parts that are not in the categorie of parts
that can only be exchanged with parts idencti­cal in construction.Before mounting parts and
accessories,it is recommended to contact
your bicycle dealer or a vehicle examination
organisation (like TÜV,Dekra,GTÜ...).

Exchanging parts

Exchanging parts may invalidate the operating
licence of your S-Pedelec.

When issuing the operating licence some parts
are defined that can only be exchanged by
parts identical in construction. Such are:

● frame parts

● chassis parts

● wheels

● propulsion unit:motor, accumulator,console

● brakes

● lighting system

● handlebars,stem

● console for insurance plate and rear light

Safety instructions

7

HP

Velotechnik

The situation described below is valid for
Germany only. For legal requirements in your
country,please contact the authorities.

Legal requirements

According to law, the Scorpion fs 26 is not a
bike but a motor vehicle class L2E (three­wheeled small motorcycles with a maximum
construction speed up till 45 km/h). The con­struction speed,that is the speed that the ve­hicle will reach without using muscle power, is
20 km/h. With additional power from the rid­er’s muscles, up till 45 km/h can be reached.At
that speed,the motor assistance is switched of
completely.

To be allowed to use the S-Pedelec on public
roads,there must be a operating licence for it
and it must be equipped with a insurance
plate.The operating licence is provided by HP
Velotechnik together with the vehicle and
needs to be handed out to the customer by
the dealer.The keeper of the Scorpion fs 26
must contract a motor vehicle liability insur­ance and will receive an insurance plate in do­ing so.

The operating licence already assures that the
S-Pedelec meets all legal requirements for tak­ing part in public traffic.The rider always has
to carry the operating licence while riding.

By the time this manual was edited the follow­ing regulations apply in Germany:You need to
have a driving licence class M (ever yone born
after 01.04.1965).It is not allowed to use bicy­cle lanes in towns/villages.You have to wear a
proper helmet.

Please inform about present regulations in
your country regarding driving licences,the
use of bicycle lanes,riding on paths away from
the road,wearing helmets etc.frequently.

Safety instructions (S-Pedelec)

The following parts are only allowed to be ex­changed by parts including design approval:

● tires (see p.58)

● rear mirror

The following parts may be exchanged by parts
recommended by HP V

ELOTECHNIK

:

● springs and dampers

● brake pads

● seat (BodyLink to ErgoMesh or ErgoMesh XL

and vice versa,not ErgoMesh HSor BodyLink
with long seat connection sheets)

● fenders

Parts with no exchange restrictions are the fol­lowing:

● gearing system,chain rings, sprockets

● scranks

● pedals (with reflectors incl.design approval)

● grips

● tubes

There is a “anti-manipulation label” mounted to
the vehicle which contains information about
some of the components that were defined du­ring the process of design approval. This label
must not be removed!

No alteration of parts

8

HP

Velotechnik

Safety instructions (S-Pedelec)

Danger! If any part is deformed (e.g. due to

an accident or overload),especially frame,
knuckles,handlebar, seat mountings,pedals,
cranks and brakes,it is not allowed to use it
any further or repair it.Do not try to
straighten bent parts. You must replace them
for your own safety.If you do not replace a
damaged part it can result in a total failure
of the part and you may be seriously in­jured!

Caution!You are not allowed to perform
any work on the parts of the tricycle,espe­cially frame, fork, handlebar and seat, which
might endanger their solidity.
These works include drilling holes,welding,
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 by direct damage or in­creased susceptibility to corrosion.

Identification plate

There is a identification plate fixed to the
frame which contains the most important in­formation about vehicle and manufacturer.This
plate must not be removed!

No riding without accumulator

According to the regulations in your country,
it might not be allowed to ride the Scorpion fs
26 S-Pedelec without a properly charged accu­mulator installed. The accumulator provides
electric energy for lighting system and brake
light. Without accumulator,these features will
not work (see also page 32).

