HP Velotechnik Speedmachine Operating Instruction and Service Manual
Operating manual
and service instructions
NEW
recumbent
technology
2011
HPVelotechnik
August 2011
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 – 11
Adjusting the handlebars – 13
Adjusting the suspension – 16
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
How to ride correctly and safely – 26
Quick release levers, Seat – 27
Brakes – 28
Gear system – 30
Light system – 31
Prop stand – 32
Content
-
HP
Velotechnik
Maintenance and care
Wear and tear – 33
Brakes – 33
Gear system – 35
Chain – 36
Chain tubes – 38
Chain roller – 40
Suspension fork – 41
Rear suspension element – 46
Swing arm pivot – 48
Seat cushion – 49
Water bottle cage – 50
Mudguards – 51
Wheels – 51
Cleaning and conservation – 52
Storing the bicycle – 54
Screws and bolts – 54
Tightening torques for screws – 55
Warranty Pass
Warranty – 56
Warranty Pass – 57
Service Plan – 58
Proofs of service – 62
Revision August 2011. For latest product information, please check out our website at
www.hpvelotechnik.com. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
HP V
ELOTECHNIK
Bleichstrasse 5
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 bike designed by
HP VELOTECHNIK and congratulations on the purchase of your
new Speedmachine! With the Speedmachine, a high-quality
sports 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.Your recumbent
bike is designed with the latest bicycle 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 Speedmachine 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 56.)
This guide helps you to keep your Speedmachine in perfect
condition 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 Pulvermüller
and the HP V
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 Speedmachine with
standard parts from the series production of
HP VELOTECHNIK.
On special demand HP V
ELOTECHNIK delivers
frame kits to put a specialist dealer in a position to assemble a bicycle 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 bicycle
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 do read them carefully.
General safety instructions
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 responsible manner. If you ride your HP V
ELOTECHNIK
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 required. Do not ride with only one brake working!
Please contact your local dealer to find out
about your legal obligations.
General safety instructions
Intended use
Your Speedmachine is a bicycle for the use on
streets and surfaced roads.
This bicycle 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
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 latest you will have to take your bicycle to a bicycle mechanic for the first service. Please
record this first service and the tasks performed in the warranty pass on page 57.This
first service is the prerequisite for further use
of the bicycle and for your warranty claims.
4
HP
Velotechnik
Load capacity
The maximum load (rider + luggage) is 130 kg
(286 lbs).The maximum total weight (bicycle +
rider + luggage) is 150 kg (330 lbs).The lower
limit is valid. 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 lbs).
Carrying luggage
Luggage transport is only allowed with the
special rear racks or lowrider racks offered by
HP Velotechnik .The maximum load of the
rear rack is 25 kg (57 lbs), the maximum load
of the lowrider rack is 25 kg (57 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 (app.
1
/2") distance between the rear tire (or mudguard) and the rear rack. In order to adjust
this distance you can clip spacers onto the piston rod of the spring at the rear end between
the spring retention disc and the bottom-out
elastomer.These spacers are available from
your local HP Velotechnik dealer.You will find
further information in the chapter on suspension adjustment on page 20.
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 more stable performance.
You can also improve 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 your panniers and hang them
on the lowrider racks.
Be careful that your luggage on the rack 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.
We recommend waterproof bicycle bags by
the German manufacturer O
RTLIEB.You can buy
them with extra large hooks matching the
oversized tubes of the rack.You can also refit
those largs hooks later.
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 object.With the kickstand alone it is not possible
to safely park a bicycle loaded with luggage, it
could fall down and be damaged.
General Safety Instructions
General safety instructions
5
HP
Velotechnik
Transport in the car
The best way of transporting your bicycle 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 bicycle at the frame only.
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 Speedmachine 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 up to 40 kg
(88 lbs) with the Speedmachine.We recommend to assemble it with the W
EBER-coupling
Type E.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 Speedmachine.We advise you to generally ask your dealer before you mount any
special parts or accessories to your bicycle.
Take care that the handlebar and the suspension always stay mobile.You may 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 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
We advise you against using front fairings for
the Speedmachine, since the high position of
the bottom bracket impairs the vision over a
fairing to the front.
