HP Velotechnik Spirit User Manual
Operating Manual and
Service Instructions
NEW
recumbent-
technology
2009
HPVelotechnik
August 2009
HP
Velotechnik
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
Quick Releases – 7
Adjusting your new bike
Adjusting the leg length – 9
Adjusting the seat angle – 10
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
Do not pull on the handlebars – 27
How to ride correctly and safely – 26
Brakes – 28
Gear system – 30
Light system – 31
Prop stand – 32
Table of contents
-
Maintenance and care
Wear and Tear – 33
Brakes – 33
Gear system – 35
Chain – 36
Chain tubes – 38
Chain roller – 40
Headset – 43
Rear suspension element – 45
Swing arm pivot – 47
Seat – 48
Water bottle cage – 49
Mudguards – 50
Wheels – 51
Cleaning and conservation – 52
Storing the bicycle – 54
Screws and bolts – 54
Tightening torques for screws – 55
Warranty – 56
Warranty pass
Warranty pass – 57
Service plan – 58
Proofs of service – 62
Revision August 2009. For latest product information, please check out our website at
www.hpvelotechnik.com. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
HP V
ELOTECHNIK
Elisabethenstrasse 1
65830 Kriftel / Germany
Tel. ++49 (0) 61 92 - 97 99 2-0
Fax ++49 (0) 61 92 - 91 02 18
HP
Velotechnik
thank you for buying a recumbent by HP VELOTECHNIK and con-
gratulations on the purchase of your new Spirit! With the Spirit,
a high-quality luxury bike, you will enjoy many years of exhilarating riding pleasure.
Your security 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
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 Sprit 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 Spirit 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 HP V
ELOTECHNIK team
1
Introduction
Dear customer,
HP
Velotechnik
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 Spirit 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 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
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
HP
Velotechnik
3
Legal requirements
When you ride your bike on public roads 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.
As an addition, we recommend to mount a flag
on a pole for better visibility in traffic.
The safety equipment on your bike must be
checked before every ride and maintained in
proper condition.
General safety instructions
Intended use
Your Spirit 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
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 bicycle to a bicycle mechanic for the first service. Please record this first service and the works performed in the warranty pass on page 57.The first
service is the prerequisite for further use of
the bicycle and for your warranty claims.
HP
Velotechnik
4
Load capacity
The maximum load (rider + luggage) is 130 kgs
(286 lbs.).The maximum total weight (bicycle
+ rider + luggage) is 150 kgs (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, 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 integrated seat rack, with a bicycle bag at the
upper seat stay and with bags at the optional
lowrider rack.You can put smaller items like a
repair kit, your mobile phone or your wallet in
the integrated bags at the lower end of the
back rest.
Maximum load:
● rear rack 25 kgs (57 lbs.)
● bicycle bag at the back rest 15 kgs (34 lbs.)
● zipped bag in back rest 1 kgs (2.3 lbs)
● lowrider rack under the seat 25 kgs (57 lbs.)
Additional loading can influence the road performance 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
get used to the new situation.
The load should be packed as close to the body of the rider as possible, since this results in
a better riding 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.
Be careful that your luggage is safely stored on
the racks. Bags must be tightly fastened to the
rack or to the lowrider carrier that is available
as accessory. Make sure that loose parts like
straps or belts can not touch the wheels, the
derailleur, or the suspension.
We recommend bicycle bags by O
RTLIEB.You
can buy them with extra large hooks matching
the oversized tubes of the rack.You can also
retrofit those large 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
HP
Velotechnik
5
Transport in the car
The best way to transport 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 parts that could come loose during transport (water bottles, luggage
bags, pumps, pennants, etc.).
Do not take kids with you
The Spirit 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 Spirit.We recommend to assemble it with the Weber-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 Spirit.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 movable.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 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
When you mount a fairing to your Spirit please take care to assure a good vision over the
fairing and sufficient freedom of movement below.
Please take into account that any fairing makes
the bicycle more prone to crosswind 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 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.
HP
Velotechnik
6
Replacement of parts
The replacement of parts relevant for safety
(especially brakes, lighting system, 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 take care that this predelivery service is recorded in the warranty
pass at the end of this manual.
