Operating manual andservice instructions

2012recumbenttechnology

March 2012

HPVelotechnikwww.hpvelotechnik.com

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

Adjusting your new trikeAdjusting the leg length – 7Adjusting the seat position – 11Adjusting the handlebars – 12

Handling instructionsFolding (Gekko fx) – 14Disjointing (Gekko) – 17Learning the new riding technique – 18Wear protective clothing – 19Use clipless pedals – 19Slowly increase the strain – 20Do not ride freehand – 20How to ride correctly and safely – 20Quick release levers – 21Brakes – 22Gear system – 24Lighting system – 25

Table of contents

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Maintenance and careWear and tear – 26Brakes – 26Gear system – 28Chain – 29Chain tubes – 31Chain roller – 33Front wheel alignment – 34Headset – 37Mudguards – 37Water bottle cage – 38Wheels – 39Cleaning and conservation – 40Storing the trike – 42Screws and bolts – 42Tightening torques for screws – 43

Warranty passWarranty – 44Warranty Pass – 45Service Plan – 46Proofs of service – 50

Revision March 2012. For latest product infor-mation, please check out our website atwww.hpvelotechnik.com.All trademarks be-long to their respective owners.

HP VELOTECHNIK

Elisabethenstrasse 165830 Kriftel / GermanyTel. ++49 (0) 61 92 - 97 99 2-0Fax ++49 (0) 61 92 - 91 02 18

thank you for buying a recumbent trike designed by HP VELO-TECHNIK and congratulations on the purchase of your newGekko or Gekko fx! With this high-quality trike, you will enjoymany years of exhilarating riding pleasure.

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

Even if you have many years of experience with bicycles pleasedo take your time to read this manual carefully before the firstride.Your recumbent trike is designed with the latest recum-bent technology by HP VELOTECHNIK that partly needs specialtreatment and care.

In this manual you will find detailed instructions on how to optimize your trike to meet your demands and riding style aswell as your size and weight. In addition to this, we have put to-gether a collection of information on care and maintenance aswell as special technical advice from our engineers. Important:Please send us the attached warranty registration form for yourextended warranty (see page 44.)

This guide helps you to keep your trike in perfect condition soyou will always experience maximum fun, comfort and safety.

Enjoy yourselves and have a great ride!

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

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Introduction

Dear customer,

The manuals of component manufacturerssuch as the brake manufacturer, the gear sys-tem manufacturer, and the pedal manufactureralso belong to this manual.They give detailedinformation on operating and maintainingthese specific parts. Please read the manuals ofthe part manufacturers as carefully as thismanual. Please provide this manual to any oth-er user of your recumbent before using it.

The maintenance and adjustment of this re-cumbent partly requires special tools andskills. Do only works within your limits and,for the purpose of your own safety, do not gobeyond. Should you be uncertain at any point,get in contact with your local dealer.

This manual is valid for both Gekko andGekko fx models. In the following text we willonly use the name Gekko for both versions.Only the instructions on how to fold are sepa-rate for each model.

The instructions in this manual apply only to acompletely assembled Gekko trike with stan-dard parts from the series production of HPVELOTECHNIK.

On special demand HP VELOTECHNIK deliversframe kits to put a specialist dealer in a posi-tion to assemble a tricycle individually. In thiscase the manuals on the operation and mainte-nance of the parts only represent a guideline,please read every manual of every part manu-facturer separately.The specialist dealer is re-sponsible for the expert assembly, please con-tact him for detailed information! A tricyclethat has been assembled from a frame kit mustalways be tested and approved by a qualifiedbicycle mechanic before your first ride.

Introduction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

General safety instructionsIntended useYour Gekko is a tricycle for the use on streetsand paved roads.

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

Damage through inappropriate use, assemblyerrors, accidents or similar activities and wilfuldamage results in the loss of any warranty.

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

The first milesThe first 300 km (186 miles) are an importantfor breaking in the tricycle. During the first useof a new tricycle the screws may settle andbecome loose. Cables and spokes may stretch.Bearings may show play. Please be very atten-tive during that period.

After 300 km or after two months at the lat-est you will have to take your tricycle to a bi-cycle mechanic for the first service. Pleaserecord this first service and the works per-formed in the warranty pass on page 50.Thisfirst service is the prerequisite for further useof the tricycle and for your warranty claims.

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Load capacity

GekkoThe maximum load (rider + luggage) is 150 kg(330 lbs).The maximum total weight (bicycle +rider + luggage) is 170 kg (374 lbs).The lowerlimit is valid.With an attached trailer, the maximum totalweight must not be higher than 170 kg (374 lbs)

Gekko fxThe maximum load (rider + luggage) is 130 kg(286 lbs).The maximum total weight (bicycle +rider + luggage) is 150 kg (330 lbs).The lowerlimit is valid.With an attached trailer, the maximum totalweight must not be higher than 150 kg (330 lbs)

Carrying luggageLuggage transport is only allowed on the spe-cial racks designed by HP VELOTECHNIK .

Maximum permitted load on the rear rack is25 kg (55 lbs).

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

The load should be placed as close to thebody of the rider as possible, since this resultsin better riding performance.You can also im-prove the handling of the trike by positioningthe center of gravity of the luggage as low aspossible, so pack heavy items in the bottom ofyour panniers. Be careful that your luggage issafely stored on the racks. Bags must be tightlyfastened to the racks so they can not move.Make sure that loose parts like straps or beltscan not touch the wheels or the derailleur.

The rear rack is designed for standard bikepanniers.They need to be removed beforefolding the Gekko fx.

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

General safety instructions

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Transport with the carThe best way to transport your tricycle is in-side the car.The Gekko fx is very space savingwhen folded and has minimum space require-ments inside a car. Due to the special foldingmechanism there are no parts which have tobe stored seperately.

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

Please remove any parts that could comeloose during transport (seat cushion, waterbottles, luggage bags, pumps, pennants, etc.).

Do not take kids with youThe Gekko is not designed for the transportof children.You are not allowed to mount achild's seat. It is only allowed to transport chil-dren in a trailer that has been specially de-signed for that purpose.

TrailersYou are allowed to use trailers (double trailonly) up to 40 kg (88 lbs) with the Gekko.

You can mount a common trailer coupling onthe frame’s left dropout. HP VELOTECHNIK rec-ommends using a coupling by WEBER.

Always check the proper function of trailerand towing trike after mounting a trailer.

For CHARIOT trailers you can purchase a special lowered towing bar from dealerZWEIPLUSZWEI for bikes and trikes with 20" rear wheel.

Added parts and accessoriesAdditional accessories may impair the functionof your Gekko.We advise you to generallycontact your dealer before mounting any spe-cial parts or accessories to your tricycle.

Take care that the handlebar and the foldingmechanism always stay moveable.You must notadd any parts to the handlebar, the seat, or themain tube that might endanger the riderthrough sharp edged or pointed shapes whilesteering, getting on and off the trike or bump-ing against something.

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

FairingsAs a front fairing for the Gekko, you may usethe Streamer fairing offered by HPVELOTECHNIK. Please take care to assure a goodvision over the fairing and sufficient freedomof movement below.

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

Caution! Mounting additional parts or ac-cessories is at your own risk. It is importantthat you carefully read the installation guideof the manufacturer.Additions like fairings,handlebar fittings, bottle holders, etc. mayimpair your safety due to additional loadingor clips with sharp edges.

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Replacement of partsThe replacement of parts relevant for safety(especially brakes, lighting system, stem, handle-bar, knuckles, drivetrain) should only be donewith original parts by a qualified bicycle me-chanic, since it requires a certain degree ofskill, suitable tools and mechanical aptitude.

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

No alteration of parts

If you wish to have your tricycle coded thecode can be added to the gusset under thecrosstube. However, HP VELOTECHNIK recom-mends the use of code stickers.

Final assemblyYour trike has been delivered to your special-ist dealer only partly assembled.

