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Bicycles

HP Velotechnik has a new ride for all you recumbent mountain trikers

By Paul Ridden
September 20, 2013
HP Velotechnik has a new ride for all you recumbent mountain trikers
The Scorpion fs Enduro from HP Velotechnik on display at Interbike 2013
The Scorpion fs Enduro from HP Velotechnik on display at Interbike 2013
View 13 Images
A Go SwissDrive 250 W electric motor and 446 Wh battery pack is available as an option for an easier ride up the slopes and faster speeds downhill
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A Go SwissDrive 250 W electric motor and 446 Wh battery pack is available as an option for an easier ride up the slopes and faster speeds downhill
The Scorpion fs Enduro promises to serve up enough thrills to keep more aggressive trail-blazers happy
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The Scorpion fs Enduro promises to serve up enough thrills to keep more aggressive trail-blazers happy
The Scorpion fs Enduro comes in metallic green with blue accents
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The Scorpion fs Enduro comes in metallic green with blue accents
The Enduro sports two 20-inch rims at the front for steering, fitted with Jumpin' Jack tires from Schwalbe, and a 26-inch rear wheel with a Schwalbe Hans Dampf tire
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The Enduro sports two 20-inch rims at the front for steering, fitted with Jumpin' Jack tires from Schwalbe, and a 26-inch rear wheel with a Schwalbe Hans Dampf tire
The new rugged member of the Scorpion family boasts full suspension
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The new rugged member of the Scorpion family boasts full suspension
Sit back and enjoy the forest scenery from a different perspective with the Scorpion fs Enduro
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Sit back and enjoy the forest scenery from a different perspective with the Scorpion fs Enduro
The Enduro folds down to 125 x 83 x 62 cm for between rides transport in the trunk of the car
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The Enduro folds down to 125 x 83 x 62 cm for between rides transport in the trunk of the car
The Enduro boasts auto industry technology in the shape of MacPherson struts
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The Enduro boasts auto industry technology in the shape of MacPherson struts
A combination of a Shimano 9-speed chaindrive and a 3-speed SRAM Dual Drive hub puts 27 gears at the rider's disposal
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A combination of a Shimano 9-speed chaindrive and a 3-speed SRAM Dual Drive hub puts 27 gears at the rider's disposal
The new rugged member of the Scorpion family boasts full suspension with 200 mm of travel distributed across all three wheels
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The new rugged member of the Scorpion family boasts full suspension with 200 mm of travel distributed across all three wheels
The HP stabilizer system underneath the front axle wishbone that's claimed to help with stability when cornering hard
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The HP stabilizer system underneath the front axle wishbone that's claimed to help with stability when cornering hard
If you don't like the standard seat, an online configuration tool allows you to choose another
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If you don't like the standard seat, an online configuration tool allows you to choose another
The Scorpion fs Enduro from HP Velotechnik on display at Interbike 2013
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The Scorpion fs Enduro from HP Velotechnik on display at Interbike 2013
View gallery - 13 images

Germany's HP Velotechnik (HPV) is adding a new special edition off road trike to its Scorpion fs range that caters for riders who want to sit back and enjoy the forest scenery from a different perspective, while also promising to serve up enough thrills to keep more aggressive trail-blazers happy. Currently being shown off at Interbike 2013 ahead of an October US release, the Scorpion fs Enduro features chunky tires, full suspension, disc braking and 27 gears.

Nicknamed the Forest Lightning by the company, the Enduro sports a 26-inch rear wheel with a lightweight yet robust Hans Dampf tire from Schwalbe's new Super-Gravity series, and two 20-inch rims at the front for steering, fitted with Jumpin' Jack tires (also from Schwalbe). It features the same 7005 T6 aluminum alloy chassis as the Scorpion fs 26 S-Pedelec announced last year, which folds down to 125 x 83 x 62 cm (49 x 33 x 24 in) for between rides transport in the trunk of the car.

The new rugged member of the Scorpion family boasts full suspension with 200 mm (7.9 in) of travel distributed across all three wheels. The front axle has been designed to prevent a nose dive when applying disc brakes to the front (no rear brake here folks), and each Avid BB7 brake can be individually applied. There's auto-industry technology in the shape of MacPherson struts, and a HP stabilizer system underneath the front axle wishbone is claimed to help with stability when cornering hard.

The Enduro sports two 20-inch rims at the front for steering, fitted with Jumpin' Jack tires from Schwalbe, and a 26-inch rear wheel with a Schwalbe Hans Dampf tire
The Enduro sports two 20-inch rims at the front for steering, fitted with Jumpin' Jack tires from Schwalbe, and a 26-inch rear wheel with a Schwalbe Hans Dampf tire

A combination of a Shimano 9-speed chaindrive and a 3-speed SRAM Dual Drive hub puts 27 gears at the rider's disposal, but a Go SwissDrive 250 W electric motor and 446 Wh battery pack is available as an option for an easier ride up the slopes and faster speeds downhill. A second battery can be added to this setup for increased range.