HP

Velotechnik

Adjusting your new trike

9

Before the first ride:adjusting your
new Scorpion fs 26

Your position on the Scorpion fs26 is essential
for your riding comfort,well-being and effi­cient cycling. Therefore you should adjust the
frame, seat, handlebar and suspension to your
individual requirements.

In order to adapt the Scorpion as closely as
possible to your body dimensions and to find
your ideal position you need to adjust the
front boom,seat and handlebars.

If your trike is equipped with the optional
front boom-quickadjust,please read the in­structions in the seperate manual in addition
to the following 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 par t of the
frame where the cranks are mounted) in the
main frame. Unscrew the bolts M8x35 under
the main tube with a 6 mm Allen key.Take a
grip on the front derailleur tube or both
cranks and move the front boom further into
the frame or pull it out while cautiously turn­ing it.

Before you pull out the front boom shift the
chain to the smallest chain ring and sprocket.
Turn the cranks a little bit backwards while
pulling. Thus the chain is not under tension.

Adjusting the leg length

Danger!All procedures described here re-

quire a certain degree of skill,suitable tools
and mechanical aptitude.After any adjust­ment perform a static check and take a test
ride on a quiet street,away from traffic. If
you have any doubts please contact your lo­cal dealer.

Caution! After you have unscrewed the
clamping bolts take them off and examine
them for deformation.Lubricate threads and
heads thoroughly.Then re-fit the bolts.If
they don't turn easily you will have to re­place the bolts.

Unscrew the clamping bolts to adjust the front boom.

HP

Velotechnik

10

Adjust the front boom in 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 above 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 long it is difficult
to overcome this dead point,pedaling be­comes 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.

For riders with short leg length the front
boom has to be cut by a bicycle mechanic, so
it can be inserted maximum possible. 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.

The maximum insertion of the front boom is
limited by possible heel strike of the frame’s
cross bar,depending on the rider’s shoe size.
Please check before riding your trike that
there is enough heel clearance.For shorter
riders under 175 cm body height we recom­mend to use shorter cranks.

On the left underside of the front boom there
is a fine line.Align this line with the sticker on
the main tube’s front end right above the
clamping bolts to adjust the bottom bracket
axle to a horizontal position.Additionally, you
can look beyond the bottom bracket shell at
the rear wheel axle and align the front boom
parallel to it.Align your eyes with the bottom
bracket axle and not the front derailleur tube.
Then sit down on your tricycle and check the
position.

Tighten the bolts with a torque wrench (tight­ening torque 14–16 Nm).On your first ride
check whether there is sufficient clamping.

Adjusting the leg length

Adjust the front boon so that your knee will not be fully straight­ened when pedaling.

Danger!When you insert the front boom,
the front boom and the inner wall of the
tube must be totally free from grease,other­wise it will not clamp properly and may turn
while you are riding.

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. Please inform yourself about the
length of the front boom on your trike 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.

HP

Velotechnik

Adjusting your new trike

11

Danger! If the bolts are tightened too
much or bent,the screw or the frame can
break! If the clamping is insufficient the front
boom can turn during a ride which may
cause your feet to slip from the pedals and
lead to injuries.

Caution!The minimum insertion depth of
the front boom into the main frame is 8 cm
(3 1/5"). The end of the front boom must
not be visible in the clamping slot when you
look at the main frame from below, since
this may result in a damage of the frame.

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

Danger! There must be a bushing (a slotted
tube of plastic with edges to the front and
the clamping slot) in the main frame’s front
boom hole that is glued in the frame.This
bush ensures safe clamping of the front
boom and protects the paint.It is important
to take care that this bush is always visible
at the front end of the main frame. The low­er slot has to be aligned in coincidence with
the slot in the main frame. If this bush is
missing or moved to the back of the tube
while inserting the front boom,safe clamping
is no longer guaranteed,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 bush will
lead to frame damage.

The plastic bush between front boom and main frame must be
visible at all time.

If the bush is missing or not alligned properly or the screws are
tightened too much, the frame can break.!

HP

Velotechnik

12

After moving the bottom bracket tube your
dealer has to adjust the chain length.By default
the Scorpion fs 26 comes with a very long
chain so the adjustment range of the tricycle
can be fully used without the need to lengthen
the chain.