Please take into account that any fairing makes
the bicycle more prone to crosswind influences. In strong wind or gusts of wind unsafe
situations may occur, please take off the fairing
in such weather conditions before the ride.
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 a damage may not be
noticed immediately.
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
HP
Velotechnik
Replacement of parts
The replacement of parts relevant for safety
(especially brakes, lighting 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!
No alteration of parts
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 performed a test ride. Please make sure that this
pre-delivery service is recorded in the warranty document at the end of this manual.
All screws must be checked and tightened, especially on the handlebar, stem, fork, swing arm
pivot and wheels. Please follow the tightening
torque settings listed in the table on page 55.
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
General Safety Instructions
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!
Caution! You are not allowed to perform
any work on the parts of the bicycle, especially frame, fork, handlebar and seat, which
might endanger their solidity.
These works include drilling holes, welding,
brazing, painting 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.
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 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 55 in
this manual.
Adjusting your new bike
7
HP
Velotechnik
Before the first ride: adjusting your
new Speedmachine
The seating position is essential for your riding
comfort, well-being and efficient cycling on the
Speedmachine.Therefore you should adjust the
frame, seat, handlebar and suspension to your
individual requirements.
In order to adapt the Speedmachine as closely
as possible to your body dimensions and to
find the ideal seating position you need to adjust the front boom, seat and handlebars.
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 both screws M8x35 under the main
tube with an 6 mm Allen key.Take a grip on
both cranks and move the front boom 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! In case of wrong adjustment your
legs will bump against the handlebar.You may
hence hurt yourselves or even loose control
over the bicycle and fall!
Danger! All procedures described here require a certain degree of skill, suitable tools
and mechanical aptitude.After any adjustment perform a static check and take a testride 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.
8
HP
Velotechnik
In order to check the adjustments have another person hold the bicycle while you are sitting 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 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 or your legs bump on the handlebar.
For riders with a short leg length the front
boom has to be cut by a bicycle mechanic, so
that it can 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.
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 bicycle 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
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 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 won’t clamp properly and turn while
you are riding.
Adjusting your new bike
9
HP
Velotechnik
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 important 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 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 spacer will lead to a
frame damage.
The rear end of the front boon may never be visible in the
clamping slot.
The plastic spacer between front boom and main frame must be
visible at all time.
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 a dangerous fall.
If the spacer is missing or not alligned properly or the screws are
tightened too much, the frame can break.!
10
HP
Velotechnik
When moving the bottom bracket tube your
dealer has to adjust the chain length. By default
the Speedmachine comes with a very long
chain so that the adjustment range of the bicycle 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 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 you have adjusted the front boom you
should seal the gap in the clamping slot between 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. (The clamped
tube has to stay grease free, see above).
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 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 pedaling cadence, which means to pedal fast and with little pressure. Pedaling 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
Danger! After the chain has been short-
ened it has to be closed with a special closing 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.
Check that thre is at least a 5 cm (2")clearance between the
end of the chain tube and other parts of the drive train.
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 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.
Adjusting your new bike
11
HP
Velotechnik
Adjusting the seat position
Adjusting the seat length
Your Speedmachine 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 49). 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 bike 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 mount of the upper part, and place
it in the desired position, than fasten the velcro.
Adjusting the seat back angle
A big advantage of the BodyLink® seat on your
Speedmachine is that you can 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 mount.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
33° from horizontal.
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 selfadhesive plastic sheets and all contact surfaces of seat and seat mounts and frame
need to be lubricated with grease.
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HP
Velotechnik
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 mechanism.
Because of the flexibility of the BodyLink
®
seat
and the special cam shape of the seat mounts,
the seat effectively pivots around a central axis, approximately in the area of the lower lumbar vertebrae.This is the place where you support the biggest part 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 has no inner tension.
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.
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 (lumbar 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 reclined 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.
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.
Caution! The three quick releases have to
be closed firmly (tightening force 15-20 kg /
45 lbs) to safely hold the seat.You are not
allowed to open them while riding.After
they have been closed the imprint "close"
must be visible. If the quick releases are not
tightened appropriately the seat can move
while riding so that you may no more be
able to control your bicycle.
Caution! Do not push or carry your bike
on the head rest, this could damage the
head rest or your seat!