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

All screws must be checked and tightened, es-pecially on the handlebar, stem, knuckles, andwheels. Please follow the tightening torquesettings listed in the table on page 43.

Derailleurs and brakes must be checked andadjusted. Please follow the instructions in themanuals of the parts manufacturers that comewith this manual.

Screws and bolts

General safety instructions

Danger! If any part is deformed (e.g. due toan accident or overload), especially frame,knuckles, handlebar, seat mountings, pedals,cranks and brakes, it is not allowed to use itany further or repair it. Do not try tostraighten bent parts.You must replace themfor your own safety. If you do not replace adamaged part it can result in a total failureof the part and you may be seriously in-jured!

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

Caution! Screws must be tightened withprescribed tightening torque. In this manualtightening torques are given in "Nm“(Newtonmeter).Always use a torquewrench wherever a torque setting is given inthis manual. Never rely on "feeling". Screwstightened too much or not enough canbreak, which can lead to dangerous acci-dents. In case you don't own a torquewrench have your bicycle mechanic do therespective work.You will find a table withthe prescribed torque settings on page 43 inthis manual.

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Before the first ride: adjusting yournew GekkoYour position on the Gekko is essential foryour riding comfort, well-being and efficientcycling.Therefore you should adjust the frame,seat, and handlebar to your individual require-ments.

In order to adapt the Gekko as closely as pos-sible to your body dimensions and to find yourideal position you need to adjust the frontboom, seat and handlebars.

If your trike is equipped with the optionalfront boom-quickadjust, please read the in-structions in the seperate manual in additionto the following instructions.

Adjusting the leg length: moving thefront boomIn order to adjust the leg length you have tomove the front boom (the front part of theframe where the cranks are mounted) in themain frame. Unscrew the bolts M8x35 underthe main tube with a 6 mm Allen key.Take agrip on the front derailleur tube or bothcranks and move the front boom further intothe frame or pull it out while cautiously turn-ing it from side to side.

Before you pull out the front boom shift thechain to the smallest chain ring and sprocket.Turn the cranks a little bit backwards whilepulling.

Adjusting the leg length

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

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

Unscrew the clamping bolts to adjust the front boom.

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Sit down on your trike to find out the correctfront boom position.

Adjust the front boom in a way that your legis fully extended when your heel (wearing flatshoes) is in the foremost position on the ped-al. Experience shows that the pedal-to-seatdistance on a recumbent can be slightly longerthan on a conventional bike.

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

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

For riders with short leg length the frontboom has to be cut by a bicycle mechanic, soit can be inserted maximum possible. It is im-portant to trim the end of the tube neatly.Thebare metal of the shortened tube end has tobe protected against corrosion with a paintstick or wax spray.

The maximum insertion of the front boom islimited by possible heel strike of the frame’scross bar, depending on the rider’s shoe size.Please check before riding your trike thatthere is enough heel clearance. For shorterriders under 175 cm body height we recom-mend to use shorter cranks.

On the left underside of the front boom thereis a fine line.Align this line with the sticker onthe main tube’s front end right above theclamping bolts to adjust the bottom bracketaxle to a horizontal position.Additionally, youcan look beyond the bottom bracket shell atthe rear wheel axle and align the front boomparallel to it.Align your eyes with the bottombracket axle and not the front derailleur tube.Then sit down on your tricycle and check theposition.

Tighten the bolts with a torque wrench (tight-ening torque 14–16 Nm). On your first ridecheck whether there is sufficient clamping.

Adjusting the leg length

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

Danger! When you insert the front boom,the front boom and the inner wall of thetube must be totally free from grease, other-wise it will not clamp properly and may turnwhile you are riding.

Caution! When you move the front boomtake care that its end does not damage anylight cables that possibly come out of themain frame. Please inform yourself about thelength of the front boom on your trike be-fore you do any work.While moving thefront boom you also have to move the lightcables The light cable must never bestressed by pulling.

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

Caution! The minimum insertion depth ofthe front boom into the main frame is 8 cm(3 1/5").The end of the front boom mustnot be visible in the clamping slot when youlook at the main frame from below, sincethis may result in a damage of the frame.

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

Danger! There must be a bush (a slottedtube of plastic with edges to the front andthe clamping slot) in the main frame’s frontboom hole that is glued in the frame.Thisbush ensures safe clamping of the frontboom and protects the paint. It is importantto take care that this bush is always visibleat the front end of the main frame.The low-er slot has to be aligned in coincidence withthe slot in the main frame. If this bush ismissing or moved to the back of the tubewhile inserting the front boom, safe clampingis no longer guaranteed, even if it seems tobe the case at first glance. If the front boomis not clamped properly it may turn and leadto a fall.A missing or misaligned bush willlead to frame damage.

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

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

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After moving the bottom bracket tube yourdealer has to adjust the chain length. By defaultthe Gekko comes with a very long chain sothe adjustment range of the tricycle can be ful-ly used without the need to lengthen thechain.

After the basic adjustment of the leg lengthdone by your dealer before handing over thetricycle, the chain has to be shortened so thatthe derailleur cage is not fully turned forwardwhile shifting on the largest chain ring in frontand the smallest sprocket behind.The de-railleur must still be able to compensate alength change of the chain of at least 4 cm (11/2"). In order to choose the right chainlength, please consult the manual of the de-railleur manufacturer.

After adjusting the front boom the gap in theclamping slot between the front boom and themain frame should be sealed with wax or sili-cone in order to protect your frame from thepenetration of water and dirt and hence dam-age through corrosion which may lead to abroken frame.

We recommend to slightly readjust the frontboom every 3 months so that knees in orderto provide a slightly different position to yourmuscles and ankles.You might also find a morecomfortable and more efficient riding position.

A wrong adjustment may lead to pain in yourknees and inefficient pedaling. In addition werecommend to ride with a high pedalling ca-dence, which means to pedal fast and with lit-tle pressure. Pedalling with too much pressuremay also lead to pain in the knees.You will findmore information about this on page 20.

Adjusting the leg length

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

Danger! After the chain has been short-ened it must be closed with a special closinglink or a chain riveting tool that expands therivet while riveting (i.e. ROHLOFF-Revolver).A poorly joined chain may break and thuslead to damage or injury. Chain length ad-justments or chain changes should be doneby your bicycle mechanic.

Caution! Take care that the chain tubeshave a clearance of at least 5 cm (2") to therear derailleur and the front derailleur evenunder maximum tension of the chain andmake sure that the tubes are held tight intheir fastenings. Shorten the tubes if neces-sary. If the end of the chain tube gets intouch with the rotating chain rings it can belocked-up and destroyed.

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The Gekko meshseatYour Gekko is equipped with a meshseatwhich needs not to be removed for folding thetrike. Using eight straps, the seat surface canbe adjusted individually to your back.The back-rest angle is fully adjustable with a quick re-lease.The seat is ergonomically shaped andsupports the natural S-curve of your spine.Forces from pedaling are supported in thearea of your lower back just above your hips.The seat is bowed up in this area (lumbar sup-port).

The adjustment of the seat mesh and theproper seat angle is crucial for a comfortablefeeling while riding your recumbent.

Adjusting the seat meshBy means of eight straps on the backside andunderside of the seat frame the tension of theseat mesh can be adjusted according to yourneeds.

If the seat feels too soft, you sink in too far atone spot or you sit on the seat frame you’llhave to tighten the straps in that area.

If there is some spot where the seat feels toohard and uncomfortable or you don’t haveenough lateral support you’ll have to loosenthe straps in the respective area.

You can use gripping pliers to tighten thestraps in case the force you can apply withyour hand is not enough.To loosen a strap thesemicircular side of the plastic connector mustbe lifted to release the strap out of the con-nector.

Adjusting the seat back angleA great advantage of the mesh seat seat onyour Gekko is the possibility to adjust the seatback angle very quickly. For beginners or ridesin the city you can choose an upright seat po-sition for a better view, and for longer ridesyou can choose a flat position for better aero-dynamics.