All screws must be checked and tightened,
especially at handlebar, stem, fork, swing arm
pivot and wheels. Please follow the tightening
settings 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, pedal, 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 by direct damage or increased susceptibility to corrosion.
Caution! Screws must be tightened with
prescribed tightening torque. In this handbook 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.
HP
Velotechnik
General safety instructions
7
Quick release levers
Quick release levers hold the seat of your
Spirit in position.
The wheels are equipped either with screws
and nuts at the axles or with quick releases.
The following instructions are also valid for
the wheels. Please read the instructions of the
quick release manufacturer.
A quick release lever consists of two basic
parts: the lever on one side provides the clamping force.With the adjusting nut on the other
side you adjust the clamping tension on the
screw thread.
To open the quick release move the lever away
from the frame. In doing so the inscription
"open" should be visible on the lever.
To close the quick release move the lever with
power in the other direction so that the word
"close" is visible on the outward side of the lever.At the start of the lever's motion, for, say,
half of its movement, the lever should move
very easily, without any clamping action. In the
second half of the lever's movement the force
on the leer should increase considerably, corresponding in the end to 15–20 kg (46 lbs.).
In its final position the lever should lie parallel
with the bicycle and should not stick out to
one side.
Check the security of the lever by attempting
to twist the lever. If the lever can be made to
pivot around in a circle the clamping is too
loose.You must re-open the quick release,
hold the lever and increase the clamping tension. Do this by screwing the adjustment nut
on the other side by half a turn. Close the lever and check the clamping anew.
Finally, check the that the part being secured is
firmly fixed: Lift each wheel several inch off the
ground and give it a slap onto the tire from
above.A properly fixed wheel will remain secure in the frame's dropouts.
The dropouts of the fork of your Spirit are designed as safety dropouts.Therefore you always have to loosen the clamping nut of the
quick release when you take off the front
wheel.When you reassemble it do not forget
to tighten the nut again!
Parts that are fastened with a quick release
open easily.Thus, they are more susceptible to
theft.Therefore, always secure the wheels with
a lock when you park your bicycle. It is also
possible to exchange the quick releases with
special security screws (e.g. from P
ITLOCK) that
can only be opened with a special tool. For
this please consult your local specialist dealer.
Danger! An incompletely or improperly
closed quick release can result in parts coming loose, and hence in a crash, possibly resulting in serious injury.
The quick release levers must be closed firmly. Hold the seat frame with your fingers to enhance your thumb’s power.
HP
Velotechnik
8
Before the first ride: adjusting your
new Spirit
The seating position is essential for your riding
comfort, well-being and efficient cycling on the
Spirit.Therefore adjust the seat, handlebar, and
suspension to your individual requirements.
In order to adapt the Spirit as closely as possible to your body dimensions you can adjust
the distance from seat to pedals, the seat angle, the angle, and the position of the seat cushion individually.
The stem of the handlebar is vertically adjustable like a telescope.The handlebars are adjustable in their angle.
All adjustments together affect the distance
between your knees and the handlebars as
well as your minimum turning circle.
Remove your luggage prior to all adjustments.
That way you have easy access to all operating
elements and you don't complicate the adjustment by additional weight.
Adjusting the leg length: moving the
seat
The Spirit is designed for people from
150–200 cm (5'–6'7") height. In order to adjust
the distance between the pedals and the back
of the seat move the seat on the rails.
Open the two quick release levers under the
seat by turning away the silver levers from the
frame.
Hold the frame with one hand.With the other
hand you take hold of the seat unit at the integrated rear rack. Now move the seat to the
correct position.
Close the two quick release levers by moving
the levers towards the frame.The front lever
in particular has to be closed tightly so that
the angle of the back of the seat does not
change during a ride.
In order to check the adjustments have another person hold the bicycle while you are sitting on the recumbent.
Adjust the seat 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 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 long it is difficult to overcome this dead point, pedaling becomes uncomfortable and there is too much strain on
the sinews of your feet.
Adjusting the seat
Danger! All procedures described here re-
quire a certain degree of skill, suitable tools
and mechanical aptitude.After any assembly
operation perform a static check and take a
short test-ride on a quiet street, away from
traffic. If you have any doubts please contact
your local dealer.