The Scorpion fs Enduro comes in metallic green with blue accents and will be available from next month for a suggested retail starting price of US$4,790. Like all Scorpion trikes, the new model can be custom configured to user-defined specs using an online tool.

Have a look at the video below to see the kind of adventures you can look forward to with the Scorpion fs Enduro.

Source: HP Velotechnik

Das Scorpion fs Enduro Trike von HP Velotechnik - vom Mountain Bike zum Mountain Trike!

View gallery - 13 images

Tags

BicyclesRuggedRecumbentTricycleInterbike 2013
11 comments
Paul Ridden
Paul Ridden
While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won't say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed from hobby into career before hopping over to France for 10 years, where he started work for New Atlas in 2009. Now back in his native Blighty, he serves as Managing Editor in Europe.

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11 comments
Tom Swift
"...(7.9 in) of travel distributed across all three wheels."
Wow, talk about specification subterfuge. So about 2.63 inches at each wheel.....or 2.35" per front and 3" at the rear?.....or 1.45" per front and 5" at the rear?...or 0.05" per front and 7.8" at the rear?
No matter, just sour grapes cause I can't afford this bike.
Pin
I'm not sure why anyone would buy a mountain trike considering the best trails are single track.
Christian Lainesse
Depends where you ride. These types of trikes are awesome for bombing down fire roads.
Mark Penver
Or the fact that there's next to no ground clearance, basic manoeuvres such as lifting the front end up and over obstacles aren't possible and all shock from any drop will destroy your spine....
Keith Reeder
So sloooow,,!
I almost fell asleep watchihg the vid - even with parts of it speeded up (were we not supposed to notice that?) it's patently obvious that these things are DESPERATELY energy inefficient.
MQ
Horses for courses, if there is a market it will sell...
Not all people riding mountain bikes, pretend that they are at X-Games, so those who think that the only good thing about mountain bikes is 5 seconds of hang time, needn't sneer at those who love to ride on bumpy tracks that the latte sipping, lycra clad, road racing hordes wouldn't dream of risking their knees or rims for.
Recumbents are a different breed to uprights, trike versus bike, so! hell! of course not a lot of people will launch these off the side of pikes peak to win the fastest down the hill, rather they could race down the road, using the 3rd wheel for extra traction, the suspension for leaving the road at the rest stops or soaking up the corners, and the added grinding power of the recumbent position for higher gearing. Added that the pew, is a lot more comfortable at the end of the day than a typical carbon fibre cavernosal cruchers.
First line still stands..
Most of all, have fun with your toys in the great outdoors.
Energy efficiency, obviously the above reader has done an energy audit on this model of recumbent trike, because it appears that the argument(s) for recumbent cycles is, comfort after many days in the saddle (or a long day grinding), and energy efficiency of the recumbent position... (have to compare how far on how many cheese burgers, ok! that would be a challenge. Sydney to Perth, Upright versus recumbent cycles, fuelled only by cheese burgers and water. Least cheeseburgers in the same time wins..)
Ok some like, (most mountain bikers, (myself included) probably will never touch one). Car drivers will universally hate them (as impossible to pass on narrow crowded roads, therefore all trikes (and road bikes that can't do 60km/h on the flat) should be only on cycle ways).
SO this is the ideal design for a recumbent tricycle, off-road..
Greg P
This video is so cringeworthy. The drinking of empty cups at the end, and the part where they are having to pull the bikes up the hill instead of riding it was embarassing.
I can not imagine a situation where I would want to be sitting down while riding any of those trails instead of on a standard mountain bike.
Glen Aldridge
I think this is aimed at the Trike rider who wishes they could venture into the back woods & enjoy what Mountain Bikers or Bike Packers enjoy. - Nothing wrong with that. There have been other attempts at Offroad Trikes with weights & suspensions to match & they were able to provide a more air borne ride. Think Steintrikes, Berzerker & others. With HP's record of excellent road trikes their market might not be the extreme downhill Mountain Bike rider.
morongobill
I believe it would make a great touring trike, especially if you were staying off the beaten path on dirt roads, etc. They'll love it over at the Crazy guy on a bike touring site.
agulesin
I've recently bought a HPV Spirit (two-wheeled recumbent) which is made by the same company.
I haven't got around to using it much yet but can vouch for the quality of construction and attention to detail. I'm looking forward to years of trouble-free riding and enjoying the world from a recumbent-point-of-view.
As they say "Horses for courses"...
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