I signed up for updates in August but as a non-Kickstarter investor, I must not be getting certain news. Hadn't heard all of the above from Jur.

Jur, was all that conveyed to you by Helix? The last update on the website was pretty upbeat and that the first bikes were going to be sent out in Autumn. That pre-orders for 2017 were going to be taken in November.

What a pity if Helix fails. Was looking forward to comparing it to the BF Pakit for lightweight 'real' biking. I'm really hopeful that in the next couple of years, we will see super lightweight performance bikes.

That stinks! I hope the story ends on a positive note. I was a fan.

Thanks
Yan

The news is from the Helix forum. The last update was that they had switched back to welding instead of cast glued lugs, and just ordered a welding robot and leveling jig, and inert gas welding chamber. Also, that new premises have been secured, and a spin was given to the effect that it would be better for production. TBH, the idea that Helix was asked to leave the original premises is my own speculation, from the fact that the glueing partner was no longer needed. No strong explanation was given as to why the glued lug has been abandoned, but the trouble is that a huge amount of documentation work for the castings was done, and then abandoned. Welding equipment earlier ordered was apparently not good enough, and complete new welding equipment was ordered at the 50 day to starting deliveries mark. It is obvious that it should take that sort of time just for the complex equipment to be delivered, let alone setting up, programming, training, testing etcetera. Then production staff have to be hired and trained. All this should have happened long ago, but the detour from welding to casting then back to welding has caused massive delays. The fact that it still looks like a one man band is very worrying.

I am still hoping for the best, but my hope is definitely fading. One of the single biggest complaints is that the inventor plays his cards close to the chest so nobody has any clue what is really happening. Lots of speculation is going on, with very few responses from the inventor. To me the outward signs are not good.

Jeez, I hope this materializes and no one loses money on it. The concept is truly exciting. It's a fine line with Kickstarter between encouraging start ups that are so creative and enterprising and balancing the risk. I lost money on a small project once and on one I got my money back. I really respect the folks who went for this - putting your money where your mouth is, so to speak, and encouraging innovation. Fingers crossed.

I've said this so many times that I'M bored with it: There was no way this guy was ever selling that titanium bike at that price. At best a few will see the light of day for all 10 of the folks willing to pay ti money for a rather large ti folder, then this little fiasco will be over.

Helix must be burning money with all this back and forth. He had 1.7 million (US $) to produce 1000+bikes. After a year, how much money do you think is left now? The bikes were price too low and should have been manufactured in China and assembled in Canada. The writing appears to be on the wall with this one.

It is too early to judge the final outcome. I have doubts, but I am hopeful it will work.

Thanks,
Yan

in his quest to find a new factory location, i've heard through the grapevine that he and his fiancé, 22 year old bobby sue, will be embarking on an extended fact-finding trip in his newly purchased bmw m6 gran coupe through parts of southern mexico, central and possibly on into, south america. stay tuned to the blog for further updates. (wifi in south america may be a bit spotty.)

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/n-hDvkBk2uU/maxresdefault.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/HbxNQc8.gif

thread theme song:

Meanwhile, folding e-bike from company with background smaller, lighter and the rider may be heavier.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/vellobike/vello-bike-the-worlds-best-electric-folding-bike/description

Well golly, she seems nice. I'd tell her not to touch the car.

Great, right about time for Helix folks to start to finance another scheme they might get lucky this time.

I wouldn't want to finance that fiance.

Silence?

I hope with my more negative posts than usual and hopefully reading between the lines I have save at least one person from loosing his money. I hope and pray for the peeps who invested that I am wrong and they get something out of this after all.
thor

Things are the same as before. Things are still moving forward but there is still zero evidence of a team. Original people that were introduced as part of the team have departed. Many on the helix forum are convinced the inventor is working alone at the moment. Everything points to Peter Boutakis not being able to form and maintain relationships. Someone has unearthed a review on him from a previous business as a manager and it had the lowest possible score.