Adjusting your new bike
HP
Velotechnik
If the distance is too short you may suffer
from knee pain or your legs may bump on the
handlebar.
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.
9
The area wherein you move the seat is limited
to the front by a screw at the and of the rail.
The screw head keeps the seat from gliding
down off the rail and damages the surface of
the frame tube. Always take care that this
screw is placed in its hole at the right front of
the rail.
The seat rail has marks for easy length adjustment.The maximum rear position is clearly
marked with a „max“ mark. Do not move the
seat further back once the front edges of the
front sliders are aligned with the „,max“ mark.
Since the rail is open at the rear end you can
take off the seat for transportation.
To reconnect the seat onto the rail adjust the
two sliders on the quick release lever axle parallel to each other and to the rail and move
the seat slowly onto the rail.
The easiest way to do it is when you park
your bicycle with the kickstand. Kneel down
behind the bicycle to have a good view on the
rail and the sliders.
Take care that your fingers do not get caught
between the rear rack and the frame and thus
get hurt while you move the seat.
Adjust the seat so that your knee will not be fully straightened
when pedaling.
Caution! The two 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 tightened appropriately the seat can move while riding and
you may no more be able to control your
bicycle.
Caution! The seat rail does not have a limitation at the rear end. If you move the seat
too far back the rear sliders glide off the rail
so that you can't position the seat properly
anymore.Always take care to not move the
seat too far back.
HP
Velotechnik
To adjust the angle of the back rest only open
the front quick release lever.That way the seat
stays fixed on the rail and you keep the adjustment made for the leg length. Only when the
back quick release lever is closed very tightly
it is better to open it a little bit, too.
The rear rack moves together with the seat
back.Take care to keep your fingers, bags,
straps, etc. away from the area between integrated rear rack and frame while adjusting the
seat back.
Hold the seat at the upper end of the back
rest and move it to the correct angle.
Close the quick release levers.
10
Adjusting the seat angle
You can adjust the seat back in a range of
55° - 65°.
The angle you feel comfortable with depends
on the form and the length of your back.
The back seat back has an ergonomic shape
according to the S-form of the spine.The upper bend automatically puts the neck in an
upright position so that you don't feel any
strain in neck and shoulders even on a long ride.
In addition to this you can influence the shape
of the back rest by adjusting the tension of the
inlaying belts.
To get started we recommend a medium seat
angle. After you have gained some riding experience you can start trying different angles.
Recumbent beginners often start with a very
upright seat position.That way the biggest part
of your weight lies on the seat cushion and
you mainly sit on your muscles which can lead
to problems on a long ride.
The lower the angle the better you distribute
your weight between seat cushion and seat
back - this is one of the main advantages of
the recumbent.
Another advantage of a low seat back angle is
better aerodynamics. In a recumbent position
you don't offer much area for head wind
which can result in a big plus in velocity.
Adjusting the seat
Caution! The two quick releases have to be
tightened firmly (tightening force 15–20 kgs.
/ 45 lbs.) after adjusting 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 tightened
appropriately the seat can move while riding
and you may no more be able to control
your bicycle.
Adjusting the Seat Back
Adjusting your new bike
HP
Velotechnik
11
Adjusting the seat cushion
The angle of the seat cushion has an immediate effect on your riding comfort.
The steeper you adjust the cushion, i.e. the
higher the position of the front part, the more
contact the cushion has with your thighs.That
way you distribute your weight on a larger
area.The feeling of being "in the seat instead of
on the seat" is something which most people
sense as very comfortable.
However, if the angle of the cushion is too
steep it may pinch a little bit while pedaling.
When you lower the front part a little bit it is
also more comfortable for smaller riders to
rest their feet on the ground during a stop.
In case the angle of the cushion is too flat you
may have sometimes the impression that you
slide off the seat to the front.
You will find the most comfortable seating position when you try different combinations of
the angle of the cushion with its horizontal position, as described in the following.
To adjust the angle of cushion you have to unscrew the the bolt on the left side under the
seat cushion, directly behind the forward quick
release with a hex key size 5.You may loosen
the forward and backward quick release a little
bit in order to make adjustment easier.
