I just got mine last night. I saw that you've ordered the rack+mudguard. Maybe that's probably the cause of your delay.

Anyway, my impression of the Helix at a glance.

1. Order to delivery was 4 weeks. Ordered on 4th April. Delivered on 2nd May. Pleasant surprise
2. Fold is just beautiful. This is the main reason why I got this bike. Very nice.
3. Front folding fork had a bit of problem. Two parts of the fork weren't aligning properly so the knob had trouble latching on. Ended up re-assembling the parts to make it more tight. Still wobbly so I probably would need to keep an eye out.
4. Seatpost. Yeah.. I don't get this seatpost honestly. I will get a new one down the line.
5. Tiny easywheel. It doesn't have enough clearance from the ground. I will have to find a larger easywheel. I read somewhere 80mm is too much. So I will try 60mm.
6. Ultralight tan-wall tires. Not so tan as I would've liked but it does give the bike a more vintage look. I like it.
7. VERY tight fold. It's nice but it also doesn't have much room for playing around, which in turn limits accessories.
8. Folding. I struggled at first to unfold and fold. Especially with the initial front fork problem. After I got used to it, it takes roughly 20secs. So nice.
9. Limited accessories is rather annoying.
10. There are no squeaks in the folding parts. Like None. So far anyway. My Dahon squeaks here and there but Helix, none. Very nice.
11. I got 11 speedn HK spec. Maybe due to this larger cog, when the knob for the handlebar is at fully released position and you fold, it touches the derailleur/cogs. I found that after you release the handlebar, then tightening just the knob back in will prevent this. I will have to put some protection on the knob.

It's been raining here for 2 days so I didn't get a chance to take it for a ride. Being used to 52t chainring, I don't know how 36t chainring will feel.
Can't wait to take it for a ride.

Thanks for the feedback, its almost the only one of somebody who bought an Helix without being a backer.

Is it an Ultralight or the new Standard 11 speed HK specs?

I guess you have a 9-42t cassette? But even with a small 9t cog, a 36t chainring gives a short max gear inch.

Do you have some pictures?

What do you mean for the fork by "still wobbly"?

I got the standard HK spec with ultralight tires. It seems silly to spend 1.5K for 1kg less weight.
I would love to post some photos but it seems I need to have at least 10 posts before I can post or link any photos.
I dunno if trying this link will work or get me into trouble, but this is what I mean when I say wobbly. youtube..com/shorts/6x0pjdPjFb8
Wobbly, prior to it being fastened that is.

Is it stable when locked?

Yes. It is rock solid when latched and locked.

Bottom half of the fork is attached to a helix cylinder which acts as a guide for folding/unfolding.
Helix cylinder is then held in place by a small Housing/guide which is attached to the bike frame by a single screw.
Upper half of the fork houses a knob which when pressed down, a shaft goes into the bottom half of the fork, and gets locked as knob turns.

In all of the old Helix videos, locking the front fork is straight forward. Unfold, then press the knob and turn.
Well...
When I unpacked and unfolded, the knob wouldn't go down nor turn. I couldn't figure out why until I realised that the top and bottom fork weren't aligned.
I had to really carefully aligned it all 3 axis before it would latch.
It turns out that Helix had upgraded helix cylinder and the small Housing. The new ones have more leg room.
In the end I had to take everything apart, re-align and tighten all parts.
It's much better now but it still doesn't really align 100% when unfolded. More like at 97%.
That video was before I took it apart

:D I went for the ultralight spec… as it will match my current road bike weight. Psychological I guess to not feel disadvantaged if using the Helix instead on bike trips abroad.

Congrats on the bike. So jealous you have yours already. I have been thinking it could be the rack and the case.

Not sure how many posts I have to go to post links now, but I did find a company that makes a custom frame bag for the Helix. Search Six Rolling Wheels.

That is concerning to watch the video on the wobbling fork. You’d think that Helix would have unfolded and locked the bike as part of build QA to ensure everything fits. The fact that you couldn’t based on mis-alignment is strange.

Can you also do a video on what you meant by the rollers not providing enough clearance as well as the seat post? To reduce weight even further, would you just need to replace it with one with the correct setback?

Yes, the weight difference isn't very big and a big part of it is due to lightweight tires and Tubolito inner tubes.

The Ultralight has also several higher quality components but the price increase is still very high for what you get or it.

