Jipe

Thanks for your answer.

I asked about ultralight Helix because I haven't seen any feedback about the ultralight Helix, its specific transmission and its specific tires+tubolito?

I asked how tall you are because the reach of Helix seems short and I am wondering how it fits for relatively tall people, let say people above 1m80/1m85?

I asked about the tires you use because there are almost no tires in 40x507 or less excepted the one sold by Helix.

Jonesandrew

It would appear that Lannypots has indeed left this thread, so maybe I can answer a couple of points.

I installed the ultralight upgrade kit on my standard bike myself, it came with Donnelly MXP 32 x 507 tyres and Tubolito tubes.

• Nothing much to say about the transmission, it works fine and provides a slightly wider range of ratios compared with standard.
  
• Initially I was happy with Tubolito's but after two punctures from thorns in rapid succession I decided I'd had enough of trying to use the Tubolito specific repair kit. I then managed to convert the tube-type MXP's to run successfully tube-less and I haven't looked back. I now only carry a Tubolito for emergency repair purposes. Note the MXP's are no longer available in 32x507 and Helix now supply a Duro ultralight tyre.
  
• Regarding the fit for taller people, I am 1.8m tall with inseam of 84cm. I have the standard seat post at about 2cm short of full extent and the saddle slid fully back on it's rails and the sliding seat post clamp in the fully rearward position. I have raised the handle bar vertically by 45mm with a double stem. With this set up I have replicated the bar clamp to sit bone centre distance that I have on my gravel bike (approx 74cm) and it works fine for me. Helix can supply a longer seat post for riders above 1.8m. The standard stem (also for ultralight) is 45mm, so a longer stem can be fitted but this will result in a wider folded package.
  
• My use case is occasionally on surfaced roads and cycle paths and I've used the bike several times off road on compacted clay/gravel paths which is my preference.
  
• I think a replacement front hub (if needed) should be available direct from Helix depending on the supply chain situation at that time. I don't know of any alternative suppliers.
  

Jipe

Thanks for the information.

I don't know what is included in the ultralight kit, to allow the use of the Ethirtheen cassette, it should include at least a new XD or XDR freewheel for the rear hub or a complete new rear wheel ?

Could you post a picture of your Helix with the adjustments made for your size ?

I have tried Tubolito's (in ETRTO406 on my Moulton) and its the inner tube with which I had the biggest amount of flat tires I ever experienced with a bicycle ! For the Tubolito special patch, it seems they have now a new kit with a special glue instead of self adhesive patches.

Jonesandrew

Double stem

I couldn't find a 31.8 x 31.8 "double stem" (really two clamps) comercially available so I made these myself with the help of a local machine shop (they bored the 31.8 diameter holes - I did the rest). Since then I've noticed that Litepro now make some which are intended for Birdy although I estimate the centre distance to be about 70mm between the bores: https://liteprobicycle.com/en-gb/pro...-birdy-bicycle



Saddle and sliding saddle clamp both in fully rearward position.


Apologies for the blurred pic.


My ultralight kit came with fully built up wheels. Rear hub is from Hubsmith and included the XD driver for the e13 cassette.


My Tubolito patch kit is glue type. It was the 30min curing time that was the killer for me.

Jipe

Thanks for posting.

Your adjustments make me think that your size is more or less the maximum possible with Helix?

For the Tubolito patches, I had the previous, first version of the kit with self adhesive patches. This self-adhesive glue stick on the tube only for a limited time, I guess its the reason why the kit was changed with a tube of glue?

Jonesandrew

No, as I mentioned above , a longer seatpost is available. It is 40mm longer than standard and Helix claim it can accommodate a rider up to 6'4" (1.93m). See geometry on the specs page: https://helix.ca/helix/
Taller riders can install a longer stem to achieve their desired reach.

Jipe

When I said that your size could be the maximum for Helix, its about the reach that I was talking since your saddle is pushed as much as possible to the rear and you already needed an extension on the stem.

I know the Helix geometry specs and the handlebar to saddle max of 713mm is not a lot on my Birdy 3 with the stem at the lowest position and the saddle in the middle of its rail I have 740mm.

mallomar

Have you or anyone else gotten any update on if this production timeline is still accurate? I’d love to buy a Helix but if they’re not selling any bikes for six months then it doesn’t make sense for me to wait. I’m also looking at a Tern Eclipse since I’d like larger wheels than a Brompton but besides being larger and heavier I can’t figure out if the largest dimension that’s 35 inches is the width, which the MTA says can’t be larger than 32 inches for peak commuter trains.

Hrodwolf

They were planning a small production run with the bikes shipping in mid-July.
I don't know if that's on track. Since they are very tight-lipped about their plans and production, it's hard to say if they plan on a standard production run soon.

Here are the folding sizes for two Tern bikes.
VERGE X11: 38 × 80 × 74 cm (15 × 31,5 × 29,1 inches)
ECLIPSE X22: 42 × 89 × 81 cm (16,5 × 35 × 31,9 inches)
My X11 is 15" wide, so the X22 is 16.5" wide.

mallomar

That’s good to know! I signed up the stock notification alert and emailed them for an update but never heard back. If it’s July though, I think I can wait!