After the basic adjustment of the leg length
done by your dealer before handing over the
tricycle, the chain has to be shor tened so that
the derailleur cage is not fully turned forward
while shifting on the largest chain ring in front
and the smallest sprocket behind.The de­railleur must still be able to compensate 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.

After adjusting the front boom the gap in the
clamping slot between the front boom and the
main frame should be sealed 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 in order
to provide a slightly different position to your
muscles and ankles.You might also find a more
comfortable and more efficient riding position.

A wrong adjustment may lead to pain in your
knees and inefficient pedaling.In addition we
recommend to ride with a high pedalling ca­dence, which means to pedal fast and with lit­tle 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 leg length

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

Danger!After the chain has been short­ened it must be closed with a special closing
link or a chain riveting tool that expands the
rivet while riveting (i.e.R

OHLOFF- Revolver).

A poorly joined chain may break and thus
lead to damage or injury.Chain length ad­justments or chain changes should be done
by your bicycle mechanic.

Caution!Take care that the chain tubes
have a clearance of at least 5 cm (2") to the
rear derailleur and the front derailleur even
under maximum tension of the chain and
make sure that the tubes are held tight in
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 in touch with the rotat­ing chain rings it can be locked-up and de­stroyed. The chain tubes must be prevented
from moving by a rubber tube over the re­tention spring.

HP

Velotechnik

Adjusting your new trike

13

Adjusting the seat length

Your Scorpion fs 26 is equipped either with
the ErgoMesh

®

mesh seat or the adjustable

BodyLink

®

seat from HP VELOTECHNIK.

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 po­sition 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 po­sition.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 exist­ing seat.
The seat is too small when you have the im­pression 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 po­sition,or when you hit the upper seat edge
with the back of your head when you look up­wards.

Adjusting the seat length

Take off the seat cover (see page 57).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 in­ner side of the seat back with an allen key
SW4 a few turns.Step behind your trike and
hold the seat back with both hands.Pull or
push the seat back to achieve the preferred
seat length. To achieve the smallest possible
seat length,move the 2 upper screws from the
top to the middle holes.

Tighten all 4 screws with 5–6 Nm.Move the
seat back rest to the preferred angle and close
the quick release lever firmly. Reinstall the seat
cover

Length adjustment of the

Airflow cushion

The optional Airflow-cushion consits of two
parts, that connect in a V-type shape. Loosen
the velcro mounting of the upper part,and
place it in the desired position,than fasten the
velcro.

Adjusting the seat back angle

A great advantage of the BodyLink® seat on
your Scorpion fs 26 is the possibility to adjust
the seat back angle very quickly. For beginners
or rides in the city you can choose an upright
seat position for a better view, and for longer
rides you can choose a flat position for better
aerodynamics.

The seat back is fastened with a quick release
lever on a slotted aluminum seat mounting.You
can adjust the seat back angle by 10 degrees
by simply opening the quick release lever.In
the medium seat position the angle is about
35° from horizontal.

Adjusting the seat position

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 shells need to be seperated by self­adhesive plastic sheets and all contact sur­faces of seat and seat mountings and frame
need to be lubricated with grease.

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14

Adjusting the seat back angle is easy when you
push the seat back with your hands on the
backside close to the seat mounting into the
desired position.By pulling at the upper seat
edge, tension may be created which causes the
adjustment mechanism to lock up.

Because of the flexibility of the BodyLink

®

seat
and the special shape of the seat mountings,
the seat effectively pivots around a central ax­is,approximately in the area of the lower lum­bar vertebrae.This is the place where you sup­port most of your pedaling force while riding,
so this point determines the distance to the
pedals. The advantage of this design is that you
adjust the distance from the seat to the bot­tom bracket only once as described 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 sup­port 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 is not under inner
tension. Thus you need less force for the ad­justment.Push or pull the seat front edge firm­ly to 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.

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 suppor t in this area (lum­bar support) is adjustable by moving the seat
back and lower seat against each other.

