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New developments (archive) 2006 – 2009 Every day recumbent riders all over the world add thousands of miles riding experience to our bicycles. We do highly regard their experience, impressions and comments to design and improve modern bicycle concepts and accessories. On this page we keep you informed about the latest developments. Latest current developments | Developments 2010–2013 | Developments 2006–2009 | Developments until 2005 October 2009 Top issue for 2010: ergonomics The guiding theme for the HP Velotechnik engineers with regard to product development for the 2010 season was ergonomics. With additional components in our modular system of products, our comfortable recumbent bicyles and trikes can be tailored even better to your individual needs: ErgoMesh HS - The high net seat for recumbent trikes With the ErgoMesh HS net seat, your customers sit 8 cm higher than on the standard ErgoMesh seat and a full 11 cm higher than on the BodyLink hardshell seat. Ideal for customers who would like to get on and off the bike easily and enjoy a particularly good view in traffic, yet place less emphasis on very high tilting stability when cycling in a sports setting. Trikes with the high seat also come with longer handlebars with a grip position that is around 8 cm higher. Both seat and longer handlebars are available from now on. Foldable recumbent GrassHopper fx with aerodynamic steering The foldable, full suspension touring recumbent GrassHopper fx now also comes with optional easy to use ASS Aero-handlebars in addition to the Under Seat Steering and above-seat tiller steering. The Aero-steering results in a comfortable seating position with the arms held aerodynamically in front of you. For the new detachable handlebar stem, the HP Velotechnik engineers developed a quickly removable attachment, on which the quick-release lever is equipped with a locking button for maximum safety. In addition, a security pin ensures that the stem cannot accidentally twist even when the quick-release lever is open. The GrassHopper fx can be compactly folded in 60 seconds, with the aero handlebars being held sturdily on the side of the frame. The GrassHopper fx with aero steering is available from December from a sales price from $2,690.00 Adjustable head/neck rest for the BodyLink hardshell seat The height and angle of the new carbon head rest can be adjusted, so that the head rest can be used either as a head or neck support and is also suitable for riders wearing a helmet (40 mm height adjustability / 28 degrees angle adjustability). The removable, washable padding is fitted with a reflector strip for good visibility in the dark and a belt for attaching a rechargeable rear light. The new head rest can be retrofitted to existing BodyLink seats. Microbag: Top bag for BodyLink seat HP Velotechnik's Microbag provides a safe place for the small but important things in life such as mobile phone, keys, wallet or the new rain cover for the recumbent seat. After cycling, the Microbag can be taken off the BodyLink hardshell seat using a Velcro fastener and then turns into a practical hip bag with hip belt. Holds one liter. Durable nylon with sealed zip and reflector strip. Ab Dezember. Rain cover for HP Velotechnik seats Made of durable ripstop nylon, the light cover keeps the recumbent's seat dry and clean when parked. When not in use, it is kept in the integrated zip bag on the ErgoMesh seat or, for cyclists with a BodyLink hardshell seat, in HP Velotechnik's new Microbag. Colour: blue with HP Velotechnik logo. Elastic cord with cord lock. Protective cover for folded trikes For the foldable Scorpion fx and Scorpion fs models, HP Velotechnik supplies a protective cover made of durable ripstop nylon. When not in use it is kept in the integrated bag. Colour: blue with HP Velotechnik logo. Elastic shock cord with cord lock. Light system with Sram D7 disc hub dynamo For our two-wheeled customers, from December we will also be offering a light system with the Sram D7 disc hub dynamo for $229.00 For customers who place particular emphasis on a low free-wheeling resistance and low weight, we recommend our light system with the highly efficient SON 20R disc hub dynamo. Carbon trike fender Made from high strength carbon fiber, the precious High-End version of HP Velotechnik's trike fender saves 120 g in weight. The trike fenders have been developed with very good side splash protection especially for the needs of sporty trike riders. Certainly not an accessory that everyone has to afford - our standard trike fenders made of deep-drawn ABS have the same shape - but with the gleaming black, hand-made carbon transparent laminate (carbon and Kevlar at the front as shatter protection, carbon behind) and the optimised stiffness, it makes a must-have accessory for customers who love lightweight design and would like to invest their money in carbon. Mark on front boom makes length adjustment easier From October we will be adding a mark in the form of a line to the front boom of the frame at the bottom, thus making it even easier to align the pedal bearings after adjusting the length. BodyLink seats with