Originally Posted by
Jipe
There is now a page describing the electric assist system of Helix.
As usual, with Helix, the claims are partly fake.
This hub motor, from an almost unknown Chinese assist system supplier, is not really open, only the battery is open, the motor, display and control are proprietary and i do not think that the freewheel of this hub support any Shimano 12s cassette like claimed which explains why Helix use an 11s Shimano transmission (but with a 11-36 cassette that doesn't come from Shimano since the 11s road derailleurs from Shimano are according to Shimano limited to 11-34).
The low weight of the assist system is not due to a low weight hub motor (Mahle X20 weight 400g less than this Keyde P100) but to a low capacity battery that surely won't provide 100km range in typical use as claimed but is too big to be taken in an air travel.
Eh, I think that's a little harsh. A 252 Wh battery alone isn't enough to get the weight down to 27-31 lbs. ~252 Wh is one of the most common battery size for lightweight folding ebikes (common for bikes with integrated batteries, or batteries built into the seatpost), and most of those are significantly heavier than the Helix.
And maybe it's not quite as light as the Mahle X20 (it's lighter than the older X35), but it's definitely one of the lighter motors out there. Keep in mind the benefit to the Keyde is that it's an almost all-in-one system: the torque sensor and controller are integrated into the motor itself.
I also don't think Helix was saying the motor itself was open, but rather that the Helix as a system was. I guess one could argue that's a bit of a stretch, as in that sense any acoustic bike with an electric conversion kit could be considered "open". But I nonetheless read it more as suggesting that the motor and battery aren't locked into one ecosystem, and that upgrade systems could be available in the future. For example, I can't just upgrade the motor or batteries on Brompton Electric or Tern Vektron as easily as I theoretically could with the Helix (again... theoretically).
The 100km range estimate is definitely an idealized estimate with low assist, but not particularly egregious relative to the rest of the ebike industry given the battery size and motor output. I'm a large person and I've squeezed out ~75km out of a 252 Wh battery before on level 1. Lemond bikes (which use a MahleX35 with a 250Wh battery), claim 110 miles.
My main issue with the bike is no word on UL or any other safety certification. The battery wiring in the image certainly looks a bit janky. As such, I'm hesitant to consider or recommend it.
Edit: The battery has a UL logo, but will need something more legit than that lol.