To get more lumbar support,lower the seat
front edge and put the seat back in a more re­clined position.
To get less lumbar support,rise the front seat
edge and put the seat back more upright.
For maximum adjustment,loosen the 4 screws
for the seat length adjustment in the seat back.
Thus the lobes of the lower seat part can
move more easily into the desired shape.
Tighten the screws and quick releases as de­scribed above.

Adjustment of the head rest

Both seat types can be equipped with a head /
neckrest which is adjustable in height and an­gle. Use the long holes and the screw hidden
under the cushion (BodyLink-seat) or the
mounting clamp (ErgoMesh-seat) for setting up
the correct position.

Adjusting the seat position

Caution!The three quick releases have to

be closed firmly (tightening force 15-20 kg /
45 lbs) to safely hold the seat.You must not
open them while riding.After they have been
closed the imprint "close" must be visible. If
the quick releases are not properly tight­ened the seat can move while riding and you
may lose control over your tricycle.

Caution! Do not push or carry your trike
on the head rest,this may damage the head
rest or the seat!

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If the clamping screws are tightened too hard,
the handlebar may be deformed,and no prop­er clamping can be achieved.

Please take care that the clamping area of the
stem is thoroughly trimmed and there are no
sharp edges which may cause handlebar failure.

While riding you should allow your arms to
rest in a relaxed position on the handlebars.
Do not push or pull on the handlebars.If the
handlebars turn in the stem clamping during
the ride stop immediately and tighten the
clamping screw of the handlebars.If the han­dlebars are not sufficiently clamped the han­dlebars or the stem may be damaged or de­formed.In this case, safe clamping can no
longer be guaranteed,not even with the cor­rect tightening torque,and handlebars and
stem have to be replaced.

Your bike shop can supply a special fitting lu­bricant that increases friction between handle­bar and stem.

Adjusting your new trike

15

Adjusting the handlebars

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.

The handlebar consists of two parts. They are
mounted to the stem by a slotted clamp on
each side.The adjustment range in width is 3.5
cm on each side, giving a total range of 7 cm
(aprox.2 ¾").

Most riders are comfortable with a 85° angle
so that the bent grips point upwards and
slightly forward.The more upright the grip po­sition and the narrower the handlebar width,
the larger the minimum possible turning circle
as the handlebars touch your legs or the seat
earlier.

In order to change the angle or the width,
loosen the screws of the stem/handlebar
clamping.Move the handlebars until they are in
your favourite position.Tighten the clamping
screws with

8–10 Nm. Check the correct

clamping of the handlebars by sitting down on
your trike and pulling the handlebars.Doing so
the handlebars must not turn in the stem.

Danger! If the handlebar grips are adjusted
pointing too far forward or too wide,your
hands or the brake levers can touch the
front wheels or mudguards when cornering
sharp,leading to injury.Make sure you have
at least 5 cm (2“) clearance between brake
levers and front wheels / mudguards at all
steering angles.

Caution! If the handlebar grips are adjusted
pointing to far forward,the handlebar can
touch and damage the track rods when cor­nering sharp.Make sure the handlebars con­tact your legs or the seat first before touch­ing the track rods.Damages track rods must
be replaces.

Handlebar width and angle are adjusted with the clamp at the
stem under the main frame.

Caution! Do not exceed the handlebar
width over the „Max“ mark,otherwise a
safe clamping is not possible.

In case your Scorpion fs 26 is equipped with
long handlebars,there is a screw as well as a
quick release at the left handlebar’s clamp.
When folding the bike you need to loosen the
quick release and swivel the left handlebar to
the front.The tightening torque for clamping
screw and quick release’s screw is the same as
mentioned above.

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Adjusting the cable length

You can make smaller adjustments by moving
the cables in their guides at the frame and the
stem,so there is enough clearance for all
movements.If this is not the case you will have
to have your specialist dealer shor ten the ca­bles or replace them by longer ones.

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 comfort­able any more. The grips always need to be at­tached firmly to the handlebar.

