Ozonation

Apparently bike #1 will ship early May; remainder of first batch of bikes by end of July.

Flimbs

Is this via mass update from Peter?

Dahon.Steve

I noticed the Helix web site had a new update on Jan 27th. From the site:

>>>>Helix will be the first titanium bicycle in the world to be robotically TIG welded in an inert chamber. We have developed our manufacturing process with the goal of not only making the best folding bike in the world, but making it in the best possible way.<<<

I'm impressed but the largest bicycle manufacturer in China has been using robotic TIG welding for years. (Fujita bicycles) If you look at the YouTube video, it reminds me of the motion picture, the Terminator!

I suppose Peter thinks he can eliminate most of the labor by having robots to do the work. The upfront costs in all this technology is going to be a fortune. I wonder if he ever traveled to China and sourced a builder?

maxxevv

Think the key point being "... in an inert chamber".

That being said, I won't be the least bit surprised if they already have been doing that in either China or Taiwan.

I think it remains to be seen how things pan out. The capital outlay for such equipment is tremendous if its to be done well and proper.

hub-bub

Sooooo, it's been quiet out there. Have any of you Kickstarter Helix backers gotten any updates lately from Peter? If so, please share the deets.

Thanks!

jur

No news as usual. Going by previous update performance, that may be due to machinery delivery delays.

exBromptonite

If I may quote a recent post in the Helix backers' forum from one person (not me) that is resonating with others:

Peter-

It's a shame that you don't appreciate how easy it would be to please us. We already backed the Helix Bike Project. We are believers. Post a few pictures of the factory as it really is. Crappy cell phone pictures would be fine. I am pretty sure that I am not the only backer that doubts that you are on track.

Just looking at the dashboard indicates that you are behind schedule. We all know by now that you always underestimate your timelines. Please just give us the truth. I don't think there is any possibility that the current Dashboard timeline is accurate.

You are an awesome designer!

A mediocre Project Manager.

An abysmal communicator.

As I have said before, play to your strengths, hire people to do the things you aren't very good at. I love your bicycle, I just wish I could ride mine.

Please find a way that makes it work for all of us who want to believe in you!

jur

Actually the last KS update was 18 Feb, just over a month ago. That's not much time at all.

zz_frankz

This is the first message in this thread in 2016, it's almost in April, 2017 now, pretty much same questions here and same status quo down there...

Tuan

I am no longer waiting for them. Once and if the Helix are delivered, I will sell them.

Ordered a Brompton and will be buying a 2nd Brompton to ride in the summer. Not holding my breath with Helix and lack-of-communication-Peter

Tuan

I have no ideas how Peter and Helix can put in print that pre-orders will be delivered September 2017 or "later" when he can't commit to delivery date for Kickstarter orders

rhenning

I really don't care one way or another on these bikes but it is interesting to me that many of the new posts are from Newbies. Are they hopeful buyers, adverstising the bikes or just shills. Roger

downtube

I don't think one can ever guess other peoples motives, hence it is best not to try. Clarity will come in time.

Thanks,
Yan

Gibsonsean

I thought Feb update sounded very positive. Implication seemed to be that the welding chamber was the long pole but that everything would be in place by mid April for the first production bike to be produced and sent for certification. The next major communication was to be on backers finalising specs and delivery ~ something that needs to be in place for late April if bikes are to begin shipping in May.

Interesting that the pre-order delivery timetable has advanced from July to September. Could be that pre-order volumes have surpassed 2 months' production capacity or that there are further undeclared delays, or a combination of both.

Abu Mahendra

Confirmation Bias
-----------------
Aligning the facts, however misaligned, to fit a desired narrative.

jur

The Helix Co's timeline "estimates" have been wildly inaccurate since day 1. I have learned to stop attaching any value at all to their timeline estimates.

Gibsonsean

I get that and take it as a given. I wouldn't be surprised with some further slippages (weeks to a couple of months) as the implied timelines from the Feb update look very tight between delivery of the chamber, test sign off on th production bike and final production tuning.

As usual to there appears to be optimistic estimation and a lack of contingency.

All of that said based on the Feb update which had a few 'vagaries'， rather than sight of a plan.

None the less, the question was 'what news?'.

Taking the likelihood of slippage as a given, and making the assumption that regardless of the inability to plan and manage expectations, they are essentially honest, the Feb update sounded very positive from my perspective, which is that production does get off the ground and this lovely design is available to me (and the general public) in the foreseeable future.

Abu Mahendra

Soviet revolutionaries used to debate who had been a greater visionary, Lenin or Trotsky. One side averred that clearly it was Lenin because, unlike Trotsky, the former's theoretical predictions had yet to materialize.

Gibsonsean

. This is a discussion forum, for discussion. If nobody speculated based on partial data or had an opinion on what was happening until it had happened, the internet would be a very quiet place, or we'd be extinct or Leninists maybe.

Abu Mahendra

Sure. But what i see here--I don't have a horse in this race--is that missed deadlines are interpreted as signs that things are moving forward.

maxxevv

If there's no progress, its just no progress.

Call a spade, a spade.

Gibsonsean

I am interpreting historically missed deadlines as poor estimation and expectation management making forward projections more likely to be inaccurate. However, as more happens, there is less remaining to be delayed, which makes further delays less likely and/or likely smaller.

Timetable aside, I am taking the Feb update at face value. I am interpreting the reported ordering of custom and off the shelf components, delivery of CNC equipment, establishment of additional capacity with CNC shops and what not as progress.

The biggest risks look to be timetable for delivery of the welding chamber (vague in the update but can be read as no later than mid April) and getting everything dialed in, final product certified and manufacturing in full swing with first deliveries beginning of May.

Gibsonsean

The 'spade' is a shovel.

There was progress reported in the Feb update. There is frustration on no further updates, but I would surmise that the next meaningfully update able even, delivery of the chamber, is not due yet.

"It is a sad truth, but we have lost the faculty of giving lovely names to things. The man who could call a spade a spade should be compelled to use one." Oscar Wilde

maxxevv

It was "heresy" update, was there even any photographic evidence of such a progress ?

I have to ask.

maxxevv

Just to add, having been in the manufacturing and prototyping industry for over 15 years, from what I've seen to date, delivery for May is NOT going to happen.

If you're lucky, earliest delivery for the KS backers will be September.