Trying to explain in words is kinda hard. Let me see if I can make some extra posts so I can post images& links. :crash:

I always tell myself that I can save money by just losing weight. Pure delusion on my part.

Cut way back on your sugar intake. Worked for me. I dropped 18lbs. Then I started working here where I spend all day going up and down stairs carrying bikes,and dropped another 5lbs. I haven't been this light since I was wearing Airman stripes.

How's the 20" brompton? G-line? It's not officially here in my country. Been eyeing that for my misus.

Obviously bigger and heavier than the 16's. It rides better and can be more adventurous than the 16's. It also uses more standard bike parts. The tensioner mounts with a hanger style plate,so I'm expecting someone to start making derailleur hangers for them soon and to see some external gear mods. We've also gotten a fair amount of positive feedback from females since the hydros are low effort compared to cables. Since I'm pretty much just a commuter,and have way too many bikes in an apt,I've no interest in it. But if you're looking for a folder that can do trail work they're excellent.

This is my bike. The fold is just awesome.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...62a931acc1.png
Most youtube video's are few years old so I guess I had certain expectations out of the box.
After my trouble, to be honest, I thought I broke it. I actually regretted getting the bike as I was struggling to get the damn front fork locked.
This is what it looked like unfolded initially. It was moving in all xyz axis.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4b202dbdd5.jpg

Turns out that my helixial hinge housing? Dunno what its actually called, that housing is in it's 3rd gen. Sorry don't have photo as I'm too lazy to take it apart again.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...73c50d4d0d.jpg
1st Gen and 2nd Gen housing

Basically, my hinge housing screws were loose and that was the reason it was all out of alignment. Removing and tightening the screws solved 95% of it's problem.
Currently, it's fine. Still need slight intervention for alignment, but it's doable.
So, when you get yours, just remember. When you're having problem with the front fork, don't panic. You can fix it pretty easily.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1652f1c949.png
Needed tightening

Easywheel will give you around 8mm ground clearance in ideal surface. IRL, will definately get scratched. I tried 80mm wheel, unfortunately, the wheel will touch the crank arm. I will try 60mm.

Handle bar folding knob will touch the derailleur and the cogs. Remember to press and lock before folding to avoid damaging the plastic knob.

Helix now comes with folding pedal, which I never liked. As you can see, when folded, it touches the ground. So basically only for stationary use. It wasn't too bad but bit slippery. I will be changing it.

Seatpost. Where to begin... To adjust the angle, you need two different sized hex key. Not the metric one. Inch ones. To change the saddle, you need to remove 6 screws. Depending on the saddle, you will have hard access angle. I thought about pros and cons while trying to fit my old saddle and gave up. I ordered a new titanium post with setback of 20mm. Might not be enough setback but I'll see how it goes.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dba5bf3ef7.png
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9f427a1338.jpg

Did you had the opportunity to ride with your bike?

I am curious to know how it fits and how is the ride on bad roads and on cobbles ?

I took it for a 20km ride. I live in the city so mostly paved roads, but when going over unpaved sections, it was smooth and comfy. My Dahon is chromoly so rides are similar but where as Dahon rides more heavy/dampened, Helix rides more bouncy/dampened. Hard to explain. Dunno if it's due to bigger wheel size or titanium, but it was more enjoyable with Helix. When dancing on hills, Dahon would normally have tiny bit of squeaks and flexs. Helix was rock solid. I did hear constant ticking noise from the rear on low gear. Will have to look into that.

Mind you, I still had the stock saddle, which means it wasn't comfortable for my butt and my privates. But that's on me for being lazy and not changing the saddle.
It'll be few weeks till I get the new seatpost. So proper fitting will have to wait.

Coming from Dahon's 52t chainring, it was a bit weird with 36t chainring. I found myself mostly using 2nd(11t) and 3rd(13t) cogs. I'm thinking about changing to 40t chainring.

Great to hear some real world experiences with the Helix! Now that the rack & fenders are out, it's becoming a more serious option for me. I still worry about the longevity of the company, as they don't exactly seem to be thriving. If they go out of business, getting replacement parts for the beautiful frame will become impossible. Does anyone have insights in how they are doing financially?