The seat back is fastened with a quick releaselever on a slotted aluminum seat mounting.Youcan adjust the seat back angle by 8 degrees bysimply opening the quick release lever. In themedium seat position the angle is about 38°from horizontal. Having set up your desiredseat back angle close the quick release tightlyto make sure the seat back will not move dur-ing the ride.

Adjustment of the head restTo relax the muscles in your neck on longrides you can purchase a head / neckrest tomount on the seatframe. Its height and inclina-tion is adjustable at the clamp.Wearing a hel-met the headrest pad should be positioned un-der the lower helmet edge next to your neck.Adjust the inclination in a way that the head-rest does just not touch your neck / headwhile riding. It may be necessary to cut thetwo tubes protruding the clamp on the under-side to prevent them from touching your back.

Adjusting the seat position

Caution! Always tightly close the quick re-lease at the seat back.The seat is a structur-al part of the trike frame. An opened quickrelease may lead to frame damage.

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

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Adjusting the handlebar angleBy changing the angle of the handlebars youcan adjust the position of the grip to thelength of your upper body and your arms.The handlebar is clamped in a stem under theseat.The stem may rotate in the frame andtransmits the rotation to a sheetmetal underthe frame tube.There are track rods attachedto the sheetmetal which transmit the steeringmovement to the wheels.

Most riders are comfortable with a 85° angleso that the bent grips point upwards andslightly forward. In order to change the angle loosen the four

screws of the stem/handlebar clamping. Movethe handlebars until they are in your favouriteposition.Tighten the clamping screws with 5–7Nm. Check the correct clamping of the han-dlebars by sitting down on your trike andpulling the handlebars. Doing so the handle-bars must not turn in the stem.If the clamping screws are tightened too hard,the handlebar may be deformed, and no prop-er clamping can be achieved.

Please take care that the clamping area of thestem is thoroughly trimmed and there are nosharp edges which may cause handlebar failure.

Adjusting the handlebars

Danger! If the handlebar grips are adjustedpointing too far forward or too wide, yourhands or the brake levers can touch thefront wheels or mudguards when corneringsharp, leading to injury. Make sure you haveat least 5 cm (2") clearance between brakelevers and front wheels / mudguards at allsteering angles.

The handlebar angle is individually adjustable.

Handlebar width is adjusted at the stem clamp under the seat.

Adjusting the cable length

You can make smaller adjustments by movingthe cables in their guides at the frame and thestem, so there is enough clearance for allmovements. If this is not the case you will haveto have your specialist dealer shorten the ca-bles or replace them by longer ones.

Cover all contact areas where cables moveand touch the frame with frame protectionstickers available at your specialist dealer orsturdy transparent tape.This protects the paintagainst scratching and wear.

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

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While riding you should allow your arms torest in a relaxed position on the handlebars.Do not push or pull on the handlebars. If thehandlebars turn in the stem clamping duringthe ride stop immediately and tighten theclamping screw of the handlebars. If the han-dlebars are not sufficiently clamped the han-dlebars or the stem may be damaged or de-formed. In this case, safe clamping can nolonger be guaranteed, not even with the cor-rect tightening torque, and handlebars andstem have to be replaced.

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

Caution! After having adjusted the handle-bar position you have to readjust the lengthof the brake cables and shifter cables.Thecables have to run smoothly without anysharp turns and they should not be bentsharply or stretched when the handlebar isat maximum angle. Also avoid large bowsthat could be caught up by the front wheelsor other parts or touch objects under yourtrike.

Folding with D.F.F.-moveThanks to the Dual-Flat-Fold (D.F.F.) technolo-gy, your Gekko fx folds from a comfortabletouring trike to a compact package within 10seconds.Then it can be stored upright ortowed on its integrated rollers.

To fold the trike stand on the right side nextto the seatback.

1. Open the quick release behind the seat andswivel the seatback to the front.

2.Take the velcro strap off the second strapand apply it to the soft velcro under the crosstube to secure the seatback in its position.

3. Open the quick release at the folding hinge.Release the safety bolt against spring pressure.Slightly open the folding hinge. Swivel the quickrelease lever to the upside so that it is held inan upright position by the sheetmetal.

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Folding (Gekko fx)

4. Grab the main tube with your right hand infront of the seatback (knuckles facing to theright, away from the frame). Push a little bit toprevent the folding hinge from snapping in.Grab the left seat stay with your left handfrom the upside (knuckles facing the rearwheel).

5. Now do the D.F.F.-move: Lift the frame, turnit sideways and fold the rear wheel transverse-ly below the frame in a smooth motion. Makesure the folding buffer passes through the longhole in the stem underpart to lock the steer-ing.The buffer must not crash on the stem un-derpart as the sheetmetal may be deformed.

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Unfolding with D.F.F.-moveTo unfold the Gekko fx stand next to the leftfront wheel.

1. Grab the left seat stay with your left hand(knuckles facing to the rear wheel). Slide yourright hand between main tube and seatbackand push the locking sheetmetal’s tongue awayfrom the seatback. At the same time slightlyopen the frame with the left hand.

2. Grab the main tube directly in front of theseatback (knuckles facing away from the trike).

3. Do the reverse D.F.F.-move: Lift the packagewith drive and pull both frame parts awayfrom each other. Push the folding hinge awayfrom your body.The securing bolt snaps in.Turn the bike outward during the move andput it down on the floor.

4. Close the folding hingequick release.

5. Release the velcro under the cross tube andput it back on the seat strap.

6. Rearrange the seatback to your desired po-sition and close the quick release.

6. Push the frame to-gether until you canhear the locking sheet-metal snaps in.

7. Place the foldedGekko fx upright onthe integrated rollersand the buffer insidethe folding hinge.

Caution! Don’t turn the cranks after fol-ding.To pull the folded bike you have to pullit at the frame, not at the cranks or pedals.Else the chain roller or the chain retentionhook may be damaged.

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Folding on the floor

Alternatively, the Gekko fx can be folded onthe floor:

1. Open the quick release behind the seat andswivel the seatback to the front.

2.Take the velcro strap off the second strapand apply it to the soft velcro under the crosstube to secure the seatback in its position.

3.Turn the bike on the right front wheel.

4. Open the quick release at the folding hinge.Release the safety bolt against spring pressure.Slightly open the folding hinge. Swivel the quickrelease lever to the upside so that it is held inan upright position by the sheetmetal.

5. Swivel the rear part forward comfortably.Make sure the folding buffer passes throughthe long hole in the stem underpart to lockthe steering.

6. Push the frame together until you can hearthe locking sheetmetal snaps in.

7.Tilt the folded Gekko fx sideways to make itstand upright on the on the integrated rollersand the buffer inside the folding hinge.

Unfolding on the floorTo unfold the Gekko fx stand next to the rearwheel of the tricycle standing on its rollers.

1.Tilt the trike on the right front wheel.

2. Use your right hand to push the lockingsheetmetal’s tongue downwards. Grab the seatstays with your left hand.

3. Swivel the rear part of the Gekko fx com-pletely to the right.The folding hinge’s securingbolt snaps in.

4.Tilt the trike back on its wheels

5. Close the folding hinge quick release.

6. Release the velcro under the cross tube andput it back on the seat strap.

7. Rearrange the seatback to your desired po-sition and close the quick release.

Caution! Always tightly close the quick re-lease at the seat back.The seat is a structur-al part of the trike frame.An opened quickrelease may lead to frame damage.

Danger! Make sure the folding hinge isproperly closed.The safety bolt must besnapped in correctly and the quick releasefastened tightly.

Caution! Don’t rest the bike on the rearrack. It may become deformed.

Folding (Gekko fx)

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DisjointingTo save storage space or for car transport ofyour Gekko the seatback can be swivelled for-ward and the main frame can be separated un-der the seat.

1. Shift the chain to the smallest chainring andthe smallest sprocket.

2. Open the quick release behind the seat andswivel the seatback to the front.

3.Take the velcro strap off the second strapand apply it to the soft velcro under the crosstube to secure the seatback in its position.