16

Adjusting the handlebars

Caution! After having adjusted the handle-

bar position you have to readjust the length
of the brake cables and shifter cables.The
cables have to run smoothly without any
sharp turns and they should not be bent
sharply or stretched when the handlebar is
at maximum angle. Also avoid large bows
that could be caught up by the front wheels
or other parts or touch objects under your
trike.

Caution!When getting on and off the trike,
make sure to avoid pulling at the handle bars
or stepping on the tie rods.To get off the
trike,sit upright on the front seat edge and
then stand up.Grip the front wheels or the
seat back as an extra support, not the han­dlebars.If you pull firmly at the handlebars,
the steering mechanism can be damaged.

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Adjusting your new trike

17

Adjusting the suspension

Purpose of suspension adjustment

Your Scorpion fs 26 is suspended on all three
wheels. This system compensates bumps on
the road to make riding more comfor table and
to reduce stress for your tricycle .

A well-adjusted suspension improves the trac­tion of your tricycle on uneven roads.
Especially when riding in a bend this allows a
higher speed and also improves 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:

● 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

● avoiding self enf orcing oscillations, that means

increasing oscillations of the suspension
system due to pedaling influence, rhythmic
body movements or permanent wavy
underground

Suspension and damping

The suspension system of the rear swing arm
consists of a spring and a damper.

Often,the terms suspension and damping are
used inaccurate in everyday language.

The spring is the elastic element that com­presses and expands due to the the load
changes,which e.g. occur on bumpy roads.
While expanding,the spring releases the same
energy it took to compress it.

The rear swing arm is suspended with a steel
coil spring in the standard version.The option­al rear shock DT-S

WISS XM180 uses air as

spring medium.
The damper slows down the process of com-

pression and expansion. That means the tricy­cle does not immediately "spring" back to the
initial position or even further than that after
having passed a bump. The damper converts
spring energy into friction and finally into heat,
and thus takes away energy from the suspen­sion system. The damper prevents the spring
from swinging uncontrolled after an initial
stimulation.In addition,the damper helps to
avoid self enforcing oscillations of the suspen­sion caused by recurrent stimulation like ped­aling forces within a crank revolution or the
rhythmic up and down movement of the legs.

In case you have mounted the optional suspen­sion element DT-S

WISS XM180, the hydraulic

damping of the rear suspension is adjustable.

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18

You should always set the damping as low as
possible to give the tricycle the possibility to
quickly react even to several bumps in a row.

You can ride the Scorpion fs 26 with a consid­erably lower damping rate than for example a
MTB:due to the relaxed and steady position of
the body the recumbent does not experience
extreme 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
tricycle due to the No Squat design of the sus­pension system of the Scorpion fs 26.So when
you adjust the damping,always start with a low
damping rate.

It is necessary to choose the correct spring
stiffness 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 "lbs./inch" (Pounds per Inch).
Sometimes you only find "lbs." printed on the
springs.

The spring stiffness of the optional air shock
DT-S

WISS XM180 is set by adjusting the air

pressure.
The suspension is designed in a way that the

spring is compressed partly when you sit
down on your tricycle. This is called negative
suspension travel (or "sag") and it enables the
spring to expand 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 sus­pended recumbent trike.

Adjusting to load

The luggage carrier of the Scorpion fs 26 is
mounted to the suspended part of the frame.
That way your luggage is also fully suspended
and it spares the material.Most notably, even
under heavy load the suspension will
compensate an uneven road much better and
quicker compared to a design where the
luggage carrier is mounted to the unsuspended
parts, e .g. the rear swing arm.

Additional luggage changes the load on the
wheels and their suspension. The springs are
further compressed initially through the load
and there is less suspension travel for bumps
while riding.Your suspension will bottom out
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 there is 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 adjusting the preload can com­pensate for a load change of approx.10 kg (23
lbs) at the rear wheel.In case of higher vari­ations in the load you will have to exchange
the spring with a spring with different spring
rate. In practice you can often do without it:
the Scorpion fs 26 offers a lot of suspension
travel for a touring trike (80 mm rear /60mm
front).When you choose the spring rate to
have the full 80 mm at your disposal when
your recumbent is under maximum load,you
will have a somewhat smaller but still ver y
comfortable suspension travel when you ride
without luggage.The optional air shock DT­S

WISS XM180 can be easily pumped up to

compensate load increases.