Thanks, so the 31-1/2” on your bike is the height? On a luggage rack 15” would be how far it would lay across? Also, I saw you were looking for a smaller bike than the Tern in another thread. Would you advise against the Tern?

Hrodwolf

It's a small batch. They intended to open the sales 72 h but it lasted less. 15 h maybe. I pulled the trigger, making a leap of faith at the lunch break. It was closed when I checked again after work.

After checking with a tape measure, the length is 31.5 and the height is 29.1.

The Tern Verge X11 is amazing. I bought it for commuting, riding around Paris (for business or shopping) and weekend riding on roads and forest bike trails (asphalted or not).
It's a pure joy to ride. I only have to be careful with the GPS navigator because the shortest way can be too rutted or for MTB ("mostly flat" once -> I had to carry the bike down on a very steep forest slope).

Its main inconveniences from my point of view are:

• The price; it's expensive.
• The folding. It's fast and the folded bike is stable (even on a train).
  • However, it tends to open because the magnet system is far from perfect. I usually use a strap when I want to be sure it'll stay close (on a crowded train).
  • It also rolls poorly because the wheels don't stay attached (the magnet again). But do you have to roll it folded? I had to once to navigate through office corridors. At the moment, I roll my bike in the office on the ground floor and leave it unfolded. That will change in September: I'll be on a 3rd floor with maybe a lot of ground to cover.
• The compactness.
  • It's not the most compact bike. When the train is not crowded or only slightly crowded, I keep it unfolded and it's small enough to park it so it doesn't obstruct people's movement. I use the space features of the three different train models/generations my line use.
  • If the train is crowded, a more compact bike with especially a reduced width would be useful. Bike brands rarely post photos of their folded bikes on their (smaller) side view, there's a reason.

If I did not use the X11 for commuting, I would not have looked at the Helix.
I sometimes use an old MTB that I leave at the train station in Paris. The train ride is easier (I just have to find a seat, which is very difficult when I get on the train with the X11), but the posture on the MTB is too tilted for riding in a big city. And the X11 made riding this bike a pain. It's like riding a Ferrari and a tank!

I heartily recommend the Tern Verge X11. Or the P10 which is a less expensive version.
In my case, the Helix will make my commute easier.

Tern Verge X11 Satin black / Blue / Magenta folded


Helix folded's Dimensions

mallomar

Thanks! Do you mind if I ask you when this was? I didn’t get an email from the stock notification list.

Thanks for all of the info and the very thorough reply. The closest bike store to me which carries Tern only has the Verge P10 and the Node D7i. I think it’s worth checking them out when I’m back in town. I’m also on the train squeezing between people so I was hoping for a Helix or something similarly small, but if it’s not in the cards anytime soon then maybe it’s best to pursue other bikes.

Hrodwolf

I received an email on May 31st at 16:47 Toronto time. I signed up for the mailing list at the end of April.
There is a forum, but it's really only for the original (Kickstarter) customers. I was told that the forum for the "new" customers should be back in a few weeks.

Check out the Bromptons as they are the most compact bike. I wasn't convinced, and that's probably partly due to the excellent transmission of the X11.

There is also the Tern BYB. It has a better fold than the Verge and is designed for commuting. However, it has two hinges and it takes some getting used to. It's a better commuter bike than the Verge. They've just released the P10, which is between the P8 and S11, but strangely they've removed the fenders and transit rack (they're standard on the P8 and S11).

BYB FOLDING SIZE: 33 × 81 × 51 cm (13 × 31.9 × 20.1 in)

Tern BYB S11 folded

mallomar

Thanks, I actually ordered it last night! I was making a list with dimensions, prices, etc of some bikes you and some articles recommended and went to check the Helix site and noticed it for was sale. They actually sent out a stock notification today. Did you buy the Standard or Ultralight? And I was wondering where the forums are they mentioned in the purchase email. Thanks for clarifying that.

The T-Series looks great and super tiny, but besides being crazy expensive it is unavailable. I’m also not convinced on the small tire size given the crappy roads I take. But had I not bought the Helix I would have tried it and maybe still will just for comparison’s sake.

Thanks. I actually looked at the BYB online. It’s surprising one of its dimension is significantly smaller than both the T-Line and Helix, but the other two are decidedly not. It’s also a lot heavier than the Helix and T-Line. A bit of an odd bike. I also don’t get how the Eclipses seem to be lighter than the other Tern folding bikes despite being larger with larger wheels.

Hrodwolf

Ultralight because weight is important to me. I have to carry the bike down the stairs at Montparnasse station because I enter the station at the back exit, which is above the tracks. I sometimes have back pain, so I have to be careful. I could have bought the Standard as it's almost the same weight as the X11.
Good to know they opened the store. I see they are shipping at the end of August.

