It was last year when I first came across the Halfbike and did a favourable desktop review. Now over the last few days I have noticed a surge in hits on this blog with hundreds of people heading for my review. Lots of people seem to be using “Halfbike review” as a search term and heading my way. Can’t think why. So I wonder what the latest Halfbike news is.
Anyway, just taken quick look at the Halfbike website and it looks as if they have a new version out – the 2.1. Appears there are some snazzy colour schemes and you can now have the Halfbike built with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub.
I think this hub is a wise choice – not too expensive and a tried and tested design over many, many decades here in the UK and beyond. Even I figured out how to take these apart and replace planet pinions etc., not that this is likely to be needed for twenty plus years of solid use. All you need to do, by way of maintenance, is the occasional drop of oil into the workings of the hub (or that always was the case, perhaps they’re completely maintenance free these days?).
I like the colour schemes. Fresh, eye catching and still faithful to the original design.
This all adds to the fun of blogging, thinking “I wonder what’s gonna happen next?”.
Here’s the link to the desktop review I did last year – click here.
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Ok as an update Ive had my halfbike maybe 8 weeks now. Its the 2.1 version with sturmy archer hub If I want to go somewhere local its my go to bike over and above my road, my MTB or tandem all with cleats.I can zip down the shops, beach, café without having to put on proper cycling shoes or gear. Ive ridden it 12km even tho on the site they recon 5km max. I have started kerb hopping it and jumping gutters, its pretty easy. Im not a young kid either Im 51 years old but am fit and active and ride a lot. I ride my halfbike on the road, in traffic around cars, its easy once you’ve gotten the hang of it. reading other reviews I think some people gave up to quickly. End of the day its completely different to any other bike and how long have most people ridden a normal bike ??since they were a kid. And how many hours to most of us put in as kids on normal bikes before we got the hang of them ?? Love my halfbike and both how much fun it is to ride, but how easy it is to just nip down to the café, no putting on lyrca shorts and proper cycling cleat shoes to ride a proper bike. The only thing I haven’t totally mastered yet is riding on loose small gravel unpaved paths. The good thing with them is if you feel its getting away or you are loosing balance or control, you just take a foot off and put it on the ground, its close enough after all said and done and theres no tradition frame to have to swing your leg over. so a quick dismount to avoid collision is easy. Still the best bike I own and the most fun. The only negative and its nothing negative about the bike itself its more the riding position as such .In a head wind your whole body is exposed to the wind so there is no aerodynamic positing like a normal road bike. So you really notice a head wind, slows you down abit. Ive also found that a more relaxed grip and stance makes it more rideable and more fluid in its responses. You can steer by either leaning your body or remaining upright and push the bike in the opposite direction, left or right underneath you to initiate a change in direction.