side reflector strip With immediate effect, the BodyLink hardshell seat will be equipped with a black reflector strip, which glows brightly white in the dark when lights shine on it from the side. This strip also doubles as an improved edge protection. Streamer fairing with new light mount The Streamer front fairing comes now with a practical front light mount for a dynamo-powered headlight. The headlight is installed inside of the fairing. A foam cover provides protection against unwanted glare inside the fairing. When the Streamer has been remooved from the bike or trike, the front light mount can be switched over to the bikes main frame with a quick release mount. October 2008 HP Velotechnik Trikefender Optimized protection with really elegant lines: Our design department went through tough R & D and revealed the "HP Trikefender", robust fenders specially designed for trike use. The inner surface and the bottom edge are designed to provide maximum rider protection against spray, especially when cornering. The mounting elements with integrated height adjustment are installed shielded facing inwards to the rider.The round profile with 2 ¼ inch width enables you to mount even wide comfortable riding tires up to 2 inches, e.g. the Schwalbe BIG APPLE. Available from November 2008 on. Head Rest for ErgoMesh seat Now available for our airy ErgoMesh seat: The Head Rest,a retrofittable, sleek ergonomic accessory, height and tilt adjustable. Solid aluminum design with detachable and washable head pad with reflecting feature for passive safety. Art.-code SIHPKNEK Available End of 2008 Optional BodyLink seat with seat mount for smaller riders We offer an option that enables you to position the BodyLink shell seat more forward. Special seat mounts set the seat 1 3/4 inches forward, distinctively reducing the distance to the pedals . August 2008 World premiere at the Eurobike show: the "Scorpion fs", the first fully suspended folding tricycle recumbent, developed and manufactured HP Velotechnik. For the best road holding characteristics and superb travelling comfort our development engineers have taken modern chassis technology from automobile technology and introduced it into the bicycle world. For the first time adjustable McPherson shock struts are used on the front wheels of their Scorpion fs recumbent tricycle. The stabilizer bar under the wishbones of the front axle prevents trike and rider from leaning outward excessively in fast cornering. With 6cm of suspension travel on the front wheels and 8cm of movement at the back, this machine spoils the rider with luxury travelling comfort, while the "No Squat" design prevents any precious pedalling power being lost to the suspension. The reclined seating position of the BodyLink hardshell seat or the alternative airy ErgoMesh seat (the seat angle adjusts from 33-42 degrees), combined with a seat height of 30cm and a 41cm high bottom bracket gives the newest addition to the Scorpion family a sporty riding position for the best aerodynamics. For transporting the Scorpion fs, it can be folded in 60 seconds to a size of 84cm x 66cm x102cm, which after removing the wheels reduces even further to only 78cm x 63cm x 112 cm. Total rated load is 130 kg, 25 kg on the sturdy, suspended rear rack, designed particularly for the high stresses of trike riding. HP Velotechnik do not allow any compromise on strength or ride quality, even with the folding facility. HP Velotechnik give a 10 year warranty on the frame. With a weight starting from 17,9 kg, amazingly low for a full suspension machine, the Scorpion fs performs well even in the mountains. And if you want to call up your very own tail wind, the Scorpion fs can be specified in the Pedelec version with an auxiliary 250 W electric engine. In addition newly next year on the accessory list: An adjustable head rest for the ErgoMesh seat and HP Velotechnik's TrikeFenders, a set of front fenders designed specifically for the use on tricycles, offering hugely increased lateral protection to keep the rider clean and dry especially in curves when the front wheels are pointed at the rider. The Scorpion fs tricycle is available from February 2009 from specialist bicycle dealers starting from Euro 3290 / US$ 4390 / £2600. Colours: Blue Shade Grey, Pearl-Orange or special colour to choice. May 2008 Light systems now include bright headlight IQ Fly plus We now use the new super bright headlight IQ Fly plus from Busch und Müller for our light systems. October 2007 Recumbent news for the 2008 season Dear recumbent rider, folding bicycles and tricycles are the major trend for 2008. Sustainability, new environmental conscience and the combination of public transport with individual locomotion such as bike riding demand for easy-to-use folding technology. Understandable, speaking of lack of transport and storage space, the capability of folding your ride also leaves you literally "flexible" in virtually all situations. Our folding tricycle Scorpion fx already has a very successful history, since its launch last year. Following in its footsteps it was only natural to introduce a new member of the "fx" family to the awaiting public: For 2008, the all