So while I always thought that the bike design is brilliant, and that while a titanium bike at that price point looks too cheap, by my reckoning it looked possible. Buying bulk Ti tubing isn't THAT expensive, and automation and mass production should make it possible. However, the lack of a team is FATAL. I don't think it will happen unless Peter fixes that.

That's an interesting point. While our discussion has focused on whether it's financially possible to build a super-cheap ti folder, we've all just assumed that building the supporting team would be easy. Looks like we were mistaken.

I think he sold under 1000 bikes. I could assemble that many bikes myself in less than a month ( with no team ). However the welding and design are not as quick or easy. I think he has enough resources to make this work, clearly he has made mistakes along the way. Hopefully these are resolved moving forward.

The issue I have is testing, it seems he does not have testing equipment ( or any equipment ), which means buyers will be the testers....I don't like that.

Thanks,
Yan

Shaw I back this bike on Kickstarter?
 

I found the other day a really nice folder actually right now still live on Kickstarter, called "Vello bike+" chro-moly, but also titanium frames. This is their second campaign and they already have deliver all their bikes to their backers from the first campaign last year (2015). So, if they could manage the first time I think it will be possible also this time, right? What do you think, I really like the bike and I am thinking of backing it, any advises? Here a link to their campaign:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...?ref=user_menu

I'm pretty sure the one they have on Kickstarter right now is their new ELECTRIC bike. Is that what you want? If not, their standard models are on their website.

Advise is simple don't finance anything on kickstarter.
Before Angel investors finance a business insurance purchased, contracts signed, oversight provided and so on. Even after all the procedures it's still a risky business where high risk trades for a great return. I hope you get the idea what kickstarter really is.

It depends on the situation. When an existing company, like a Bike Friday or even Vello, have an item on kickstarter then the odds are pretty good they will come through. It's much harder for a new company to get it right. With helix, the cost differential between the kickstarter price and the projected retail price was a few hundred bucks - not worth the risk to me. For smaller items like bike accessories, if it doesn't turn out okay, your loss isn't that big a deal so you can take a chance. I wonder if anyone has written Helix and requested a refund....

There's been a new major update.

All patents have now been submitted and the inventor is free to show off the completed bike, which he did in a series of photos and a video.

Everything has been ordered but not all that much has been delivered, most items are still either in transit or being manufactured.

So the design phase is finally over and the production setup phase can begin. That will be several months. Nothing can really happen before then, as major frame manufacturing equipment is still being built and nothing can happen before delivery and installation has taken place. So my estimate is at the very least 3 months will pass before hands are going to get dirty building bikes. Nobody is going to get a Christmas present. Maybe an Easter egg.

Delays are OK-ish, less important than getting production up and running properly.

Are patents as a reason for delay something that Peter has long mentioned, or is this new information?

He has often explained that the reason he couldn't reveal much was due to patent issues. Delays have been caused by that but also by major design changes - at first the frame would be welded, then he ditched that and decided that cast lugs that are bonded to frame tubes are better, then he ditched that again and went back to welding. Plus more deisgn reasons, and late ordering of Ti material and bike componentry, chiefly the wheel building which is the biggest delay.

Peter never revealed where the wheels would be built; early on he showed off all the Alfine hubs in the original factory location; that led me to believe the wheels would be built in Toronto. However, lately he revealed that the wheels are being built in Taiwan(?). This is what I accurately speculated about a while ago, that since there isn't a wheel building team on the ground or likely in Canada, all wheel components would have to be shipped BACK to Taiwan for all the 2000+ wheels to be built, then shipped to Toronto again. Since the wheels are the biggest delay, seems that speculation was either 100% accurate, or he read my post and decided that was the best way out of the wheel dilemma. Either way, we are looking at 2-3 months for the wheels.

there are plenty of good wheelbuilders in Canada and in the US as well. Companies like sta-true would fix him up within a week ... just saying