Helion Rock Rider

Ripping up rocky terrain with ease and performance.

- Carl Hyndman

Helion’s lineup of vehicles covers quite a range, with designs that suit all sorts of terrain and interests. With the new 1/10-scale 4WD electric Rock Rider, Helion can tick off another category box: rock racer. The Rock Rider keeps things simple and affordable, with a complete package that comes in at an eyeopening price tag of $200. That price includes a 21-turn, 550-size, sealed brushed motor and 40A all-weather speed control, 1800mAh 6-cell rechargeable NiMH battery and Ikonnik SR2+ transmitter. The Rock Rider incorporates semiscale Rock Racer looks and a solid 4-link rear axle with off set pumpkin and independent front suspension in a durable vehicle that may surprise even seasoned veterans. Let’s take a closer look.

Independent Front Suspension

The Rock Rider’s front suspension is a traditional independent H-arm design with the modern touches expected of an RC car in 2017. The hingepins are captured, so there are no e-clips to lose; droop screws are installed to set down travel; and the steering knuckles wrap over the top and bottom of the uprights they articulate on. Threadedbody shocks are standard, but unlike the rears, the front shocks are plastic.

Solid-Axle Rear Suspension

Rather than a crawling-style 4-link setup, the Rock Rider mimics full-size rock racers with thick lower trailing arms instead of tubular links. A pair of plastic upper links are triangulated to keep the axle centered, and Helion fits a swaybar as standard equipmen—nice. Also nice: threaded-body aluminum shocks to do the damping. The dual-cap design features bladders and nutted pistons, and Helion does a good job with the factory build.

Transmission-and- Shaft Drivetrain