I tried it and was not impressed (except by the weight). It was not great on cobblestones; I was surprised because it was smoother on the X11. I wanted a more versatile bike.

Yes, the BYB is odd. The concept is good but the end result less so.

Jipe

Yes, all Brompton are not great on cobblestones.

But I am afraid that with its very rigid frame, fork and rear triangle + no suspension + almost same width of tires than the Brompton, the Helix will also be poor on cobblestones. The titanium frame + bigger wheels do not mean it will be comfortable on cobblestones, I own a titanium frame road bike with even bigger ETRTO622 wheels on which I can put 32x622 tires and its also not great on cobblestones.

For cobblestones and unpaved paths, the best folding bike is the Birdy with 50x355 tires and full suspension.

Hrodwolf

I only have a small portion on cobblestones, so that should not be a problem. I'll know soon enough and post my experience.

Saitoh17

Let us know how it goes! Interested to see a comparison between the helix and the birdy, those are the two I'm looking at. Brompton T doesn't have anywhere near the right gearing for Florida.

Jipe

I am also curious to have your feedback.

Indeed, the T-line gearing is its biggest weak point, it requires a gearing upgrade which isn't very easy.
But it is the smallest folded and by far the lightest even compared to Helix Ultralight because at 7.95kg, the T-line is a fully equipped commuting bike with lighting,fenders and a font bag block while Helix Ultralight is a naked bike, no lights, no means to carry anything on it, no fenders (if you commute when the road is wet or raining, fenders are mandatory to preserve your clothes).

Hrodwolf

I'll be sure to post my feedback. Cobblestones will probably have to wait for my return from vacation.

The Ultralight is not the lightest, but it's okay. It's light enough for my purposes.

I liked the Birdy when I tested it. It's too wide when folded though. I might buy one someday.
If I'm not mistaken, I read somewhere that the new version will be released in 2025.

Jipe

This is pure speculation that appeared when Pacific Cycles announced its anniversary P40 Birdy.

There was some confusion about the future of the P40, seems that at a certain point Pacific Cycles hoped it could become a normal commercial type of Birdy but that this was blocked by Riese & Müller who is the owner of the Birdy IP ? It seems that the Birdy IP ownership of Riese & Müller will end in 2024 with as consequence that after that date, Pacific Cycles will be allowed to develop and commercialize its own Birdy ?

Anyway, the P40 has a different mainframe but it folds just like the Birdy 3 and its folded size should be the same or very close ?

I write "should" because I don't know if the P40, which uses the Birdy 3 fork and rear swing arm, has the same geometry as the Birdy 3 ?

I have a Pacific Cycles gen3 Titanium Birdy and discovered that its geometry is slightly different than the one of the Birdy 3 and it folds slightly smaller too.

Hrodwolf

Thank you for the detailed information. It will be interesting to see how the Birdy story continues.

Saitoh17

I looked at the P40 and I'm pretty confused. Compared to the R20 it's a more expensive bike with worse components. I don't really know who it's for. Usually when you get a super expensive limited edition it has the best components on offer. The only advantage seems to be a stiffer frame, which I don't think anyone was complaining about.

Jipe

The frame is indeed the only new design on the P40.

As said, when Pacific Cycles developed the frame for the 40th anniversary of the company, thy hoped that it could become in a second stage part of their mainstream product line.

But if I understood well, Riese & Müller is the owner of the IP of the Birdy including the Birdy name and because they were not involved at all in the development of this new frame, they didn't allow Pacific Cycles to commercialize it as a Birdy product. Its not only a question f brand name and IP, Rise & Müller is a german company, they refuse to put on the market anything that isn't fully tested by themselves according to the TÜV requirements.

So the P40 frame remain a frame for only an anniversary bike with a limited number of pieces produced with as consequence that Pacific Cycles had to amortize the development costs on a small number of pieces which mean a higher price or/and cheaper components.
I also wonder if Pacific Cycles was not originaly intended to lso develop a new fork and rear suspension arm but stoped that and used the parts of the Birdy 3 to limit the development costs ?

For the development costs to be amortized on a small number of pieces, its also the case of the titanium Birdy that has a fully redesigned titanium frame, main frame+fork+rear swing arm what was very expensive and to be amortized on only 250 pieces with as consequences a very high price of 6500 USD and some low end components like the wheels.

kl25

Hi everyone,

New here and a complete novice to bike maintenance / modifications. Recently got my hands on a used Helix after eying it for a long time.

I am looking for some easy ways to cut weight. One of which is changing the wheelset and tires. On Helix's website, there are recommendations for this set of rims and tires that can be ran tubeless. I'd also love to get a set of tires that has lower rolling resistance.

As far as I can see, this would mean I'd also have to purchase spokes, front and rear hubs to have this wheelset built (or can i use the same front and rear hub?)...I would also need to make some adjustments to run those tires tubeless.

All of this require a bike shop to build from the grounds up.

I am wondering if there are pre made wheelsets that are similar in weight which would make this weight cut process easier?

Thanks all.