HP Velotechnik trikes - Manual (Page 55)

Gear system and chain
51
Handling instructions
Chain
The chain is a wearing part that has to be lu-
bricated regularly and to be changed at signs
of excessive wear and tear. The amount of
wear depends on maintenance and care as
well as on the circumstances of your ride
(rain, dirt, salt). Regular cleaning and lubricat-
ing can increase the chain’s lifetime, neverthe-
less the chain has to be changed when its
wear limit is reached.
Lubricating the chain
Diligent lubrication is important. The chain of
your Scorpion fs 26 is approximately 2.5 times
longer than a standard bicycle chain (ap-
proximately 3.8 m). But it also lasts longer
since a chain only wears while bending at the
sprockets and the chain rings.
Use good chain oil that won't leave a sticky
film on the chain. The chain oil must not con-
tain any aggressive chemical substances that
might affect the surface of the chain tubes or
chain idler.
Specialist stores sell biodegradable lubricants.
HP V
ELOTECHNIK
recommends a DryLube-
type lubricant. This lubricant is purely based
on PTFE (Teflon) that keeps the chain clean
and dry. This way dirt simply falls off and the
tubes always stay clean.
It is important that you clean the chain with a
cloth before lubricating. Otherwise the fresh
oil washes the dirt that clings to the chain into
the gaps and the bushings where the dirt
causes heavy wear.
Do not use any solvents to clean the chain!
The solvent washes the oil off the bearing
parts, stays there and dilutes the fresh oil so
that a sufficient lubrication is not guaranteed.
If you have treated the chain with a solvent
you will have to heat it up with a hot air gun
or boil it in chain grease.
Danger! Take care not to pour
any oil on the rims, brake discs or the
tires. The braking system could fail or the
tires could slip away suddenly. The oil af-
fects the rubber of your tires and can dam-
age it. While lubricating cover the
surrounding area.
An effective protection against corrosion is
crucial for a long chain life. Some minutes af-
ter you have oiled the chain rub it with a cloth
to remove superfluous oil from the outer sur-
face. Wax the chain thoroughly with a wax
spray. The wax keeps off water, protects from
corrosion and makes dirt fall off easily.
If the chain has become wet after riding in the
rain you should put your bicycle in a dry and
heated room, and every day you should turn
the crank and so move the chain until it is dry
again. Otherwise it is difficult for the moisture
in the tubes to evaporate which may lead to
corrosion at the chain.
Replacing the chain
The chain is one of the parts of the tricycle
that will wear out. This shows in a stretching
of the chain. Worn out chains do not fit the
sprockets and chain rings any more and wear
them away very quickly.
Check the chain for lengthening regularly. For
this purpose, try to remove the chain from
the chain ring. The chain may come off to a
maximum of 5 mm. For a more precise read-
ing you can buy a chain measurement gauge in
your bicycle shop.
Only use chains that are suitable for the gear
system of your tricycle. Otherwise a precise
gear shifting is not guaranteed any more.
Please consult your dealer on this topic. He
will also assist you in checking your sprockets
and chain rings. A new chain does not fit a