Helix Update?
#2601
The lock mechanism is holding up fine. It's a very simple design and it appears to be very robust. There will be no adjustments needed to keep it working as it should for a very long time. The only possible failure I can anticipate would be the fracture of the torsion spring, but I would expect that would be a very rare event which would only happen after many thousands of lock/unlock operations. I also think the lock would still operate in the event of spring failure, although vibration might cause the shaft to rotate to the unlock position with no spring pressure to hold it in place.
#2604
Newbie
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2
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I just got mine. I ordered with a stated April delivery date. I was going to post a picture of the weld, but looks like I can't post pictures until I have ten posts. Shoot me a private message if you want pictures of the weld (or the rest of it). It looks exactly like the previously posted before/after pic to my amateur eyes.
#2605
I just got mine. I ordered with a stated April delivery date. I was going to post a picture of the weld, but looks like I can't post pictures until I have ten posts. Shoot me a private message if you want pictures of the weld (or the rest of it). It looks exactly like the previously posted before/after pic to my amateur eyes.
#2609
Senior Member
Interesting. For the sake of "reasonable" comfort with this tire, what pressure do you suggest that helix owners run? (1.7bar seems awfully low to someone coming from skinny road bike tires.)
#2610
Senior Member
Custom Helix Tubelito tube? I would not have thought that the Helix company could obtain a custom order for an inner tube not likely to have a very large market in that size.
Custom dog walker Helix accessory? Nice!
Custom Dog? Very nice!
Bym, what is your impression of the Donnelly MXP + Tubolito combination for riding on paved roads/trails?
Custom dog walker Helix accessory? Nice!
Custom Dog? Very nice!
Bym, what is your impression of the Donnelly MXP + Tubolito combination for riding on paved roads/trails?
Last edited by mkatz; 06-11-21 at 08:14 PM. Reason: added question
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#2611
Senior Member
I've read so many mixed Tubelito reviews citing leaks encountered immediately on first use, and difficulties encountered getting Tubelito patches to hold. I wonder if those reviews can be attributed to "growing pains", and if the (perhaps newly minted) Helix branded Tubelitos are more reliable. Any insight?
#2612
Senior Member
I do not know for the Helix Tubolito but I bought two ETRTO406 Tubolito's for my Moulton.
These two were one after the other replaced for free by Tubolito due to leaks around the valve.
One of the replacement had a puncture that I could locate and I applied a special patch from Tubolito (Tubolito cannot be patched with classic butyl inner tube patches and glue). The patch didn't last very long, after one month or so, I had small leaks around the patch. I replaced it with a second new patch and the same problem occurred after a short time of use. My conclusion from this is the the very expensive Tubolito's cannot be repaired after a puncture.
The fourth, last Tubolito had a slow leak and I couldn't locate the place of the leakage (the Tubolito's cannot be inflated at high pressure without being mounted into a tire, the low pressure at which it is possible to inflate a Tubolito alone didn't allow me to locate the place of the leakage).
This was the end of my Tubolito experience, at about 30€ piece, I didn't wanted to invest more
For the Donnelly tires, because they are mounted with inner tube and not tubeless, I am afraid that at these very low pressure and because the tire is quite narrow, there will easily be puncture by pinching of the inner tube between the tire and the rim wall.
These two were one after the other replaced for free by Tubolito due to leaks around the valve.
One of the replacement had a puncture that I could locate and I applied a special patch from Tubolito (Tubolito cannot be patched with classic butyl inner tube patches and glue). The patch didn't last very long, after one month or so, I had small leaks around the patch. I replaced it with a second new patch and the same problem occurred after a short time of use. My conclusion from this is the the very expensive Tubolito's cannot be repaired after a puncture.
The fourth, last Tubolito had a slow leak and I couldn't locate the place of the leakage (the Tubolito's cannot be inflated at high pressure without being mounted into a tire, the low pressure at which it is possible to inflate a Tubolito alone didn't allow me to locate the place of the leakage).
This was the end of my Tubolito experience, at about 30€ piece, I didn't wanted to invest more
For the Donnelly tires, because they are mounted with inner tube and not tubeless, I am afraid that at these very low pressure and because the tire is quite narrow, there will easily be puncture by pinching of the inner tube between the tire and the rim wall.
Last edited by Jipe; 06-11-21 at 02:10 PM.
#2614
Senior Member
Thanks for the information.
But this doesn't solve the problem of finding the puncture if its a small one that generate a slow leak.
Also, as you can read in my post, at lest two of my four tubolito's I had problems at the welding of the valve on the inner tube itself.
Actually of the four, I had only one real identified puncture.
But this doesn't solve the problem of finding the puncture if its a small one that generate a slow leak.
Also, as you can read in my post, at lest two of my four tubolito's I had problems at the welding of the valve on the inner tube itself.
Actually of the four, I had only one real identified puncture.
#2615
Senior Member
Thanks for the information.