Adjusting the suspension

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Steel spring rear shock

The preload determines how far the suspen­sion compresses when you are sitting on the
tricycle while standing still.

For maximum riding comfort the suspension
should compress by about 30% of the total
suspension travel while you sit on the tricycle
in driving position.

For that purpose measure the distance be­tween the two suspension element bolts or
between rear rack and rear wheel while the
trike is unloaded as well as while sitting on the
tricycle in riding position.Also take into ac­count possible luggage. Find out the total sus­pension travel possible for your tricycle 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 suspension trav­el.

You can affect this negative suspension travel
depending on how much you weigh and how
much you load your trike either by adjusting
the suspension pre-load for fine tuning or by
replacing the spring with a spring with a differ­ent stiffness in the rough tuning.

In order to adjust the suspension pre-load
turn the adjustment ring on the threaded part
of the suspension element by hand. Turning the
adjustment ring clockwise (looking at it from
behind) reduces the preload,turning it coun­terclockwise you screw the adjustment ring
towards the spring and increase the suspen­sion pre-load.It is helpful to turn the spring
together with the adjustment ring.

Adjusting your new trike

19

Adjusting the rear suspension ele­ment

For the rear suspension of the Scorpion fs 26
a spring element is combined with a hydraulic
damping unit in a suspension element. The
damping results from fluid friction of an oil
flowing through thin holes of a 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 only very
carefully.

The Scorpion fs 26 comes standard with a
steel spring rear shock.As an option you can
get the air shock DT-S

WISS XM180 that uses

air as spring medium.

Danger! While adjusting the rear suspen­sion element never load the tricycle e.g.by
resting on the seat or loading the rear rack
when your hands or tools are close to the
suspension element.Your hands may get
caught and squeezed when the suspension
compresses.

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 suspen­sion element to your dealer.

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20

Adjusting the suspension

The adjustment ring should be turned not
more than five turns (measured from the re­laxed position) towards the spring.If the sus­pension compresses still too far even after six
turns,the spring is too soft and has to be re­placed by a harder spring. A too high preload
with a too soft spring will not take advantage
of the full comfort potential.

You can find more information on changing
springs in this manual under "Maintenance and
Care",page 46.

Steel spring suspension element with fixed damping rate.

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

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 possi­ble (before this,push the possibly existing
safety spring ring from its slot in the thread­ed section as far as possible).Have a second
person sit down on the tricycle and make
the suspension bottom out by leaning on
the seat or the rear rack.

If the distance between the wheel or mud­guard and the frame,seat, or rear rack is
smaller than 1 cm you will have to mount an
additional spacer. In case you don't, the mud­guard may break suddenly or the rear wheel
might be blocked which can lead to serious
crashes.

Danger!The adjustment ring has always to
be screwed on so far that the spring has no
play when unloaded.Otherwise the adjust­ment ring could come loose through shocks
while riding and the slotted rear spring re­tention disc comes off.In that case the sus­pension element may be damaged or the
rear wheel can hit the frame or rear rack,
which may lead to serious falls.
Always have an initial preload of at least half
a turn on the spring.

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Adjusting your new trike

21

Air shock DT.S

WISS XM180

Please follow the instructions in the separate
manual provided by 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 be­haviour.This means that the air shock gets
progressively harder,e.g. it is much stiffer when
fully compressed than when only slightly com­pressed.

The advantage of this progressive spring be­haviour 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. The valve is protect­ed by a metal valve cap.

To pump up the air shock you need a special
air pump designed for bicycle air shocks.It
must feature a fitting schrader valve adaptor
and a pressure indicator.

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

Recommended pressure settings

load pressure

up to 80 kg (183 lbs) 7.5 bar
up to 110 kg (242 lbs) 9.0 bar
up to 140 kg (308 lbs) 10.5 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 sit down on the tricycle and
make the suspension bottom out by pushing
on the seat or the rear rack.