Adjusting your new bike
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HP
Velotechnik
Adjusting the above seat steering
There are two versions of above seat steering
available for the Speedmachine: Tiller steering
(pictured) and Aerobar steering. Both feature a
length-adjustable stem which fixes the handlebars to the fork.
The stem has three clamping connections
where the tubes are slotted and connected
with a clamping screw.The connections are in
particular the connection stem/fork, the connection of the upper half of the stem with the
lower part of the stem for telescopic adjustment of the length, and the connection
stem/handlebar.
Danger! Every time you undo one of the
clamping connections you have to check the
clamping screw.You also have to check the
welded-on thread nut.The thread must not
be damaged and the screw must turn easily.
Once a year you have to dismount the
screw completely and check it. In case of
damage or deformation you have to change
the clamping screw immediately.When you
refit the screw it has to be lubricated carefully and tightened with the required tightening torque (see table on page 55).
In case you tighten the screws too much the
clamping may deform and break.When you
bend the screws while tightening they may
break and the clamping can loosen.When
you tighten the screws with an insufficient
tightening torque the clamping does not
reach the necessary strength and this can
result in a twisting of the handlebar or the
stem while riding.All these assembly errors
can lead to dangerous falls!
Adjusting the handlebars
On the stem you will find 3 clamping screws for adjustment.
At first align the stem parallel to the front
wheel. For this purpose loosen the lower
clamping screw M8 with an Allen key SW6.
Get on your bike, secure the front wheel with
your feet and bring the stem into line.Tighten
the screw with a tightening torque of 13-14
Nm. Check the safe clamping by trying to twist
the stem against the front wheel. Due to the
manufacturing process the upper end of the
short tube which is attached onto the fork's
steerer tube is slightly oval, this is not a defect.
With the tiller steering, the grips of the handlebar should show to the front in riding direction, away from the rider.This results in the
most comfortable position to grip the handlebar since all you have to do is "hook in" your
hands to the handlebar.This position allows for
easy cornering as it gives the rider the most
space between handlebar and belly.
The adjustable stem should preferably be set
to the shortest possible position while taking
care that the legs don't touch the handlebars
when riding.To check this make sure that you
you have correctly adjusted the leg length as
described above and sit down on your bicycle.
Now, by loosening the clamping screw a little
bit you can adjust the length of the stem.
Adjusting the under seat steering
handlebars
Your Speedmachine with under seat steering is
equipped with an „indirect“ steering.The handlebars are supported by a stem that pivots in
the frame.The front fork is connected to the
stem by a connection rod.
Horiz
ontal alignment of the handlebars
The stem is made of two parts that telescopically slide into each other.The connection is
made by 2 clamping screws. Loosen both
clamping screws, sit on the bike and align the
handlebars horizontally, so that both bar ends
are at same height.Tighten both clamping
screws with 6–8 Nm.
Check the safe clamping by trying to turn the
handlebars in the stem.This should only be
possible with high forces.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, the turning
cycle will increase as the handlebars contact
the frame or lowrider earlier.
Alignment of the handlebar
s to the wheel
Remove the screw between rear connection
rod end and stem. Loosen the counterlock nut
at the rod end.Adjust the steering rod length
by screwing the rod end in or out to align the
handlebars perpendicular to the front wheel.
Adjust both rod ends parallel to each other.
Make sure that the centerline of the connection rod is in a plane perpendicular to the
ground, i.e. parallel to the frame.Tighten the
counterlock nut against the steering rod with
6–8 Nm.
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Pull the handlebar together with the upper
part of the stem towards yourself so that
there is enough room between your thighs
and the handlebar for pedaling.Then check the
clamping screw as described above and tighten
the screw.
Tightening torques:
length adjustment screw M8
(Allen key 6 mm ) 8–10 Nm
handlebar clamping screws M6
(Allen key 5 mm) 6–8 Nm
Adjusting the handlebars
Danger! Only pull out the stem so far as
not to fall below the minimum insertion
depth of 4 cm (1
3
/4"). In no case may the
lower end of the inserted tube be visible in
the clamping slot! When the stem is pulled
out too far the clamping may be damaged or
the stem may come loose while riding,
which can result in a dangerous fall.