4.Alternately loosen both clamping bolts keysize 6 on the left frame underside right behindthe chain roller.

5. Pull the rear frame part rearwards out ofthe front frame part while cautiously turning itfrom side to side.

6. Put the rear frame part on the seatback swi-velled to the front. Use the velcro strap provi-ded with the trike to fix the part. Make surethe chain tubes and cables are not bent toohard but run in a smooth curve from front torear part. If necessary, use some protectionlayer in between (cloth, cardboard) to protectthe paint from scratching.

Rejoining1. Open the velcro strap and move the rearframe part back to the tube of the front framepart.Take care for correct cable and chain rou-ting. Put in the rear part and adjust it roughlyto the front frame part.

2. Release the velcro under the cross tube andput it back on the seat strap. Swivel the seat-back carefully to its original position.Adjustthe rear frame part by pushing in / pulling outin a way that the seatback’s long hole sheetsslide on their guides (stainless steel bushingson the quick release axle) easily.

3. Check the positioning of the rear wheel(perpendicular to ground) and correct if ne-cessary.

4.Alternately tighten both clamping bolts keysize 6 with 14–16 Nm.

5. Rearrange the seatback to your desired po-sition and close the quick release.

Danger! Not properly tightened clampingbolts will result in a non-rigid frame.Thismay lead to crash and injury. Always tightlyclose the quick release at the seat back.Theseat is a structural part of the trike frame.An opened quick release may lead to framedamage.

Disjointing (Gekko)

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Keep all three wheels on the ground while rid-ing. If you are cornering too fast, your trikecan be upset and fall over. Lean into curveswhen turning sharply.At high speed, keep yourupper body quiet as any upper body move-ments can influence the steering of the trike.

Practice cornering away from traffic to learnwhat speed is safe at a specific turning angle.

If you lift up a front wheel, immediately steerin the opposite direction to bring it safely backto the ground.

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

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

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

Danger! Please be aware that due to yourlow seat height other road users may noticeyou very late. Ride anticipatory with this inmind.This is especially important while rid-ing in darkness.You yourself have a muchbetter view than others perceive you. Ridedefensively.We recommend to mount a wellvisible and reflecting flag to the tricyclewhile using it in traffic. Please ask your deal-er for more information.

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

Danger! Never touch the ground with yourfeet while the tricycle is still moving.Thefeet could be caught on the ground and bepulled backwards and dragged under thecross bar which could lead to a serious in-jury.We strongly recommend to use a pedalbinding system like clipless pedals or toeclips and straps.

Learning the new riding technique

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

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

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

Protective clothing, Clipless PedalsUse clipless pedalsThe pedals of your Gekko can be upgraded ondemand with a binding system.As soon as youare comfortable with riding your Gekko youshould use those clipless pedals. Due to therigid connection between shoe and pedal youdon't have to keep your foot on the pedalswith pressure anymore.This enables a morerelaxed and round pedaling movement whereyou may even pull a little on the pedals.Without this connection to the pedals yourfeet may come off suddenly which may resultin a fall. Modern system pedals with bindingtherefore contribute to safe riding.

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

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

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

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

When you ride on a recumbent you use differ-ent muscles than on a conventional bicycle,and they have to be trained first.The very highposition of the bottom bracket requires yourmuscles and blood transport system to slowlyfamiliarise with the new position.

In case of an overload the blood circulation inyour legs may be affected which shows in lossof power, a prickling in the toes, falling asleepof the legs or cramps.When you feature asporty way of riding it can take up to 6months until you have become accustomed toyour new recumbent.

If there is pain in your knees occuring whileriding this is usually the result of too muchpower put into pedaling.The good support ofthe back sometimes misleads to putting thefull power of the legs in the pedal, similar tothe leg training machines in a fitness center.When you repeat it regularly it is harmful forthe knees. Pain in the knees often results froman overuse of the muscles in the knee that canalso be strengthened by exercise.

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

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

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

In case of persistent problems please consultyour doctor.

Do not ride freehand

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

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

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

Strain, Riding freehand,Way of riding

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Quick release leversQuick release levers fix the frame togetherand hold wheels and seat in position.

A quick release lever consists of two basicparts: the lever on one side provides theclamping force.With the adjusting nut on theother side you adjust the clamping tension onthe screw thread. (This is not applicable forthe folding hinge quick release.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Way of Riding, Quick release levers

Caution! Always carry your tricycle overstairs and curb stones. Do not ride throughbig road holes. Especially when road holesare filled with water it is very difficult toguess how deep they really are. In case youhit such an obstacle frame and steering maybe damaged which can result in a seriousfall.At first, the damage may be unnoticed.Please check your tricycle immediately fordeformations and cracks. If you are in doubtplease consult your local dealer.

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

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Brakes The Gekko is equipped with a powerful high-quality braking system. Please read the sepa-rate manual of the brake manufacturer thatcomes with your trike for details.

Make yourself familiar with the braking system.In the standard assembly, both front wheelbrakes are operated separately:The left brakelever operates the left front brake, the rightbrake lever operates the right front brake.

If your trike is equipped with a rear brake or aparking brake, use this brake only as an emer-gency brake in the unlikely event of a failure ofthe front brakes. If the rear wheel is locked up,the trike can immediately spin around andslide to the side. Remember which lever pullsthe front brake and which the rear brake.

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

As an option, you trike can be equipped with acoupled braking system with one brake leveroperating both front brakes.

For optimum handling soem braking systemsprovide the option to adjust the distance be-tween the brake grip and the handlebar with asmall hex-headed screw at the grip, please seethe respective manual for details.

The braking effect of modern braking systemscan be more powerful than what you havebeen used to until now. Brake carefully.Whenyou brake too hard with the front brake therear wheel may lift off the street and the trikemay tumble over.

If you should hear any unusual sounds whilebraking the brake pads might be worn out. Donot use your trike any further until you havechecked the brake pads according to the man-ual of the brake manufacturer or asked yourlocal dealer to do so.

Danger! Make sure to brake evenly usingboth hands. Braking unevenly or only oneside could influence the steering of yourtrike. Maximum braking performance is onlyachieved when braking with both hands.

Danger! In case you get into a situation likethat during an emergency stop you have tolet go of the brakes immediately, balanceyour trike and brake again. If you are not fa-miliar with the brakes we recommend youto train at first at low speed and with littlebraking effect until you find the correct dosefor an emergency stop.

Danger! Please note that the braking dis-tance is much longer when it is wet or whenthe trike is heavily loaded.When riding onwet, sandy, icy or slippery roads you have touse the front brake very carefully to avoidthat your front wheels slip. If they do so youwill no longer be able to control your trike,which might lead to a serious crash.

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

Check before every ride:

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

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

● the hydraulic braking system for keeping pressure by pulling the lever, holding the pressure and checking the hose connections, bleeding screw and compensating tankfor possible leaks.

Parking brakeAlways secure your trike against rolling awaywhen parked.

In the standard assembly, the brake levers areequipped with a parking brake-button thatlocks the pulled lever.To release the parkingbrake, pull the brake lever.

As an option the trike can be equipped with aparking brake that is operated with a thumb-shifter mounted at the handlebar. It is connect-ed with a V-brake at the rear wheel. Make sureto fully open the parking brake before youstart riding.

Danger! Always make sure that the disc andbrake pads are free of oil and grease. If theseparts are dirty please do not use your tricy-cle.You can clean oily discs with alcohol or aspecial spray. Oily brake pads have to be re-placed. If you are in doubt, please have yourspecialist dealer maintain your braking sys-tem.

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

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

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Gear systemWith the gear system you can adjust the ped-aling frequency, i.e. the number of revolutionsof the crank per minute, to the terrain and thedesired speed.

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

Your Gekko comes standard with a derailleurgear or with a internal hub gear system.Thefollowing section refers to the derailleur gearsystem only. Please also refer to the manual ofthe gear manufacturer.