But this doesn't solve the problem of finding the puncture if its a small one that generate a slow leak.
Also, as you can read in my post, at lest two of my four tubolito's I had problems at the welding of the valve on the inner tube itself.
Actually of the four, I had only one real identified puncture.
But this doesn't solve the problem of finding the puncture if its a small one that generate a slow leak.
Also, as you can read in my post, at lest two of my four tubolito's I had problems at the welding of the valve on the inner tube itself.
Actually of the four, I had only one real identified puncture.
#2617
Senior Member
Slow leaks occurred at the place where the valve is sealed on the tube itself.
The way it is done is that there is a big round hole in the inner tube and the valve has a round piece of the same material as the inner tube at its foot which is glued or soldered to the inner tube.
The leak appear at this soldering.
Note that due to the very low pressure allowed in the inner tube when not mounted into a tire, its very difficult to locate any slow leak because at such a low pressure the leak is very very small, much smaller than what it is at the normal tire pressure of several bar.
The way it is done is that there is a big round hole in the inner tube and the valve has a round piece of the same material as the inner tube at its foot which is glued or soldered to the inner tube.
The leak appear at this soldering.
Note that due to the very low pressure allowed in the inner tube when not mounted into a tire, its very difficult to locate any slow leak because at such a low pressure the leak is very very small, much smaller than what it is at the normal tire pressure of several bar.
#2618
Senior Member
Slow leaks occurred at the place where the valve is sealed on the tube itself.
The way it is done is that there is a big round hole in the inner tube and the valve has a round piece of the same material as the inner tube at its foot which is glued or soldered to the inner tube.
The leak appear at this soldering.
The way it is done is that there is a big round hole in the inner tube and the valve has a round piece of the same material as the inner tube at its foot which is glued or soldered to the inner tube.
The leak appear at this soldering.
#2619
Senior Member
The round hole for the valve is bigger than this O-ring, its not the weld that touch the valve hole in the rim.
The material used for the inner tube isn't really elastic like Butyl for the classic inner tubes.
The deformations of the Tubolito due to pressure become easily permanent (for instance, the small cups of the rim tape cause small permanent bumps on the Tubolito, its also he reason why the Tubolito cannot be inflated at pressure above the ambient pressure without tire: it behaves like a chewing-gum). I guess that something similar could happen at the rim valve hole and the O-ring is there to prevent that ?
The material used for the inner tube isn't really elastic like Butyl for the classic inner tubes.
The deformations of the Tubolito due to pressure become easily permanent (for instance, the small cups of the rim tape cause small permanent bumps on the Tubolito, its also he reason why the Tubolito cannot be inflated at pressure above the ambient pressure without tire: it behaves like a chewing-gum). I guess that something similar could happen at the rim valve hole and the O-ring is there to prevent that ?
#2620
Senior Member
But Tubelito represents advancing technology... and that must always be seen as being good... isn't it?
truthfully, I am somewhat concerned about relying onTubelito tubes for the bike I've ordered, but might as well try them.
truthfully, I am somewhat concerned about relying onTubelito tubes for the bike I've ordered, but might as well try them.
#2621
1. Is the tuberous tube still leaking?
Answer Not leaking yet, keeping the wind for a long time
2. How good is Donnelly MXP on a variety of surfaces (concrete/asphalt/trails and dirt roads)?
Answer I am satisfied with off-road and on-road riding
3 No comments on parts if your bike is an ultralight model?
Answer I personally upgraded most of the parts to titanium.
Answer Not leaking yet, keeping the wind for a long time
2. How good is Donnelly MXP on a variety of surfaces (concrete/asphalt/trails and dirt roads)?
Answer I am satisfied with off-road and on-road riding
3 No comments on parts if your bike is an ultralight model?
Answer I personally upgraded most of the parts to titanium.
#2622
Senior Member
But some claims aren't true: they aren't puncture proof as claimed.
And there were problems (hopefully some problems are fixed:
- reliability (leaks at the valve/inner tube welding, hopefully solved. They must solve it to become a sustainable business, in my case, they sold 2 Tubolito's and had to replace both of them due to welding issues, what cost them a lot of money, replacement innertubes + shipment cost + handling costs).
- puncture repair patches weren't reliable in the long term (hopefully solved).
- identifying were is the leakage for slow leaks. I think this cannot be solved because finding slow leaks require inflating the innertube at high pression and the material used doesn't allow to inflate the Tubolito at high pressure without a tire.
Note that Schwalbe now offer a new innertube that seems similar to Tubolito (haven't tried them because it doesn't exist in the size I need).
The puncture repair issue is important because the Tubolito remain very expensive, replacing a classic inner tube costing 4-5€ at each puncture isn't a major issue, replacing a Tubolito costing 25-30€ is more a problem.
#2624
Senior Member
Riser bar and/or adjustable stem
For those who have a Helix folding bike, what is greatest amount that you've been able to raise its handlebar by means of a riser bar or adjustable stem without changing cables?