About the electrification of the Helix bike. I build my one ebike before and would like to share some of my thoughts about it. I hope it helps some of you in their decision making.

The obvious advantage of the Helix bike is its bigger size and therefore better stability (let’s see if the first test riders can confirm that) at higher speeds compared to other folding bikes.

I quote from the Helix website: "An electric conversion can be installed by the end user. Helix has a standard 135mm dropout spacing and we will offer a set of dropouts that is compatible with standard rear drive hub axles. Helix should only be used with pedal assist type electric conversion not exceeding 250W. Any other type of electric conversion will void the warranty."

If you choose a motor with 250W it depends on the country you live how fast you’re allowed to ride. In the EU 25 km/h in the US 20 mph (32 km/h).

At speeds of only 25 km/h I don’t think the Helix has many advantages compared to a smaller folding bikes like the e-brompton, e-GoCyleor the e-hummingbird. At speeds of 32 km/h the Helix probably has a slight edge over the competition.

I think where the Helix would really shine is at speeds of around 45km/h. But for such speeds the frame design as well as the whole breaking system would need to be redesigned. It would also be nice to have a suspension to smooth the ride at such high speeds. You would also need a stronger motor of around 350W to keep such speeds for longer.

In my experience an electric motor assisting up to 25km/h is most useful in hilly regions, but the extra weight is always an annoyance especially for a folding bike that you need to carry around often. If you live in a flat area in the EU it makes almost no sense since you are mostly faster than 25km/h anyway.

An electric assist up to 32 km/h for US citizens is noticeably better in the flats and I think it can add real value to the riding experience if the system is not to heavy.

250W however is not that much power. It is good enough for quick starts and helps a lot at light elevation but depending on where the motor is located the low power can be an issue a hub motor for example can overheat and fail at steeper hills.
Americans are allowed to add more power of up to 750 watts to their bikes without getting into legal trouble and I would definitely use more than 250W if I had the choice and when losing the bikes warranty is the only disadvantage. Not sure how the insurance react to accidents caused by such DIY builds in the EU they don’t pay anything which is really bad.

In short if you live in the EU in most cases a 250W motor is not worth the trouble and money and the extra weight is like poison for a folding bike. However if money is no problem you can build some surprisingly light e bikes and when living in a hilly region it might even be a good idea to add a motor. I would give the following motor recommendations to EU citizens.

1. Add-e (add-e.at/?lang=en and electricbikereview.com/add-e/250w-kit/) is an expensive and noisy system but it is the lightest, high-quality option with that much power I know of. Installation seems easy and simple for everyone.

2. Bafang MINI-Hub (bicyclingtrade.com.au/news/trade/bafang-announces-2019-ebike-range) or similar front hub motors. They are a bit heavier (motor = 1,7 kg) but they are very efficient, silent and a cheap if you can install them yourself. You can also create a battery pack for your specific needs using the latest battery technology keeping the weight low. Next gen cells can be found in the latest Tesla model 3 (This would however require a lot of DIY work and some knowledge in electronics). Most cheap Hub motor kits I have seen online look very ugly, use old heavy battery technology and the motor is often heavy since they are over engineered. I think a DIY build with a good hub motor is the only acceptable option for building a light folding bike. There are some good DIY kits available for example at (lunacycle.com/motors/conversion-kits/) but even more bad ones on ebay.

3. Mid drives are more complicated to install and in my opinion not worth the trouble when only adding 250W and going 25 km/h.

US citizens could go with a stronger motor but this also makes the bike heavier since a bigger battery is needed. Here my recommendations for US citizens.

1. The tuned add-e version (650W) is more powerful than the european version and probably the better option for the US market.

2. There are many powerful hub motors out there, but they are also heavier and need larger more powerful batteries. To keep the bike light, I would not use motors with to much power. 500W should be enough for the Helix.

3. A powerful DIY midrive might also be a good option since power can be better regulated especially in mountains and offroad. I think installing such a system is much harder than going with a hub motor but if you have the skills it might be the perfect system. Here are some inspirations: (electricbike.com/10-light-electric-bikes/)


For the suspension there are some inventions which might be interesting for the Helix bike as soon as they are available.

1. Loopwheel (inhabitat.com/loopwheels-reinvents-the-bike-wheel-with-a-suspension-system-built-into-the-rims/loopwheel-in-wheel-suspension-3) Those wheels are already available for wheelchairs. I am not sure if they would even work when installed in the front of the helix bike since they need some clearance to not hit the frame.

2. Bridgestone Air Free Concept (bridgestone.com/corporate/news/2017041701.html) still a concept and they might never come to market just like the Helix bike.


I personally dream of an ultralight 45km/h folding bike with a good suspension for a stable ride at high speeds. This would be the perfect medium to long range bike which works well in combination with public transport. Right now, my ultralight road bike fills that position and probably will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The Helix definitely has the genes to become the perfect long range electric bike.

For near range and traveling by airplane the Helix bike is less ideal. I currently use skates which are fast enough to keep up with traffic and they pack incredibly small. However they have a few disadvantages like being a bit dangerous (no breaks, small wheels), some countries don’t allow skates on the bike path and they need almost perfect roads. The Helix and all the other folding bikes are to big and heavy to replace my skates but I think the upcoming Kwiggle bike (kwiggle.odoo.com/en_US/startseite) in combination with an add-e motor could be a game changer in the near range and international travel category.

This is my first post here and I would like to thank all the backers who invested their hard earned cash into such an innovative project. We all profit from helping more people switch from car to bicycle and public transport and the Helix can help make the transition a bit easier. In times of climate change and high obesity related healthcare costs such projects are needed.