If the distance between the wheel or mud­guard and the frame,seat or rear rack is
smaller than 1 cm you will have to have your
trike dealer mount an additional spacer in­side 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.

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22

Adjusting the suspension

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 damp­ing 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 tempera­tures,which can be compensated through a
change in the damper setting.

Please note that you can seriously spoil the
riding comfort by a bad damper setting,espe­cially caused by unsystematic playing with the
knobs that may result in much to high damping
values.In the worst case the suspension ele­ment will neither compress nor decompress.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 Scorpion fs 26
also increases your riding safety.

A higher damping value prolongs the time until
the decompression movement is finished.Only
then can the suspension compensate the next
shock with the full suspension travel.
Therefore,when you ride on very bumpy
streets with shocks that occur fast in a row
you might want to use a lower damping value.

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 compress­es the suspension by pushing the tricycle down
while you are sitting on the tricycle in the rid­ing position. The other person can then ob­serve the suspension movements.

In order to adjust the damping during decom­pression,turn the 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 decom­pression. Turning the knob in direction of the
„+“ will give you more damping and thus slow­er decompression.

Air Shock DT-Swiss XM180 Damping ist adjusted with the red
knob at the rear end.The shock must be installed with the loc k­out lever on the backside facing down to avoid a collision
between lever and frame when the suspension is moving.

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Adjusting your new trike

23

Adjusting the front suspension

In addition to the suspended rear swing arm,
the Scorpion fs 26 is equipped with a suspend­ed front axle.It is designed as a so called
McPherson strut.That means, the left (or right)
suspension strut's upper end is supported in
the frame while it is linked to a single wish­bone on its bottom end. The front wheel is di­rectly attached to the suspension strut,which
is the knuckle at the same time.

Inside the suspension strut a steel spring is
combined with MCU-elastomers. The front
suspension is damped by friction between
stanchion tube and a circular elastomer band
situated between the bushings as well as by
friction inside the elastomers.

To decrease body roll in during fast cornering
and to provide high comfort at the same time,
the front axle is equipped with a stabilizer bar.
This bar is linked elastically with both wish­bones and the main frame.As the stabilizer bar
works as a torsional spring,it supports the
outside wheel's suspension while cornering.

For maximum comfort,30% of the suspension
travel should be used when you sit on your
trike in a normal driving position (the same is
valid for the rear suspension).For the
Scorpion fs 26 front suspension,this means 20
mm of travel (so called "sag").

Your Scorpion has reached a sag of 20 mm
when the upper edge of the knuckle which
you can feel underneath the shock boot coin­cides with the lower edge of the headtubes of
the main frame. You can fine tune this sag ac­cording to your weight and your additional
luggage by adjusting the preload of the springs.
To change the spring rate in a wider range , you
can replace the steel spring or interchange
elastomers and spacers inside the suspension
struts.For further instructions, please see the
chapter "Maintenance and Care" on page 48.

To adjust the preload of the front suspension,
unscrew the strut end cap using a hex key size

5.Now the preload adjuster is visible, which
can be turned by a hex key size 5,too.

Turn the preload adjuster counter clockwise
to decrease preload,turn it clockwise to in­crease preload.The maximum depth is limited,
so stop turning when resistance rises suddenly.
After adjusting,place the cap on the strut and
tighten it gently (1-2Nm).

The damping rate can be altered by exchanging
the elastomer bands inside the suspension
struts,see “Removing and disassembling the
suspension struts” on page 51.

Danger!While adjusting the front suspen­sion,never load the tricycle, e.g. by resting
on the seat or loading the racks when your
hands or tools are close to the suspension
struts.Your hands may be bruised when the
suspension compresses.

Danger!The mounted spring is under ten­sion.Do not remove the preload adjuster
when adjusting the spring preload.Make
sure the adjusting disc's thread is fully
screwed into the stanchion tube.Otherwise
it may become loose and hurt you.