Grab the front part of the seat cushion and
move it up or down to the correct angle.
Take care not to get caught in the moving
parts with your fingers or your clothing.
Close the quick release levers and tighten the
bolt with 5-6 Nm.
The angle of both seat cushion and back rest
is fixed by friction.That’s why it is necessary to
apply high tightening forces.
Always take care that the two grooved washers at the front quick release lever are located between quick release and seat fitting.
Unscrewing the bolt on the left side under the seat cushion
Caution! The two quick releases have to be
tightened firmly (tightening force 15–20 kgs.
/ 45 lbs.) after adjusting 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 tightened
appropriately the seat can move while riding
and you may no more be able to control
your bicycle.
HP
Velotechnik
12
Adjusting the seat cushion horizontally
The seat cushion is attachted to its brackets in
long holes.That way you can adjust the horizontal seat position individually.
The more you move the cushion to the front,
the larger the seating area which distributes
your weight evenly.
However, if the cushion is too far towards the
front you may feel a gap between seat and
back rest.
Also, the further the cushion is at the front
the bigger is the feeling of being pinched at the
front part of the cushion, also see page 11 for
reference.
We recommend to start with a middle position and to change it only when necessary.
At the bottom of the seat there are four hexheaded screws. Unscrew these screws with a
hex key 4 by several turns.
Tighten the screws with 4-6 Nm.
Adjusting the seat
You can move the seat cushion back or forth after you have loosened the four hex-headed screws.
Adjusting your new bike
HP
Velotechnik
13
Adjusting the height
The handlebars of the Spirit are held by a telescopic stem that is vertically adjustable.
The height of the handlebars determines the
distance to your knees and the maximum possible steering angle of the front wheel.
Before you adjust the height and the angle of
the handlebars please make sure that the seat
of your Spirit is well adjusted to your leg
length, see page 8.
When you have little experience with recumbents, we recommend you to choose a high
position for the handlebars, so you have the
biggest possible moving range for your legs.
After you have gained some riding experience
you can lower the handlebars.The lower the
handlebars the sooner your knees touch them
while riding in a curve.
A low position of the handlebars permits a relaxed position for your arms and a good view
forward.
The handlebar stem consists of two parts.The
upper part is connected with the handlebars
and you slide it telescopically into the lower
part.
The lower part has two clamping connections
where the tube is slotted.There’s a clamping
bolt at each slot.Those connections are in particular the connection to the upper part of the
stem and the connection stem/fork at the lower end of the tube.
You adjust the height of the handlebars at the
clamping at the upper end of the lower part of
the stem.
Adjusting the handlebars
You can adjust the height of the handlebars by undoing the
clamping screw.
Danger! Every time you loosen 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.This can result in
twisting the handlebars or the stem easily
while riding.All these assembly errors can
lead to dangerous falls!
HP
Velotechnik
The cables are secured in their guides with
plastic clips.Alternatively, you can fasten the
cables with zip ties that are put through the
cut in the guide.
Adjusting the angle of the foldable
stem
As an option, the Spirit can be equipped with
the foldable Glideflex stem from Terracycle.
Angle adjustment of the folding stem
The Glideflex unit is equipped with a backstop
adjustment screw close to the pivot axle.To
adjust the backstop, fold the stem forward and
turn the backstop screw in or out with a 4
mm hex key.Turning the bolt in (clockwise) allows the handlebars to fold further back; turning the bolt out stops the handlebars from going as far back.
Adjusting the folding friction
To adjust the folding friction, tighten or loosen
the pivot bolt with a 5 mm hex key.Tightening
the bolt will increase friction; loosening will
decrease friction.
The friction adjustment should not need frequent readjustment in normal use. Sometimes,
rain will cause the friction to drop slightly, but
things should go back to normal when dried
out.
14
Loosen the hex-headed screw with an hex key
6 by several turns. Now you can slide the upper part of the stem up or down.
Secure the front wheel with your legs and turn
the handlebars perpendicular to the front
wheel.
Tighten the clamping screw with 14-16 Nm.
Check the safe clamping by trying to twist the
handlebars against the front wheel.