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

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

The left barend shifter is not indexed so youhave to adjust the front derailleur while shift-ing by slightly moving the shifter to stop thefront derailleur from dragging against the chainwhile pedaling.

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

You should only change the gears while youkeep pedaling, smoothly and without applyinggreat force, all the time that the chain is mov-ing between the sprockets.

Due to the long cables that expand underpressure and the housing that compresses un-der pressure it may be helpful for changinggears quickly to turn the bar end shifter a littlebit farther than necessary to select a gear andturn it back to the indexed position once thechain has properly shifted ("overshift").

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

The setup of the chain rings and sprocketsleads to an overlap of some gears.This meansthat different combinations of chain rings andsprockets can result in the same gear ratio. Itwould be possible to arrange a gear system sothat double gears do not occur but this re-quires a lot of concentration when you shiftgears while riding, since you will always have tochange the rear sprockets as well as the frontchain rings. If you would like to change the set-up of your gears please consult your localdealer.

Caution! Under no circumstances allow thetrike to roll back while changing the reargears, or try to pull the trike backwardswhen the gear shifter lever has been moved,as this will damage the rear derailleur.

Danger! Practice shifting gears on a traffic-free street. In the course of this make your-self familiar with the functioning of the barend shifters. Doing this in traffic could dis-tract your attention from possible dangers.

Gear system

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Lighting systemLighting systemIf you want to ride your trike on publicstreets, it must be equipped with a legal lightsystem. Do not only use your lights in the darkbut also in the twilight of dusk and dawn. Dueto laws and regulations the brightness of bicy-cle lights may be considerably lower than thatof other vehicles.Therefore always keep inmind that other road-users may only see youvery late or not at all.

For the Gekko, HP VELOTECHNIK offers a dy-namo lighting systems with a tire dynamo or ahub dynamo.

Both light systems come with strong LEDs forheadlamp and rear light.The LEDs last consi-derably longer (approx. 100.000 workinghours) than a light bulb. For your safety thelight system has a parking light system both atthe front and at the rear light, which makesthe LEDs shine on approximately 10 minutesafter you have stopped riding.The electronicsystem is maintenance free. Because of the ca-pacitors used you don't have to worry aboutbatteries.

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

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

You can adjust the pressure of the dynamoagainst the wheel with the turning knob at theside.The pressure is right when the dynamowheel just does not slip at the wheel, if thelight flickers, the pressure is too low and youhave to increase it.The dynamo should be po-sitioned in a way that the extension of the dy-namo axle points through the center of thewheel.Take care that the dynamo is mountedsafely and can’t be turned.Worn dynamowheels can be exchanged. Please ask your spe-cialist dealer.

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

Danger! Do not try to move the dynamowhile riding, your hands can be caught in thewheel and be injured! To turn the light sys-tem on or off stop riding, get up from yourtrike and only then move the dynamo.

Danger! The dynamo must always be safelyfastened to the bracket at the frame, so thatit can not turn. If the screws come loose thedynamo can get caught in the spokes andblock the rear wheel - danger of a seriousfall! Always check the position and secure at-tachment of the dynamo before a ride.

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Maintenance and careYour Gekko is equipped with the latest bicycletechnology that does not require much main-tenance.

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

Read in this chapter how to perform smallermaintenance and care works between theservices.

For a quick overview of the works to be donetake a look at the Warranty Pass on page 46.

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

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

BrakesThe brake pads suffer from wear due to fric-tion and have to be exchanged then.Depending on riding conditions, they can lastbewteen a few hundred up to several thousandkilometers. Please read the manual of thebrake manufacturer carefully.

Cable operated (mechanical) brakesThe brake pads of your brakes are worn whenyou can pull the lever further and further tothe handlebar before the pads touch the rim.

To compensate the wear of the brake padsyou can tighten the cable with the adjusterbarrel where the cable touches the brakelever. First loosen the locknut, then unscrewthe barrel so far that the wheel still turns,barely not touching the pads, hold the barreland tighten the locknut again towards thebrake lever housing.Take care that the barrel’sslot points downwards to prevent moisturefrom entering.Caution! The maintenance works on this

recumbent partly require special tools andskills. Do only work within your limits and,in the interests of your own safety, do notgo beyond. Should you be uncertain at anypoint, get in contact with your local dealer.

Caution! Damaged cables with single wiressticking out have to be replaced immediately.Otherwise your braking system may fail -danger! Please take care that the cable endsare always protected with a cap.Always keep the cables shortly trimmed.Leaving too much cable extending past thecable anchor can result in the cable catchingin the rotor or wheel causing the wheel tolock up.

Caution! Keep the brake cable clean whereit is not protected by the cable housing. Dueto the mounting position of the brake lever,moisture and dirt may enter the cable andcause drag and excessive wear. Lubricate theends of the cable to protect against mois-ture.

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Mechanical disc brakesTo readjust the brake pads you have to use thebig red knobs on each side of the brakecaliper.Adjust the inner and the outer padevenly. In case you are not sure, have this ad-justment work done by a qualified bike me-chanic.

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

Hydraulic brakesHydraulic brakes on HP VELOTECHNIK bikes uselow viscosity mineral oil that, contrary toDOT brake fluid used in cars, does not absorbwater.Thus, you don't have to change the oil.Please read the brake manufacturer’s manualthat comes with the trike. In case of a dam-aged hose or any leakage of oil always consulta qualified technician in a bike shop.

Hydraulic disc brakesHydraulic disc brakes on the Gekko feature afully automatic pad wear adjustment. Brakepads and discs are subject to wear, thereforeregularly check the thickness of your brakepads and discs and replace them if necessary.The minimum thickness of the brake pad is 1 mm, of the brake disc it is 1,7 mm. For fur-ther and more detailed information on yourdisc brake model please refer to the brakemanufacturer’s manual.

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

Danger! If the brake pads or the brake discare worn out (pads: thickness less than 2,5mm including metal back, disc: thickness lessthan 1,7 mm) the pads may be torn out ofthe caliper while braking.This leads to totalloss of brake power.

Caution! Never activate the brake leverwith the brake pads not in place or with thewheel dismounted.When you transport thebicycle without wheels always use the trans-port clips delivered with your trike or put apiece of cardboard in the brake caliper toreplace the disc. Carefully separate brakepads that have moved together with ascrewdriver.

Caution! Keep the brake lever clean. Dueto the mounting position, water and dirt cancollect inside the lever around the hydrauliccylinder.This may lead to excessive wear orleakage of the hydraulic system.

Danger! The hose at the left knuckle mustnot be routed under the track rod.This maylead to snapping off the hose.The hoseshould leave the caliper slope upwards andrun in a wide bow to the track rod.The zipties fixing the hose to the track rod must betightened properly to prevent it from mo-ving.

The bow of the hose is routed under the track rod: Danger ofsnapping off the hose (cf. arrow).

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Gear SystemPlease read the manual of the gear system ma-nufacturer carefully before working on the gear system.

Your dealer will adjust your derailleur gearingsystem carefully before handing over the trike.But during the first 300 kilometres (186 miles)of riding the cables can stretch, making thegear indexing imprecise.The chain then climbsonly hesitantly onto the next sprocket.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Danger! If the trike falls over, the derailleuror its mounting can be bent which results ina change of the derailleur movement range.Check the movement range and have itreadjusted by your bicycle mechanic, if nec-essary.

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

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ChainThe chain is a wearing part that has to be lu-bricated regularly and to be changed at signsof excessive wear and tear.The amount ofwear depends on maintenance and care as wellas on the circumstances of your ride (rain,dirt, salt). Regular cleaning and lubricating canincrease the chain’s lifetime, nevertheless thechain has to be changed when its wear limit isreached.

Lubricating the chainDiligent lubrication is important.The chain ofyour Gekko is approximately 2.5 times longerthan a standard bicycle chain (approximately3.8 m). But it also lasts longer since a chainonly wears while bending at the sprockets andthe chain rings.

