Olympic Honors
Kristina Vogel and Her Hands-On-Cycle
Hands-On-Cycle is a revolutionary concept in which just one special unit turns a pedal bike into a hand operated trike from HP Velotechnik: fully encapsulated, with full suspension, optionally equipped with an electric motor and many functional and elegant extras, this was all it took to convince the most successful female cyclist of all time.
It caused quite a stir in the media: Kristina Vogel wants to cycle again! The double Olympic champion and 17-time world champion in track cycling, paraplegic since her serious training accident in 2018, felt ready again after five years without a bike so now she was able to experience the wind in her hair, the clicking of the chain when changing gear and the centrifugal forces when cornering again.
There is no question that she was in need of a handbike to achieve this. But not just any bike. For Kristina, style, maximum functionality and – of course – speed is key to great design. An intensive exchange of ideas began between her and the HP Velotechnik team. The Scorpion fs 20 with the Hands-On-Cycle makes quite an impression. The combination of a sporty tricycle and HP Velotechnik’s elegant, fully encapsulated handbike unit is unique in the field of hand-propelled vehicles.
Appointment With Development
From Wheelchair to Seat With Energy and Power
We arranged an appointment at the HP Velotechnik development workshop to test whether the bike fits her or not.This was not easy, because Kristina has a more than a full schedule. In addition to her job as a cycling trainer at the School of the Federal Police, she participates on talk shows, flies around the world to comment on the World Cycling Championships on TV, beams into the camera at advertising shoots for cosmetics or glamorously opens the Sports Press Ball as a dance partner on her wheelchair.
She makes the transition from wheelchair to the net seat of the Scorpion with energy and power which left us impressed. Now it’s a matter of millimetrical fine tuning. Kristina is small, she is close to the 162 cm which is the minimum height spec for Hands- On-Cycle. Her legs lie flat on the frame tubes. „Can you do something about this?“, she asks.
Kristina Vogel Wants More
Win-Win Situation for Everyone
This is one of the perks of a specialist bike manufacturer. And so the pro’s feedback turned into a win-win situation for everyone.We did the second fitting at the eve of Eurobike 2023, now with Foot plates and Calf braces. It fits! The next day, our booth at the world’s leading trade fair for the cycling world was packed like never before.TV, radio, newspapers – everyone wanted Kristina with the Hands-On-Cycle.
At the photo shoot a few weeks later at Kristina’s home, she really gets her Scorpion going. She steers it swiftly along the forest paths in the Berlin countryside. Standard handbikes with their powered front wheel don’t have that much grip on soft ground. She rolls even greater on asphalt and comes back with the experience of many pedelec riders: „It’s a pity that the motor cuts out at 25 km/h.“ There is a flash of the former „speed queen“ of track cycling: Kristina wants more!
Video*
The Hand-Powered Drive for Trikes From HP Velotechnik
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