The end of the upper stem half must not be visible in the clamping slot.
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 become visible in the clamping slot.
Position the rear rod end on top of the mount
at the stem and reassemble the screw and selfsecuring nut with 6–8 Nm. Check the correct
assembly of the indirect steering by turning
the handlebars in both directions until the
handlebars make contact with frame.The rod
ends must moove freely without hitting the
frame or getting twisted.
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.
To change the angle, loosen the screws of the
handlebar clamping.Turn the handlebars until
they are in your favourite position. Check that
the stem clamps the handlebars exactly in the
center.Tighten the clamping screws with 6–8
Nm. Check the correct clamping of the handlebars by sitting down on your bike and
pulling the handlebars. Doing so the handlebar
must not turn.
Please take care that the clamping area of the
stem is thoroughly trimmed and does not
show 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 handlebars turn in the stem clamping during the ride
stop immediately and tighten the clamping
screw of the handlebars.
Adjusting your new bike
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Danger! The adaptor for the connection of
front rod end and front fork must be seated
firmly in the slots of the outer steering tube
and be firmly secured between adjustment
ring and counter lock ring. Before every
ride, check that there is no play in the steering system. Play will destroy your front fork
and lead to unsecure riding conditions.
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
safe clamping can no longer be guaranteed,
even with the correct tightening torque, and
handlebars and stem have to be exchanged.
Adjusting the cable length
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 mobile 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 protection stickers
or 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 anymore.The grips always need to be attached firmly to the handlebar.
Caution! After adjusting the handlebar position 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 other
parts.
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Purpose of the adjustment of the
suspension
Your Speedmachine is fitted with a rear swing
arm for the suspension of the rear wheel and
optionally with a suspension fork for the front
wheel.This system compensates slight bumps
on the road so that riding is comfortable and
strain on your bicycle is reduced.
A well-adjusted suspension improves the traction of your bicycle on uneven roads.
Especially when cornering this allows a higher
speed and also increases 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 enforcing 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 systems of the suspension fork
and the rear swing arm are fitted with the actual spring and a seperate damper. Often, the
terms suspension and damping are used inappropriately in everyday language.
The spring is the elastic element that compresses and decompresses through the load
which occurs on bumpy roads.While decompressing the spring releases the same energy it
has stored during compression.
The Speedmachine is fitted with coil springs of
steel at the suspension fork and the rear fork
swing arm.The optional rear shock DT-S
WISS
XM180 uses air as spring medium.
The damper slows down the process of compression and decompression.That means that
the bicycle 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.This way 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 system 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 suspension fork of the Speedmachine is
dampened through a friction damper in the
fork, the rear suspension through a hydraulic
damping unit. Some models have an adjustable
damping.
Adjusting the suspension
Adjusting to load
The luggage rack of the Speedmachine 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 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 suspension
system is more compressed through the load.
That way, there is less suspension 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
there is an influence on the front wheel.
In order to compensate the variations in the
load you can change the preload. For details
see the following chapter.
Theoretically this 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 would have to exchange the spring for another spring with another spring stiffness. In
practice you can often do without it: the
Speedmachine offers with 60 mm a lot of suspension travel for a sports bike. When you
choose the spring stiffness so that the full 60
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-S
WISS XM180 can
be easily pumped up to compensate load.
Adjusting your new bike
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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 Speedmachine with a considerably lower damping 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
bicycle due to the No Squat design of the suspension system of the Speedmachine. 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 compresses considerably when you
mount your bicycle.This is called negative suspension travel (or "sag") and enables the suspension 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 recumbent bike designed by HP
V
ELOTECHNIK.
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Caution! When you turn the cap take care
that it is always screwed into the outer tube
with at least 5 complete turns.To check unscrew the cap completely anti-clockwise.
Then put the cap back on the outer tube
and tighten it at least by 5 threads. In no
case may the threaded lower end of the cap
be visible.This thread passes on the total
load of the front wheel to the frame. In case
you don't take care of the minimum threaded depth the thread can come off and destroy your fork permanently.
Do not turn the cap as far as it will go into
the outer tube, there has always to be a
small gap of at least half a turn.Thus you
have an adjusting range of 3,5 turns.