new folding recumbent bicycle GrassHopper fx joines our range of fast and comfortable recumbents. With excellent folding and riding features combined with award-winning design the GrassHopper fx sets new standards - recumbent riding is now efficient and looks great! Our development engineers worked hard for you during the last season to provide you with a variety of new ideas and approaches to the fascinating world of HP Velotechnik recumbent riding. This news page will give you a short overview of the most importent developments for 2008. For more detailed information please review the product pages, the online price lists and download the product folders. We are looking forward to an even more exciting recumbent season in 2008! Folding trekking bike GrassHopper fx – a new dimension of riding pleasure! We are happy to introduce our new space-saver: The perfect pleasure ride for spontaneous tours in distant regions. Easy folding in 60 seconds to fit in trunks and train compartments leaves no more handy excuses. The folding dimensions for above seat steering models (96x60x70cm / 38x24x28“) and under seat steering models ( 96x50x70cm / 38x20x28“) speak volumes. A very compact package, though we increased the wheel base by 5 cm / 2“ to give you an even more relaxed and joyful ride with or without luggage. Basic retail price GrassHopper fx: $2.550. Available from February 2008 on. The well known standard GrassHopper with rigid main frame remains available, retail price $2.290. ErgoMesh® seat: HP Velotechnik’s comfortable and airy seat 2008 is a year of choice: Choosing the right seat is the most important issue for new recumbent customers. Different approaches to the task result in different designs. To deliver solutions for all seating needs, HP Velotechnik now offers both mesh and hardshell seats: On one hand our very successful and proven individually adjustable two-piece BodyLink hard shell seat, on the other hand the brand new one-piece, highly ventilated ErgoMesh seat with zip tie pouch and reflex stripes. It's ergonomic side padding provides the rider with extra support while cornering - perfect for fast cornering on our trikes. Now you can customize even the seating compartment of your custumer's favourite HP Velotechnik model! You can retrofit the ErgoMesh seat on all our existing Grasshopper / fx, Scopion / fx, Speedmachine and Street Machine Gte bikes that are equipped with the BodyLink seat and quick release mount. All it takes is 15 seconds to detach and swap the seats. So the choice is yours! SeatWings: More side support for BodyLink seat To increase the BodyLink's lateral support for trike riders, we developed the SeatWings, our new Airflow padded carbon fibre hip support. SeatWings easily bolt on the existing BodyLink seat design and are width-adjustable via slotholes. The upper part of the riders body will remain free for active riding by leaning in curves countering tilting, while the extra support adds comfort and safety aspects. HP Velotechnik aproves BionX power assist system We have postive experience with the canadian BionX power assist system. For 2008, we will offer this system as option for our european customers. Unfortunately, airfreight shipping rules prevent us from shipping this system to the US / Canada. Please contact BionX directly to source their system. New drive train option: stiff hollowtech Truvativ crankset saves weight 26" drive trains for Street Machine Gt / Gte and Speedmachine are now available for weight weenies: Truvativ Elita with "giga-X-Pipe" hollowtech bottombracket / crankset units save 150 gram and add stiffness and great looks to our bikes. Only an Allen wrench is required to remove cranks, your staff will be happy about this timesaving aspect. Adding our lightweight Aluminium chain wheel disc saves even another 150 gram. New components for all our models -Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes (improved adjustability) substitute AVID BB5. -Hydraulic disc brakes MAGURA Louise substituting MAGURA Julie and Martha. -DT Swiss hydraulic damper XM180 (ultralight, lockout) substitutes SSD225. -Rohloff: for better handling, ergonomics, and more elegant cable routing we equip under seat steering bikes and trikes with the long twist shifter, allowing a full-hand shift. New for Scorpion / Scorpion fx -From 2008 on the trikes sport a width-adjustable handlebar/stem unit. -New standard brake lever with integrated brake-lock-mechanism for mechanical disc brake: substitute the Velcro strap as basic parking brake. The proven optional parking brake actuated by thumb shifter allows for additional subtle preset braking on the rear end when descending with loaded carriers - extra safety. -With the all new HP Velotechnik / WEBER trailer coupling for Scorpion / Scorpion fx you can now use double track trailers even with an installed rear rack. More payload for all models Was 120kg ( rider with luggage ), is now 130 kg. Trailer load was 30kg (trailer with load), is now 40 kg Note on component changes. All components and other technical information subject to be changed without prior notice. The new prices and options start becoming available from November 1st, 2007. If