Take special care that the cable of the front
disc brakes is not bent or stretched when you
move the handlebars strongly.
You can make smaller adjustments by moving
the cables in their guides at the frame and the
handlebar, so that there is enough room at all
moving 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.
Adjusting the Handlebars
Danger! The minimum insertion depth of 7
cm (2 3/4") must not be dropped below. In
no case the lower end of the inserted tube
may be visible in the clamping slot.The mark
on the upper stem part must not be visible
above the lower part! When the stem sticks
out too far the clamping may be damaged or
the stem may come loose while riding,
which can result in a dangerous fall.
Caution! After you have adjusted the handlebar position you also have to adjust the
length of the brake cables and shifter cables.
The cables have to run smoothly without
any sharp turns and they must not be bent
or stretched beyond their elastic limit when
the handlebar is at maximum steering angle.
Also avoid large arches that could be caught
by other parts.
Caution! Do not turn the screw so far out
that it contacts the top of the stem when it
is folded back.The bolt must contact the
sloping surface.
Danger! Do not loosen the bolt past the
minimum friction point. If you do, retighten
the bolt until you can feel the friction increase.The bolt must be secured with threadlocker.
Adjusting your new bike
HP
Velotechnik
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 again.
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.
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.
15
Adjusting the angle of the handlebars
By changing the angle of the handlebars you
can adjust the position of the grips to the
length of your upper body and arms.
Most riders are comfortable with a 45° angle,
so that the grips are in a lower/inner position.
The more you turn the grips down the less
you can cramp the front wheel, since the
handlebars touch your knees earlier.
In order to change the angle loosen the clamping screw of the handlebars at the upper part
of the stem a little bit.Turn the handlebars into
your favorite position. Check that the stem
clamps the handlebars precisely in their middle.
Tighten the clamping screw with approx. 6-8
Nm. Check the correct clamping of the handlebars by pulling and turning them. In doing so,
they must not move.
Please take care that the stem clamp is free
from burrs and there are no sharp edges. A
sharp edge can cause the handlebars to break.
Danger! Every time you loosen the clamping connection you have to check the clamping screw. It must not show any sign of damage, deformation or corrosion.The thread
must not be damaged and the screw must
turn easily. In case of damage or deformation
you have to replace the clamping screw immediately.
After you have loosened the clamping screw you can adjust the
handlebar amgle.
HP
Velotechnik
16
Purpose of the adjustment of the suspension
Your Spirit is fitted with a suspension fork for
the front wheel and a rear swing arm for the
suspension of the rear wheel.This system
compensates slight bumps on the road so that
riding is comfortable and the strain on your bicycle is reduced.
A well-adjusted suspension improves the traction of your bicycle on uneven roads.
Especially when riding in a bend this allows a
higher speed and also improves the safety.
In order to achieve maximum riding comfort,
the suspension settings have to match your
weight as well as the road condition.
The goals of the adjustment are:
● maximum use of the available suspension
travel without the suspension frequently bot
toming 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 springs and dampers which are mounted
separately. Often, the terms suspension and
damping are used inappropriately in everyday
language.
The spring is the elastic element that compresses and decompresses through the load
which occurs on bumpy roads.While decompressing the spring releases the same energy it
has saved during compression.
The Spirit is fitted with coil springs of steel at
the suspension fork and the rear fork swinging
arm.
The damper slows down the process of compression and decompression.That means that
the bicycle after having passed a bump does
not immediately "spring" back to the initial position or even further than that.The damper
converts spring energy into friction and finally
into heat, and thus takes away energy from the
suspension system.That way the damper prevents that the spring swings uncontrolled after
an initial stimulation. In addition, the damper
helps to avoid self inforcing oscillations of the
suspension that may be caused by reoccurring
stimulations like pedaling forces within a crank
revolution or the rhythmic up and down movement of the legs.
The suspension fork of the Spirit works with a
mechanical friction damping.The rear suspension element has a hydraulic damping cartridge
with a specific damping rate.