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

Specialist stores sell biodegradable lubricants.HP VELOTECHNIK recommends a DryLube-typelubricant.This lubricant is purely based onPTFE (Teflon) that keeps the chain clean anddry.This way dirt simply falls off and the tubesalways stay clean.

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

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

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

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

Chain

Danger! Take care not to pour any oil onthe rims, brake discs or the tires.The brak-ing system could fail or the tires could slipaway suddenly.The oil affects the rubber ofyour tires and can damage it.While lubricat-ing cover the surrounding area.

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The chain length has to be fitted so that thearm of the derailleur is not fully stretchedwhen you shift on the big chain ring in frontand the big rear sprocket.The derailleur muststill be able to compensate a shortening of thechain by 4 cm. Please also see the manual ofthe derailleur manufacturer on the choice ofthe correct chain length.

See that the joining link is not bigger in sizethan the other chain links to avoid irregularchain sounds.We recommend the joining linksby KMC. Every time you change the chain youalso have to apply a new joining link.

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

Make sure that you have not twisted the chain180 degrees before joining it back together.

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

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

Only use chains that are suitable for the gearsystem of your trike. Otherwise a precise gearshifting is not guaranteed any more. Pleaseconsult your dealer on this topic. He will alsoassist you in checking your sprockets and chainrings.A new chain does not fit a worn sprock-et or chain ring.We recommend rust resistantRustbuster-chains from KMC with smoothlyrounded edges.They also provide a good gearchanging performance.

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

Caution! When you change the chain takecare that the new chain does not show anysharp edges or burrs.

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

Chain

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

When the ends are worn out you can renewthem by expanding them again. Remove thechain by opening the power link or open itwith a special chain riveting tool. Cut the wornpart of the tube exactly perpendicular with asharp knife.

Heat the last 5-10 mm at the end of the tubewith a gas burner, a hot air gun, or a candleand turn it permanently until the colour of theutmost edge turns from a dull black to a shinyblack. Now you expand the end with a propertool, e.g. the rounded grip of a screwdriver.Quench the expanded end immediately withcold water.

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

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

The tubes are worn by the chain and have tobe cut at the ends and expanded again (or ex-changed) after 3.000-5.000 km approximately,depending on the chain type and the overallriding condition.You can extend this mainte-nance interval by turning the tubes by a quar-ter turn from time to time so that they do notkeep wearing out in the same place.

The intensity of the wear depends mainly onthe chain type. Please see also the instructionson "Chain" on page 29.

In order to perform any work at the chaintubes you'll have to open the chain and finallyclose it again. Please see the instructions on"Chain" on page 29.The distance of the upper chain tube to thechainwheel can be adjusted by sliding the tubein the retention spring. It must be securedwith the rubber tube over the spring.

Chain tubes

Caution! Take care that the chain tubeskeep at least a 5 cm distance to the rear andfront derailleur when the chain is stretchedto the maximum, and that the tubes are wellfastened. If necessary you will have to short-en the tubes. If the end of a chain tube getsinto the rotating parts of the drivetrain thedrivetrain can be blocked and the chaintubes may be destroyed.

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

Caution! Check the chain tubes frequentlyif they are damaged or defective. Replace de-fective chain tubes immediately. If the chaintubes are worn in the area of the retentionspring or tube mountings, the chain willtouch the retention spring, leading to failureof the spring and mountings.As a result, thechain tube can get into the drive train andblock it!

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

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

Changing the tubesIn order to exchange the upper rear chaintube cut the old tube at the retention springat the chain roller and pull the remaining partoff the spring. Now move the smooth part ofthe new tube through the spring and rubbertube, then expand the tube end as describedabove.

For exchaning the upper forward chain tubecut the zip tie that connects the chain tubewith the mounting strap.Align the velcro ofthe new tube to the mounting strap and se-cure the tube with a new zip tie.

Changing the retention springRemove the bolt in the chain roller with anAllen key 6 mm.Take off the chain roller, thewasher and the chain retention hook.

Take the retention spring off this plastic tubeand put on the new retention spring.Turn thespring so that the retention spring runs underthe bolt to the tube and the wire lies betweenframe and chain tube; that way the spirals faceoutwards.

Push the bolt back through the chain roller,the washer and the chain retention hook, se-cure the thread with threadlocker and tightenthe bolt with 17-19 Nm.The recessed side ofthe chain roller has to face to the frame.

Changing the lower chain tubeThe chain tube is connected to the mountingplate by a rubber sleeve.Additionally it is rout-ed through a mounting strap in front of thefolding hinge. For dismounting the chain tube,first cut the zip tie at the mounting strap, then-grab the sleeve on its rear end and pull it to-gether with the chain tube to the rear.Therubber sleeves will release the rear tongue ofthe mounting plate then. Swivel the chain tubesidewards. Having done that pull the chaintube to the front to release the sleeve fromthe front tongue of the mounting plate.Replace the chain tube and mount it by follow-ing the above steps vice versa.

Exchange the lower chain tube. Slide it throughthe lower loop of the mounting strap. Hook itto the mounting plate in reverse order to dis-mounting. Fix the tube to the mounting strapwith a new zip tie.

Chain tubes

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Chain roller

38

Chain rollerThe chain roller guides the chain below theseat to the rear wheel.

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

The chain roller wears slowly and graduallyshows a sprocket shape in the higher area inthe middle.When this middle area is worncompletely the links of the chain will run onthe roller. In that case you will notice that thechain makes more noise while running and youshould change the roller. You can purchase theplastic part without the bearing or the com-plete roller through your dealer.

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

The bearings must not be treated with a jet ofwater from a high-pressure cleaner or withsolvents since this may destroy the sealingsand remove grease from the bearings. If thebearings don't move smoothly anymore you'llhave to replace them.

Dismounting the chain rollerSee the notes on changing the chain tubes,page 31.

The chain roller is mounted with a special highstrength screw of the German strength grade12.9 and it should only be replaced by a screwof the same type and strength.

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

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

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Measuring toe-inBoth front wheels should be parallel to eachother, viewed from above the trike, comparepicture below.

The condition of the front ends of the frontwheels being closer together than the rearends of the front wheels (bv smaller than bh) iscalled toe-in, the condition of the front ends ofthe front wheels being further apart than therear ends of the front wheels (bv larger thanbh,) is called toe-out.The measures are takenat wheel axle height on the rim sidewalls.

If the front wheel alignment is incorrect, youwill suffer excessive tire wear and increased ti-re drag. Check your front wheel alignment re-gularly.The proper tolerance on toe-in is 0–2mm (1/16“). For correct measuring properlytrued wheels are required.

To check the toe setting turn the handlebarsinto the neutral position, so that the wheelsare aligned straight forward. Measure the di-stance between the front inner or outer edgesof the front wheel rims and the rear inner orouter edges of the front wheel rims 25 cm(10“) above the ground.

The distance between the front edges bv mustbe 0–2 mm (1/16“) smaller than the distancebetween the rear edges bh.

It is important to measure the distances at thesame height of 25 cm (10“) above the ground,as the front wheel are not exactly perpendicu-lar to the ground, viewed from the front of thetrike. Measuring at varying heights results inmeasuring errors.

Gekko and Gekko fx: bh-bv= 0–2 mm

Front wheel alignment

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Put the rod end under the sheetmetal bracketat the handlebar stem. Insert the bolt andtighten the self-locking nut.

On the other side of the track rod the rodend is mounted on the underside of theknuckle.There is washer and a spacer betweensteering lever and rod end.There is anotherspacer between rod end and self-locking nut.

Adjusting toe-inThe front wheels are held by knuckles whichcan turn at the ends of the main frame.Theknuckles are connected by tie rods to the handlebar stem.

The rod ends consist of ball-and-socket bear-ings that can be screwed in or out of the tie-rod for length adjustment.

Length adjustment is done at the inner tie-rodend, at the connection to the handlebar stem.The outer rod-end is screwed completely intothe rod and secured with threadlocker. Do nottry to turn this side of the rod end.

