The Circe Helios
The Circe Helios tandem is our shop's staple piece. In fact, if you would ask us "What started ACE! Cycles?" our answer would be - The Circe Helios.
Here we tell this story and hope you fall in 💙 with this unique piece of bicycle engineering as we did.
And if you want to try one out: There's always a Circe Helios available at our showroom in Berlin Kreuzberg.
Tandem Bicycle Circe Helios. Aluminium frame with AVID mechanical disc brakes or V-brakes. Shimano Deore Drivetrain and ACE! Handbuilt 20" Wheelset.
´Tandem Circe Helios with durable components - SRAM Hydraulic Disc Brakes and SRAM GX/Truvativ Drivetrain. ACE! Handbuilt 20" Wheelset.
The Circe Helios Tandem can be fitted with a separable frame: For easier travel. It can be converted it into a longtail cargo bike, or a triplet. ACE! Handbuilt 20" Wheelset.
Tandem Bicycle Circe Helios. Aluminium frame with AVID mechanical disc brakes or V-brakes. Shimano Deore Drivetrain and ACE! Handbuilt 20" Wheelset.
The Helios is most often used as a family bike - The Captain can be up to 185cm tall and the stoker seat accommodates everyone from child-sized humans up to 170cm. With the optional separable frame, the Helios can be converted into a triplet or a long tail cargo bike.
It's 20" wheels are super sturdy and there is a wide range of tire options available. And the smaller wheels make the Helios so compact that it is extremely easy to take on the train or in a medium sized car.
The Beginning
Becoming father to J**** was the greatest thing Claas ever experienced. And never ever crossed it his mind that the new role of a caretaker would be a major impediment to his bikepacking and long distance cycling adventures.
The search for the right equipment started so Claas' family could continue their car-free-lifestyle and long distance traveling journey by bike.
Trial and Error
Over the years, as J**** grew, the travel bike fleet also grew. For a while, the Omnium Cargo was the base, later replaced by a SOMA Tradesman.
Many different seating systems were prototyped, tested and iterated.
The Circe Helios
When Claas discovered the Circe Helios, he was hooked. J**** was now 5 years old, eager to stoke the pedals himself. All bikes he tried before weren't really 100% to his satisfaction. So he decided to give the Helios a try.
And what's to say: Since then, no new bikes were added to the fleet, the Helios is the perfect fit for all their needs. Be it everyday commuting through Neukölln and Kreuzberg; be it multi-week adventures through Kosovo and Greece.
Circe Helios Specs and Options
Versatility
The Helios is frequently used by families in a 1 adult-1 kid configuration.
Within the weight limit of 170kg it comfortably fits two adults up to 185cm (Captain) and 170cm (Stoker).
Compactness
The Helios features 20″ (ISO 406) wheels. They are extremely sturdy and stiff. There is a wide range of tires available.
The overall length is 2110mm, with the front wheel removed 1900mm. Easy to carry on the train and convenient to store.
Longevity
The standard Helios can be upgraded with a separable frame. With this option, it can be fitted with add-ons that enable the safe attachment of a baby seat, turn the Helios into a longtail cargo bike or extend it with an additional stoker seat making it a triplet!
Built-to-Order
No Helios is like the other. We can create distinctive colour schemes, consult and recommend the perfect component setup depending on your use cases.
This makes your Helios truly YOUR bike.
How to Buy
In our showroom in Berlin-Kreuzberg you can experience the Helios and book a test ride. We recommend to arrange an appointment in advance, but walk-ins are very welcome too.
We offer virtual sessions to discuss your use cases and gather all information we need to create a custom offer. You choose the format, WhatsApp, Zoom, Facetime - all works for us.
In our online shop you can choose from two Out-of-The-Box configurations. Both variants can be upgraded with a seperable frame - just add the item 'Seperable Frame Upgrade' to the cart when ordering.