Adjusting the suspension
Adjusting your new bike
HP
Velotechnik
Adjusting to load
The luggage carriers of the Spirit are mounted
to the suspended part of the frame.That way
your luggage is also fully suspended and it spares the material. Most notably, even under heavy load the suspension will compensate an uneven road much better and quicker compared
to a design where the luggage carrier would
be mounted to the unsuspended parts, e.g. the
rear swing arm.
Additional luggage changes the load of the
wheels and their suspension.The suspensions
are more compressed through the load.That
way, there is less suspension 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.
The distribution of the load also differs with a
change of the seat position.The more you move the seat to tha back the more you have to
increase the spring stiffness.
In order to compensate the variations in the
load you can change the pre-load.
This can compensate for a load 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.
17
You can ride the Spirit 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 the
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 Spirit.
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 suspension is designed in a way that the
spring compresses considerably when you
mount your bicycle.This is called negative suspension travel and it enables the bicycle to
decompress on bumpy roads.You should choose a spring stiffness with which this negative
suspension travel takes up around 20-30% of
the overall suspension travel.This value usually
provides a very comfortable ride on your fully
suspended recumbent bike designed by HP
V
ELOTECHNIK.
HP
Velotechnik
You will reach this value by changing the air
pressure in the fork.
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 and your speed.
While riding you should only seldomly feel the
suspension bottoming out. However, in case
this never occurs, the suspension might be set
up too hard, which means you don't use the
available suspension travel.
18
Adjusting the suspension
Front wheel suspension with suspension fork
The front wheel is suspended by a suspension
fork.The suspension fork of the Spirit comes
with an Airwings steering tube suspension system. In contrast to conventional telescopic
suspension forks the suspension elements are
situated in the steering tube above the crown
of the fork.
During compression the lower part of the fork
moves into the steering tube that is held in
the frame by the headset.A shock boot protects the moving parts against soiling. Inside
the steering tube there is a linear ball bearing
that secures the parts of the fork against turning, thus enabling precise steering movements.
A new suspension fork has to be broken in for
at least 300 km (190 miles), so that the guides
adjust and rough edges become smooth.At the
beginning, the fork only compresses through
harder shocks.Therefore, you should wait for
the end of the break in period to judge the
spring stiffness correctly.
The suspension travel is about 40 mm (1,6
inch).The suspension fork should compress by
20-30% when you sit down on your bike (negative travel), this corresponds to 9-11 mm
(0,4 - 0,43 inch).
The suspension of the front wheel is integrated in the steering tube.
Adjusting your new bike
HP
Velotechnik
19
Recommended air pressures
load pressure
to 80 kg 8 bar
to 100 kg 9 bar
to 130 kg 10 bar
Maximum allowed pressure: 20 bar
To pump up the suspension fork 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 pressure (about 0,5-1 bar).
Take off the pump quickly.
Remount the handlebar stem on the steerer
tube. Secure the front wheel with your legs
and adjust the handlebar perpendicular to the
front wheel. Check the safe clamping by trying
to twist the handlebars against the front
wheel.
Adjusting the spring stiffness of the
suspension fork
In order to adjust the spring stiffness you have
to take off the handlebar stem (not with
Glideflex folding stem). For that purpose, loosen the lower clamping screw of the handlebar
stem which clamps the slotted tube of the
stem on the steerer tube with a hex key 6.
Take off the handlebar stem and carefully put it
aside. In doing so, take care not to bend or
stretch the cables.
Now you can see Schrader valve at the end of
the steering tube. Use a fork pump to change
the air pressure in the suspension system.
You increase the spring stiffness by increasing
the air pressure (pumping in more air).
You decrease the spring stiffness by decreasing
the air pressure (deflate some air).
Caution! Do not loosen the smaller clamping clip below the stem tube.This clip secures the headset and adjusts the steering
play. If you have loosened this screw you will
possibly have to readjust the headset, see
page 43.
After you have loosened the clamping screw of the stem you can
take off the stem.
In the inner fork steerer tube you will find an air valve to adjust
the air pressure.
Danger! Please take care that the air suspension cartridge never protrudes more
than 13-23 mm above the fork’s steering tube. Else the cartridge may become loose.
This may lead to uncontrollable situations
and serious injury.
HP
Velotechnik
20
Adjusting the suspension
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