Adjusting the suspension: suspension fork
Adjust the damping to the smallest value possible.That way the fork reacts sensitively and
stable. In case of high damping rate the suspension can rub and compress not as smoothly as
with low damping rate.The up and down
movement of the legs while pedaling can make
the fork oscillate at certain pedaling frequencies and certain leg lengths; you can reduce
this influence by choosing a higher damping
rate.
Caution! After having adjusted the damping
rate you have to tighten the lower clamping
of the stem as described in the chapter
"Adjusting the handlebar", see page 13.
Adjusting the suspension fork
The front fork of the Speedmachine comes
with a "Concept S2" suspension system.The
suspension travel is about 54 mm.The fork
features a simple adjustment of the damping
and exchangeable steel springs.
Adjusting the damping of the suspension
fork
To adjust the damping you turn the threaded
cap at the upper end of the fork.The damping
results from friction between an elastomer
ring that lies between the outer tube and the
inner fork steerer tube. By tightening the cap
the elastomer ring is compressed, the friction
to the side walls of the inner fork steerer tube
is increased and thus gives more damping.
Both compression and rebound damping are
affected at the same time by turning the cap.
In order to adjust the damping you have to undo the clamping screw of the stem.Afterwards
you can turn the cap either by hand. If you
look at it from above the damping increases
while turning clockwise, it decreases while
turning anti-clockwise.
After unduing the stem clamping, you can adjust the damping.
Adjusting your new bike
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If the spring stiffness should not meet your requirements you can order a spring with another spring stiffness through your dealer and
have it mounted there.
For more information for your specialist dealer on changing springs, see "Maintenance and
Care" on page 41.
You can distinguish the dismounted springs by
their color:
medium, 19 N/mm: black
hard, 24 N/mm, red
(Values are valid for Concept-Suspension from
10/2005 on.)
Choosing the spring stiffness of the
suspension fork
Your suspension fork comes standard with a
medium spring that covers a wide range of
load and riding styles.The preload is fixed to
about 3 mm.
In order to follow our advice for about 30%
compression of the suspension while mounting
the bike (negative travel) , the suspension
should compress by 14-18 mm.To check this
value you will need a second person and a
ruler. First measure the distance between fork
and frame.
Let the second person hold the bicycle while
you sit down on the bike and put your feet on
the pedals. Now have the second person
measure the distance at the same spot.
The value taken should be smaller by 14-18
mm than the value taken before. Repeat this
several times and calculate an average value.
Due to the stiction caused by the friction
damping of the fork and the low preload the
fork will not always spring back to its initial
position when compressed by hand. However,
it will while you are actually riding and the full
suspension travel is used.
Measuring is easier when you set the damping
rate of the suspension fork to a small amount.
It is not important to exactly follow the recommended values for the negative travel,
rather follow your feeling how the bicycle behaves during a ride, depending on the road situation.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 suspension travel.
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Adjusting the suspension: rear swing arm
Adjusting the rear suspension element
For the rear suspension of the Speedmachine
a spring element is combined with a hydraulic
damping unit in a suspension element.The
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 don’t touch the suspension element directly after
a ride.
The Speedmachine comes standard with a
steel spring rear shock D
NM DV-22.As an op-
tion you can get the air shock DT-SWISS
XM180 that uses air as spring medium.
Danger! While adjusting the rear suspension element never load the bicycle e.g.
through resting on the seat or loading the
rear rack when your hands or tools are close to the suspension element. Otherwise
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.
Steel spring rear shock DNM DV-22
The preload determines how far the suspension 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 compress
by about 30% of the total suspension travel
while you mount the bicycle in driving position.
For that purpose measure (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 sitting on the bicycle in riding position.Also take
into account possible luggage. Find out the total suspension travel possible for your bicycle,
depending on the mounted add-on parts and
clips on the piston rod.The static compression
should 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 bike either by adjusting
the suspension preload for fine tuning or by
replacing the spring by a spring with a different
stiffness in the rough tuning.
In order to adjust the suspension preload 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 preload, turning
it anti-clockwise you screw the adjustment
ring towards the spring and increase the spring
preload. It is helpful to turn the spring together with the adjustment ring.
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