Anyways, I'd love to have some input from actual owners on the following points:
- frame stiffness: can you ride hands-free at a decent clip (30-40km/h) without the bike starting to wobble? I tried that about 15 years ago on a Birdy, an experiment that (almost) ended very badly. (Hopefully the Birdy frames got stiffer in the meantime.)
- riding position: I'm worried that the bike is very short, forcing the rider in a very upright position. I used to road bike, so am used to rather "sporty" positions. The handlebar height seems about fine, but on my regular bike the distance between my saddle and the handlebar is substantially longer (about 12 cm). Does anyone have experience with longer stems and/or forward curving handlebars (if that exists)?
- fenders & rack: I'd be curious to hear some real world experience. They look great and seem to fold neatly, but I worry about the whole experience being fiddly because of those (too) tight tolerances...
- compatibility with Radical Design Chubby trailer: according to the folding size, the Helix should (just) fit in a RD Chubby. Has anyone tried out this combo? That would be the ultimate for train & bike-touring IMO.

No-hands stability at speed: That's not frame torsional stiffness as a factor; even a noodly frame isn't going to twist while no handed, that happens when climbing hard and pedal forces and handlebar forces are in opposite directions. Frame torsional stiffness IS a factor in preventing "speed wobble" at high descent speeds.

No-handed riding stability is a factor of:
- wheel size and gyroscopic inertia
- fork trail/caster
- front frame (unsteered) mass forward of steering axis and above wheel (there's an excellent university study and paper proving this)
- Steered mass forward of steering axis

The above results in the rolling bike turning in the direction of falling, so self-correcting.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3eb37099f4.jpg
Double clamp
The only insight I have into the financial position comes from an email Helix sent out in February this year addressed to backers waiting for a refund. Another backer posted the mail on the backers forum. Here’s an excerpt:

“We sincerely apologize for the delay in processing your refund. We understand how frustrating this situation has been, and we deeply regret the wait. Please know that we never intended to withhold your funds, the delays have been due to a series of unexpected challenges.

When we started Helix, our vision was to create a better product in an underserved industry. While we’ve seen both successes and setbacks, we are grateful to still be in business, continuing to serve our mission and our customers. However, we underestimated the difficulty of starting a manufacturing business that operates globally with the unique challenges that come with this.

In recent years we have considered sourcing our frames from China; however, even with their massive manufacturing advantage they are not able to manufacture Helix at our cost. Instead, we have continued to innovate and improve our processes, but even with that, we have been operating on razor thin margins and with a constantly changing and volatile economic environment.

The good news is that we are in the final stages of validating a new manufacturing process which will allow us to scale our production and overcome our cash flow limitations. As a result, we will be able to begin processing refunds soon.
By the beginning of May we will provide a clear and definitive refund schedule. We kindly ask for your patience during these final steps and request that you refrain from further pressure. Your support during this challenging time means a great deal to us, and we will keep you updated with more details in early May. ”



I think you’re confusing frame stiffness with steering geometry/handling. The bike has “quick” steering geometry and handling which I would also describe as “twitchy”. I can’t ride it hands free at any speed, the bars begin to wobble as soon as I let go and I have to ride single handed very carefully.

Frame stiffness is quite good. It’s not as stiff as my Canonndale Topstone Carbon gravel bike but I find it significantly more comfortable than the Topstone. I think the better comfort comes from the flexing of the seatpost. My sister who is shorter and lighter than me says she finds her Helix more comfortable than her Brompton.

I can almost replicate the riding position of the gravel bike (with hands on the tops). I’m 1.8m tall and I like to have the handlebars at the same height as the saddle. I’ve had to fit a home made “double clamp” (see pic above) to raise the bars by 45mm to achieve this position. I have the saddle fully rearwards on the seatpost rail and in the mid position on the saddle rails. I have the standard seatpost 10mm short of maximum extent. I’m running Ergon GP2 handlebar grips. I would describe my riding position as somewhere between upright and sporty (and equivalent to riding on the tops on the gravel bike).



I’ve kept the original short stem because longer stems increase the folded size of the bike and would make it more difficult to pack into my suitcase.



It’s a bit early to ask about experience with rack and fenders. Production versions will allegedly be available in July, only prototypes are out there at present.

I followed the Helix story since the Kickstarter campaign and maybe one remark about the manufacturing of the Helix frame.

When the kickstarter campaign was launched, the creator never considered to set up his own frame manufacturing facilities, the idea was to subcontract the frame manufacturing to an existing manufacturer with expertise in titanium parts manufacturing.