First make sure that the handlebar is alignedperpendicular to the main frame tube. Identifywhich wheel (or perhaps both wheels) needsadjustments of the toe-in by measuring thedistance between rim wall and main tube onthe most forward point and on the most back-ward point of the rim (value av and ah in thepicture).The distances should be roughly iden-tical for one wheel.

Remove the bolt that connects the inner rod-end to the handlebar stem. Hold the rod-endwith a wrench and loosen the nut that isscrewed against the rod-end.

Screw the rod-end into the tie-rod to enlargethe distance bv between the front edges of thefront wheel. Screw the rod-end out of the tie-rod to decrease the distance of the frontwheel edges.Attach the tie-rod to the handle-bar stem and measure the toe-in as describedabove. Repeat the adjustment process untilyou reach the required toe-in setting.

Align both rod-ends parallel to each other.Grip the rod-end with a wrench and tightenthe nut against the tie-rod with 4–5 Nm.

Danger! The rod-end must be screwed atleast 8 mm into the tie-rod. If it is screwedout to far, the thread could tear out and thetrike could become unsteerable.This meansthat with a standard length of the thread ofthe rod end of 24 mm, a maximum of 11mm visible free thread length is allowed bet-ween rod end and locknut.The lock nutmust be screwed tight to the track rod,otherwise the rod end can loosen up or de-velop play.

Caution! Do not move the rod end beyondits limits, or it will be destroyed or get ex-cessive play.Always hold the rod end with awrench or secure the tie rod with a wrenchagainst turning when tightening the lock nut.

HPVelotechnik36

Danger! Secure the thread of the bolt withthreadlocker. Check all connections of thesteering system before every ride. If a con-nection loosens, the trike becomes unstee-rable which may lad to serious injury.

The inside rod end is mounted under the sheetmetal of the stem,the button-head is facing downwards.

The outside rod end is mounted under the knuckle. It is protec-ted by a rubber sleeve from dirt and moisture. On top of and be-low the rod end there is a spacer bushing mounted.

Front wheel alignment

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If your bike is not equipped with mudguards,there will be a spacer (5 mm) between capand clamp.When mudguards are installed, thespacer is replaced by the mudguard mounting.

After adjustment of the head set bearing, alignthe mudguards in a way that they won’t touchthe front wheel.

MudguardsMudguards are exposed to very strong vibra-tions at suspended wheels which may causethem to break. Please check the stays andmountings of the mudguards regularly for theirposition and check the mudguards themselvesfor cracks or deformations. Replace damagedmudguards immediately.

If the wheels are removed, the tricycle mustnot rest on the front mudguards. Loosen thescrew between mudguard mounting andknuckle to remove the mudguard.

The front mudguards are adjustable in heightto accommodate different tire heights bymeans of the slotted holes in the mudguardmounting.

Headset, MudguardsAdjusting the head set playThe knuckles that connect the front wheels tothe frame are supported by A-Head-type head-sets.

The headsets must be adjusted in order to let the knuckles with the front wheels at-tached turn easily without showing play.

To check the bearing play, pull the front brakeand grab the upper bearing cup with your oth-er hand. Now move your trike back and forth.If the bearing has play the upper cup movesnoticeably in contrast to the fixed part. In thiscase loosen the clamping screw of the clampabove the upper bearing and tighten the screwin the cap a bit more.Afterwards, fasten theclamp again.

To check whether the front wheel turnssmoothly lift your bicycle at the frame so thatthe front wheel moves freely above theground.When you hold the frame straight andpush the handlebars slightly they should movesmoothly from their middle position. If thebearing is too tight, loosen the clamping screwof the top clamp and loosen the hex-headedscrew in the end cap a little bit by turning itcounterclockwise. Fasten the clamp again af-terwards.

Danger! The hex-headed screw in the caponly adjusts the play of the head set bearing.This screw will not safely hold the knucklein the frame.Take care the clamp tightenedas prescribed after you have finished youradjustment.

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

HPVelotechnik38

After having performed service work or afterreplacing mudguards check if the wheels turnfreely.There has to be a distance of at least 7mm between mudguard and wheel.

Mounting mudguards

The front mudguard mounting is attached byheadset’s cap and screw and fastened againstthe headset clamp. Make sure this clamp is fas-tened properly

The little screw in the mudguard mounting fitsin the clamping slot of the headset clamp andsecures the mounting against turning.

If you decide to uninstall the mudguards, re-place the mudguard mounting with a 5 mmspacer.

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

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

An useful alternative to water bottles are sys-tems with a "water bag" and a drinking hose,e.g. from SOURCE or CAMELBAG.You can simplystrap them behind the seat or on the rearrack.

RaincoverTo keep the meshseat dry when your tricycleis parked in the rain there is a raincover avail-able as accessory. It can be stowed in the bagof your meshseat.

There are two plastic clamps on the undersideof the most forward strap of the seatmesh.The raincover must be hooked to this clamps.

Caution! Do not sit down on the rain-cover. It may get broken.

Mudguards,Water bottle cage

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WheelsThe correct air pressure is decisive forsmooth running and a good protection againstpunctures.The maximum pressure is printedon the sidewall of your tire.You might find anindication of the minimum required pressureon the sidewall of the tire as well.

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

The tubes come with Presta valves (also calledfrench valves).They are very airtight and easyto pump up.

To do so, first screw off the valve cap. Nowyou see a small threaded rod with a knurlednut that comes out of the valve. Loosen theknurled nut as far as it is possible.

To pump up the tire and check the pressureyou need a pump with a gauge, preferably asolid floor pump. Put the knob of the pump onthe valve, push it completely on the valve andthen retract it a little bit. Now you can pumpup your tire easily.

After you have pumped up the tire to the de-sired pressure pull off the pump knob. Securethe valve by turning the knurled nut on thethreaded rod properly against the valve body.Finally put on the valve cap again.

When you exchange tires please note themaximum width limit of 50 mm (approximate-ly. 2 ").You have to use tires of ISO size 406(20") on all wheels.The tire width possible atyour bicycle depends on the size of your rims.Please ask your local dealer.

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

The spokes of the wheels connect the rim tothe hub.They transmit the braking power ofthe disc brakes, and in addition they transmitthe pedal forces at the rear wheel.

Wheels

Before pumping up the tire, you have to unscrew the littleknurled nut on the valve.

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

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

HPVelotechnik40

The tricycle requires a high spoke tension (> 1000 N) as the wheels have to bear highside loads.Any damaged spokes must be re-placed immediately.

The wheels are fastened with a quick releasemounting and therefore they are susceptible totheft. For this reason always lock the wheelsalong with the frame to a solid object whenyou park your bicycle somewhere.

To remove a front wheel, loosen the bolt inthe locking part at the inside of the knuckle atleast 6 mm. Pull the locking part away from theknuckle. Pull the wheel a few mm away fromthe knuckle and slide the axle through the slotin the knuckle.

Take care not to bend the brake disc.Whenreinstalling the wheel, slide the disc carefullybetween the brake pads and take care not todamage them. Tighten the screw in the lockingpart with 8–10 Nm.

Cleaning and conservationThe frame of the Gekko has a high quality andenvironmentally friendly powder coating.Thesurfaces of the aluminum parts are either pol-ished or anodised.Threads and technical con-tact areas can be unfinished and must be pro-tected with wax.

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

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

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

Wheels, Cleaning and conservation

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

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

Loosen the bolt inside the locking part to remove the wheel fromthe knuckle.

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

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

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

After cleaning the trike, dry it and treat thepaintwork and the metal surfaces with wax.You can purchase this wax from your localbike dealer as a convenient spray.

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

Do not only wax the frame but also thespokes, hubs, screws and nuts etc.You can alsoconserve the chain with wax spray after lubri-cating it, see also the chapter on "Chain", page29.

The frame has small holes for ventilation thatprevent condensation in the frame.Theseholes must not be sealed. However, moisturemay enter the frame through the holes.Therefore protect the inside of your frame byapplying wax spray through the holes.

