Geepig

Ah, cute frogeye, it so many years since I have seen one!

Fentuz

Due to car maintenance schedule, I took the opportunity to use the bike as a folding commuter and I must say in urban environment, it is really good.
I took it with be folded in the dealership and the lightweight mod made it so much easy to carry than the jetstream. The dealership member of staff was quite intrigued I looked at me unfolding the mini beast... It take me longer to put my helmet and gloves on than it take the bike to unfold!!!
The ride through the traffic was good fun, several miles of repeated sprints (18mph according to the watch). I was very please with the transmission (39/53T and X9 11-25T on 35-406 kojak).
The only thing I may change it the length on the handle bar - 59cm - which would suit me better at 45-48 cm.

From an aesthetic point of view, I've always prefer the mu SL (which would be superb with 2x9 or 1x11) but, I must say that the helios has the advantage of that small horizontal bar which is very useful when carrying it in stair case and that alone is something to consider in urban environment.

So why am I posting all that? I keep looking at bromptons which I don't need, don't have the use but I like them and I have to say this modified helios (the frame is the only original bit) is just doing the job so well that I cannot justify having a brompton other than the look of them

Falconista

Are you still noticing a performance impact from the mudguards?

Geepig

Some things are just meant to be eye candy in your life...

Fentuz

I don't know, I should do a back to back test. Now I put it back to flat bar, it is different again.

Fentuz

we (my wife and I) rode the helios during the summer and it is always a real pleasure. it's a quick little thing.


two weeks ago, as I had some work done on the house, I had to move the cars so I rode the helios back home as it goes in the frogeye sprite and then, the gravel as it gores on the roof of one of the family cars. same road, similar conditions... I was 5 min faster over 30km with the helios and felt it was less demanding; 1kg difference but schwalbe kojak slick Vs schwalbe G-One ultra bite...
When I went to pickup the cars back last saturday, I manage to bit the helios time by 5min but I was hammering...

Fentuz

It's been a while I didn't update this. As I wrote in another thread, I built 2 dahon mini velos. one of them, the hammerhead used the old part from the helios. We tested the mini velos on the school ride loop and notice that the difference in weight (9kg vs 10.25kg) and the added top tube were very noticeable. the hammerhead is more "nervous" - faster acceleration and then, it is limited by the range.

On thing I want to now improve on the helios is the cables. I find that the loong housing and curves required for the folding mech create too much friction so, I will recable the lot with premium jagwire parts. Might go for Dark pink like the smooth hound or purple or lime green... well something quite loud...
Or, may be the bamboo type housing? I need to look into that.

GTA

I also think flat bar is most suitable for Helios. Just as same as you, I converted my Helios into drop bar but in the end back to flat bar.

Fentuz

if it was my only bike, I would keep it in drop bar because I don't like the wind resistance on long countryside stretch (especially with head wind). But, as flat bar hybrid with better gearing, it is versatile. like as said the only "better" folder for my use would be a dash p18 as it can take the load with the kids but does not fold as well.
I actually wonder about boardwalk; a Boardwalk X18SL would be quite an interesting tool

Fentuz

I recently rode the helios and while I still like it especially in urban environment, I found the braking and shifting a little rubbish. The cables were getting tatty and I found them too long.


I ordered a Jagwire kit in "hot pink" and spent an hour recabling the lot.


Only one issue, the kit is "generic" and does not come with enough shifter housing for 2x but, I had some spare normal pink (lighter/paler than hot version) from previous build so it went on the bike. And I used purple cable tie to tidy up the cables.



Next, I will fit a lighter rear wheel with a 11-34 cassette (currently 11-25) for the big hills like the ones in Bath

Ron Damon

My question is why you are running 2x when 1x with a 11-36T cogset will give you wider range, less weight and less complication.

Fentuz

I was going to giving a quick answer regarding range vs gaps and I decided to go the longer way. As I said at the very beginning, I didn't like the gaps between gears hence the close ratio cassette coupled to a twin chainring for extra range. If this cost me 250/500g, I don't mind.
Yes, I can run a gravel set up but it was not the original idea, I wanted a fast folding roady.

I ride 3 bikes:
- a gravel modded to XC spec : the free ranger (511%)
- a gravel mino velo : the Smooth hound (364%)
- a folding roady: the helios (309%)


I could go 1x9 and setup the range to be the same as the 2x9 but I wanted smaller gaps for smoother transitions between gears and when climbing big hills, it does make a difference. The smooth hound is geared similarly to the free ranger and the climbing characteristics are very different, I have a more range but the jumps/clonks between gears is much more noticeable.

Now, I am going to fit th 11-34 as a 2x because my wife who's the bike too has asked for more range. in doing so, the helios in 2x9 (11-34) sora set will be similar to an entry model gravel bike using setup with sora 2x9 (46/34 x 11-34) with 420% range - typical gravel range.

Ron Damon

I still remember when people didn't speak and think in terms of the new marketing term 'Gravel'. Do you live in a place that was once, in geological time frames, glaciated?

Fentuz

saw that...

Fentuz

As I had a spare kinetix rear wheel with a sized free hud and old tired bearing, I took it apart to reclaim the 130mm QR axle. I cleaned and polished it and I fitted it on the bent Frog bike wheel. Took the lot to my local wheel builder who redished the lot to suit the 135 to 130 axle.

Despite weight gain going from a close ratio 11-25 cassette to a Sora cassette 11-34, the newer wheel has a thinner rim (i19 instead or i21) and went from 36 spokes to 20. Thanks to this weight saving, the bike is 10kg dead (checked @ bike shop this morning) so ~250g lighter on the outer rear wheel allowing the wheel to accelerate a little faster... It is that good that if I want a cheap road bike, I swap the wheels and groupset with the smooth hound to get a 7/8kg fast minivelo.

JLPerry

Hi, I've just discovered this forum, and have to get to know the ways and rules, that I'm not trespassing in the wrong thread. I'm hoping that I can get some advice about my Dahon Helios. I bought it in 2004 in the US, and brought it to Italy where I still am living. This delightful bike is wonderful for the city trips I often take. A week ago I took it to get a tire changed and the assistant ruined the rear rim, an original Rolf Prima 20" 16 spokes. He substituted it with a common folding bike one, not at all light and slim as the Rolf, and not at all in harmony with the other tire and the rest of the bike. I'm asking the forum if anyone knows where I can find a used, vintage rim of this size, since Rolf doesn't make this size any more. My only hope is to find a used one. I will be travelling to the US, so there would be no need to post it to Italy. Thank you if anyone can mention a dealer or a private person who could help me further. Janet

Joe Remi

That's going to be tough to find without buying a whole 'nother used Helios. Your best bet IMO is to replace both wheels with something new like this.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/23461705898...mis&media=COPY

Fentuz

CH white in Malmesbury has some 406 wheels but, when I was there a couple of months ago, they said that the Rolf are getting harder to find as production had moved to WTBs (I have a front Rolf and a rear WTB on my dahon smooth hound).
https://foldingbike.biz/epages/7665e...05d0ddd11b4675

Alternatively, spend a little more and get a new shiny wheelset
https://foldingbike.biz/epages/7665e...43c7fb9e87401b


Also, since you re in Italy, you could get a wheel shipped from holland:
8, 9, 10 speed
https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bi...wer-bl-355175/
7speed
https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bi...-black-464650/