you plan to order a bike or trike in the next weeks, please ask your dealer to find out about the exact component specification of your recumbent. August 2006 Scorpion fx - foldable Touring trike At this year's EUROBIKE, IFMA and INTERBIKE shows HP Velotechnik unveil their first foldable recumbent tricycle especially designed for long distance cyclists. For the first time HP Velotechnik is presenting a folding trike, the Scorpion fx with 9 cm suspension travel. It takes only 60 seconds to release the ergonomically shaped BodyLink- seat without tools and folding the rear wheel over the left cross-section. Including wheels the size of the resulting package 102x83x69 cm is mall enough to store in cramped areas. The convenient release of the front wheels takes only additional 90 seconds by Allen key. Stripped down like this the agile racer fits almost everywhere, virtually no trunk is too small for it. Perfect for theft protection and storage. Nevertheless the Scorpion fx meets all needs for the great tour: 4 panniers can be mounted on the sturdy rear rack / lowrider combination, with a whopping max-load of 50 kgs. With 35 cm seat height it is comfortable 9 cm higher than its more performance orientated trekking kin Scorpion. The new Scorpion fx will be available from January 2007. Read more details in our Press release: HP Velotechnik launches Scorpion fx - Foldable touring tricycle. Various product upgrades will occur from November 2006 on: New, quick release detachable BodyLink-seat Integral feature of the basic setup of Scorpion, Speedmachine, Street Machine Gte and GrassHopper is the all new, quick release detachable BodyLink-seat. No tools required. One vital feature of the new designed seat mounts: during altering the angle and resizing the length the new design prevents the seat mounts from accidentally slipping out of the joints. The frameside special quick release units are internally centered by springs so refitting the seat is easily executed and requires a minimum of time. Scorpion design awarded, new options and accessories Scorpion was rewarded with the "Eurobike Design-Award 2006" for outstanding and innovative design. Beyond that we offer new options for the Scorpion and Scorpion fx: option SON hub dynamo "One-Side" lighting system option one-hand-actuation consisting of Magura BIG, SRAM DualDrive and parking brake with three-step-thumbshifter option Shimano Dura Ace barend shifter option for SRAM DualDrive SKS mudguards are replacing Canyon mudguards mechanically linked AVID disc brake with, parking brake plus rear wheel AVID V-Brake as new option new disc brake mount on rear triangle for retrofitting disc brake and mount for Rohloff-Speedbone torque distribution Speedmachine Stem revision Tiller and Aero stem now completely made out of aluminum, shaving off 100 grams. New Suspension fork Spinner AL optional front fork "Spinner AL" with aluminum stanchion tubes saving 300 grams, available for Street Machine Gt/Gte and GrassHopper. New Schwalbe basic tires and SKS fenders/mudguards Schwalbes Marathon Racer: successor for the basic tire Schwalbe Marathon Slick, Marathon Slick is discontinued by Schwalbe. Schwalbe Big Apple 50 mm: new option for all our models available. Schwalbe Marathon Plus 47 mm with extra flat guard: new option for Scorpion, Speedmachine, Street Machine Gt/Gte and GrassHopper. SKS mudguards now wider (42 mm old 55 mm new ) for Scorpion, Speedmachine, Street Machine Gt/Gte and GrassHopper. New crank set kit, drive trains and pedal options Sugino XD crank set single with 52, 46 and 38 teeth are replacing Tracer crank set single with 52, 46 and 39 teeth. Sugino XD short cranks 152 mm are replacing Tracer short cranks 155 mm. new Shimano triple front derailleur FDR 443 with better lever ratio replaces Shimano 105 triple front derailleur. Shimano PDM 324 clipless pedal with cleat without reflector replaces the Wellgo clipless pedal. option Shimano Deore drive train and Wellgo clipless pedal kit are discontinued. March 2006 New option DualDrive XT/105-81 for Scorpion What stands behind DualDrive XT/105-81? From our customer experience in hilly areas we understand that there is a group of riders interested in slow speed touring. As the Scorpion is perfect for this way of cycling as you can ride as slow as you want without falling down, we now offer an option for larger gear ratio. DualDrive XT/105-81 means we take our standard Triple crank set with a Shimano 105 front derailleur and a Shimano XT11-34 cassette in combination with the SRAM 3 speed DualDrive hub. The result is a gear range of 12.3" to 123" gear inches (0.98 - 9.81 meters = 38.6"-386" development => distance travelled per turn of the pedals. For details on gear terminolgy, see Sheldon Brown's Website). The system is operated by Shimano Dura Ace bar end shifters and the SRAM 3 speed grip shifter (279,- Euro). New front boom-quickadjust The new front boom quick adjustment features quick releases for the front boom adjustment and two additional chain pulleys. It is available for Scorpion, Street Machine Gte and GrassHopper. Latest current developments | Developments 2010–2013 | Developments 2006–2009 | Developments until 2005