Protect the parts where cables or chain tubesmay scratch the frame.You can buy specialstickers at your bike dealer or extra strongtransparent tape at your do-it-yourself-store.That way you avoid scratches in the powdercoating and coating coming off.

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

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

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

Caution! Take care that after folding thetrike there are no parts rubbing against theframe.This may damage the paintwork.

HPVelotechnik42

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

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

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

heating since it affects the rubber of your tires.

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

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

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

Screws and boltsScrews gradually settle in and hence they cancome loose.Therefore check the screws andbolts regularly if they are tightened appropri-ately with a torque wrench.

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

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

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

Alternatively you can use threadlocker thatyou apply to the screw before you put it intothe thread.

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

When you exchange screws please only usescrews of the same type. Screws come in dif-ferent strength classes. Please only use gal-vanised screws of the same type and strength,corresponding to the German strength class8.8 or stainless steel screws grade A2-70,when not given any other recommendation. Ifyou are in doubt please ask your specialistdealer.

Storing the bicycle, Screws and bolts

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

part connection screw tightening torque

V-brake:-brake lever handlebar/grip M6 key size 5 4 Nm-brake caliper caliper/frame M6 key size 5 5–7 Nm

cable clamping M6 key size 5 6–8 Nmdisc brake:-brake lever handlebar/grip clamping M6 key size 5 4 Nm-brake caliper caliper/frame M6 key size 5 7–9 Nm-brake disc disk/hub M5 Torx T25 5–6 Nm -brake housing brake lever key size 8 4 Nmdynamo dynamo/adaptor M6 key size 5 6–8 Nm

adaptor/frame M5 key size 4 4–6 Nm

rear rack at the seat tube M5 key size 4 5–6 Nm

b.b. set cartridge/frame 50–60 Nmchain roller roller/frame M8 key size 6 17–19 Nmcrank crank/axle key size 8 35 Nm

chain ring screws key size 5 8–11 Nmhub cassette ring 38–42 Nm

front hub quickmount M8 key size 5/6 8–10 Nmquick release wheel/frame 9–12 Nmpedal pedal/crank key size 15 35–40 Nmshifting lever twist shifter key size 3 2–2,5 Nm

barend shifter key size 6 5–6 Nmderailleur derailleur/frame key size 5 8–10 Nm

cable clamping key size 5 4–6 Nmmudguard stay/frame M5 key size 4 4–5 Nm

frame front boom clamping M8 key size 6 14–16 Nmframe clamping M8 key size 6 14–16 Nm

front derailleur front derailleur/frame M5 key size 5 5–6 Nmcable clamping M5 key size 5 4–6 Nm

handlebar handlebar/stem M5 key size 4 4–6 Nmstem stem / axle M5 key size 4 4–6 Nmheadset headset clamp M6 key size 5 4–6 Nmtrack rods track rod / knuckle M6 key size 4 7–9 Nm

counter nut key size 10 4–5 Nm

HPVelotechnik44

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

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

In addition to this HP VELOTECHNIK offers a 10year warranty on the frame of the Gekkoagainst damage through material or manufac-turing defects.This warranty applies only tothe original purchaser.

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

Damage caused by inappropriate use, inade-quate care and maintenance, falls, crashes,overloading through excess weight, incorrectassembly or modifications to the trike is alsonot covered.The onus rests with the purchas-er.The warranty is void if any of the instruc-tions in this manual are neglected.

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

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

In case of warranty we will replace or repairthe damaged part with a part of our choice ora new part equal to the old one (warranty ob-ligation).We do not cover any transport,labour or any secondary costs.

In the event of any action that falls under war-ranty the original warranty period will not beprolonged and no new warranty will be given.If HP VELOTECHNIK refuses to count a repair aswarranty case we will only carry out a repairwith costs after having talked to the customeror his representative, the respective dealer.

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

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

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

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

Warranty

War

rant

y Pa

ss

HPVelotechnik 45

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

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

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

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

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

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

Warranty Pass

HPVelotechnik46

Service Plan

Service Plan

part work

lighting system check function

adjust headlamp and rear light, check cable contacts

clean reflectors, replace missing reflectors

tires check air pressure

check tread and sidewalls

brakes check for damages

check for leaking oil

check rigid feel brake lever blades when pads reach rotor

check brake pads for wear

bottom bracket bearings check bearing play

rims check wall thickness, wear, condition

chain grease and check for wear

chain tubes check for wear

expand ends or exchange tubes

chain roller check for wear, check bearing

crank check, tighten

paintwork conserve and repair

wheels check alignment and spoke tension

handlebar check for damage / bends

check track rod for proper mounting

headset check bearings, grease

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25 ●

●

●

39 ●

●

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●

●

●

▲

39 ▲

29 ●

31 ●

▲

33 ●

▲

40 ●

39 ●

12 ▲

12 ●

37 ▲

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Warranty Pass

Service plan (continued)

parts work

hubs check bearing play and brake discs mounting

pedal check bearing play, check binding mechanism

frame check clamping of the front boom

clean and conserve

check for damage, damage to paintwork

quick release check correct closing

derailleur check for movement and function

clean and lubricate

screws and nuts check and tighten

mudguards check for damage and correct position

valves check for correct position and air tightness

stem check clamping

check clamping screws

cables dismount, lubricate, replace if necessary

This service plan is intended to give you arough overview over the required mainte-nance and service works. In no case it can re-place the detailed instructions in this manual!

You can perform service works marked with a"●" if you have the required skills and tools asfor example a torque wrench.

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

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

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

Please follow at any rate the manuals of theparts manufacturers.

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▲

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40 ●

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21 ●

28 ●

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37 ●

39 ●

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

When you ride more kilometres per year oroften ride under bad conditions like rain, gritor dirt it is necessary to have shorter mainte-nance intervals.

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

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

50 HPVelotechnik

service at delivery

At the delivery of a new Gekko

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

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

Warranty Pass

Your personal Warranty Pass

name:

adress:

telephone:

frame no:(on the underside of the crosstube gusset)

I have received the bicycle in good condition, ad-justed to my size and performed a test ride.I have been informed about the correct use ofthe recumbent, the components like derailleurand especially steering and brakes as well as thenecessity of regular service and maintenance. Iwill read the manuals prior to the first ride andhave all future users read them too. I am awarethat I need to send the warranty registration formto HP Velotechnik within four weeks of the pur-chase to qualify for the extended warranty.

Date:

Customer’s Signature:

Dealer’s Signature and Stamp::

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2nd service

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

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

1st service

No later than 300 kilometers or 2 months afterthe purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

52 HPVelotechnik

Warranty Pass

4th service

No later than 9000 kilometers or three yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

3rd service

No later than 6000 kilometers or two years af-ter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

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6th service

No later than 15000 kilometers or five yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

5th service

No later than 12000 kilometers or four yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

Warranty Pass

54 HPVelotechnik

7th service

No later than 18000 kilometers or six years af-ter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

8th service

No later than 21000 kilometers or seven yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

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9th service

No later than 24000 kilometers or eight yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

10th service

No later than 27000 kilometers or nine yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

Warranty Pass

56 HPVelotechnik

11th service

No later than 30000 kilometers or ten yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

12th service

No later than 33000 kilometers or eleven yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

57HPVelotechnik

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13th service

No later than 36000 kilometers or twelve yearsafter the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

14th service

No later than 39000 kilometers or thirteenyears after the purchase.

Order No.:

milage approx. km:

Date:

Dealer's Stamp and Signature:

Exchanged or additionally mounted parts:

HP Velotechnik ● Paul J. W. Hollants und Dipl.-Ing. Daniel Pulvermüller GbRElisabethenstr. 1 ● D-65830 Kriftel ●Tel.++49 - 61 92 - 97 99 2-0 ● Fax 91 02 18 ● www.hpvelotechnik.com

2012recumbenttechnology

HPVelotechnikwww.hpvelotechnik.com