But when the kickstarter campaign ended and when the creator tried to find a subcontractor to manufacture the frame, it appeared very quickly that none could make it for a price compatible with the price paid by Kickstarter backers.

Several frame design where considered to try to reduce the manufacturing costs including a frame with titanium tubes glued instead of soldered.

This took a lot of time and was the cause of the first project delay.

Besides the unexpected much too high frame cost, there was a second unexpected thing: there was much more backers than foreseen.

The conjunction of these two resulted in the idea of the creator to set up his own automated manufacturing facilities to manufacture the Helix frame himself and reduce the frame manufacturing costs.

This took of course a lot of time and was only partially successful in the sense that the creator could set up his own manufacturing but it didn't reduce the cost enough and Helix was losing money on every backers bike produced.
The company could only survive by selling bikes at a much higher cost than the backer price and delaying the delivery of the backers bikes until enough full price bikes were sold to cover the loss on the backers bikes with the margin on the full price bikes..

But this solution wasn't even enough to be able to deliver bikes to all backers and eventually Helix decided to ask to the remaining backers that had not received their yet bike to make a choice between paying more to received their reward or receive a refund of their pledge hoping that most backers would accept to pay to receive their reward and avoid too many refund.

I never saw any information about the amount of backers who paid to received their reward vs. the amount of backers who asked a refund nor about the financial status of the Helix company (for instance who is the owner of the Helix company knowing that it seems that Helix received additional funding besides the backers money and the revenue of the bike sold for a full price).

(above) Quite a while back, perhaps a year or more, I saw a video online of Helix' manufacturing process; Quite bespoke IIRC; If my memory serves me(?), no mill-mitering of tubes, rather they were laser cut with what appeared to be a 5-axis robot, and then welded with I think a 5-axis torch with a multi-axis rotating fixture holding the tubes, and all in an inert-gas environment. Bespoke.

I live in NYC and I've been interested in buying a Helix since the Kickstarter days too. I didn't make a Kickstarter purchase because I thought Helix was too good to be true. I was right. Now that Helix is in Canada I've contacted Helix a few times with interest in purchasing a bike. I refuse, however, to purchase a bike that I've never seen before nor ridden. I have no idea how it folds nor what its strengths and weaknesses are. Seems logical to me. Helix assured me that there were some people in NYC who they would set me up with to try a bike. Over and over again... crickets. It's incredible to consider that Helix may be struggling and yet they have little interest in helping potential customers. All I can say is that I tried. That's OK, there's the Brompton T-Line.

I have no facts, this is just my guess, that Helix still has plenty of demand for their supply and production rate. Plus they had to stall past customers for whom they did deliver. They may be being aloof, or just cautious on future sales.

Does Helix still only sell direct? Or do they have dealers, who sell at MSRP without gouging markup?

When I was first looking at folding bikes, I saw NYCE folding bikes in NYC, excellent website, all bikes fully checked, assembled, and folded before shipping, sounded like a good outfit. Too bad they went belly-up, understandable with NYC rents and more D2C selling by manufacturers.

A Brompton T-Line I think is still a couple grand more expensive than a Helix, not as versatile due to much smaller tires, worse ride, and not as wide a gear range. If you are looking for just a commuter, a Brompton on 349s may be the thing. But if you want greater versatility, you may want a Helix, or a Brompton G-line on 406s. A Helix is still a smart design and bespoke for the price. If I was in the market in that price range, I'd give it serious consideration.

David pointed out one of the major problem of Helix: impossible to test it and know how it really rides, what is the position on the bike, how comfortable it is, if its complex folding really works and how reliable it is.

While, its really possible to test a T-line. What show that it rides like all other Brompton, folds like all other Brompton, is as versatile as all other Brompton but its really feather light.

Ideally, someone shopping for a bike should know "their dimensions" in terms of desired riding position, measured from a current known and well-fitting bike. Even a maker without test rides should be able to provide a sizing diagram. Then the unknown is the riding dynamics such as stability and such, but knowing some things like front trail, if you know common standards, goes a long way to telling you what to expect. If the maker offers no test rides AND unwilling to provide technical specs, buy elsewhere.

There are information about the geometry. .

But it doesn't tell everything about the position (for instance, the max handlebar to saddle distance is obtained with a big, unusual saddle offset) how the bike really rides and how it behaves on several types of roads, with this single side straight, thick, rigid fork and not very wide tires, I have some serious doubts about the comfort.

I haven't seen any independent t review of the Helix?