Whishlist - tell us what you miss or how you'd like to improve the Halfbike.

Any feedback, suggestions and ideas are most welcome.

Maybe a brake lever with a bell? :D

A performance model; I'd definitely upgrade to a model with stiffer framing, more permanent construction of the handlebar riser (I have to tighten those quick release knobs every few miles, even with a spring washer and washer added), and a Sturmey-Archer 5 speed freewheel hub.

Strinjam se z zgornjim veleposlanikom okrog močnejše aluminijaste konstrukcije predvsem v območju gonilnega mehanizma in tudi sam moram večkrat zategnit tista plastična prijemališča za hitro zlaganje na lesenem delu Halbike... Sicer pa v vožnji res uživam...

A lot of improvement ideas on the technical side can be offered, but I am finding myself really enjoying the fenders... when they don't fall off. I am speaking mostly about the ones for the front wheel, I am constantly on the lookout about losing them. Any mechanism implemented from the get-go to keep them fixed there will be a welcome addition.

Perhaps a wider handle bar or a way to rest both elbows on long rides (I typically ride 10+ miles an outting) ...on straight aways, I like to streamline myself (because as we all know, regardless of whichever way the wind is blowing, we're always going to be a sail) in that crouched road bike position, and then focus on my RPMs.

I miss a bell, i tried mounting one, but it wasnt a succes for me as it takes up handlebar space. Being able to let other ppl know ur coming or want to move past them is very helpfull especially in crowded places like here inthe Netherlands. Also the lights arent quite sufficient, from the side people hardly notice you when riding in the dark.

It would be great to carry a couple of things on the bike. Some kind of "Halfpack?" A backpack get sweaty.

@ Dave J.: We expect to hear more about Nikolaj's experience with attaching a small bag to the handlebar. He has tried different configurations on his Halfbike for longer rides using both readily available products as well as ones that are handmade specifically for his Halfbike.

@Mihail K. - Sounds good, thank you.

I would like to see an independent rear Truck or a truck that will flex on turns (maybe made of carbon fiber) as an upgrade or performance model.

Hi Kent, can you give some more info about the picture you uploaded?

it's a Gila Board - 4 wheel independent suspension. wackyboards.blogspot.com/2015/03/gila-board.html

It even has a sway bar on it.

OK thanks, looks interesting

The handles get so close to my waist when climbing. I'm curious if the overall ride would be better with the handlebar one or two inches further forward.

I think you can add more accessories, not sure that Halfbike needs to make them. They can have them collected and logged on. Then it can be added value for the higher price. I think it would be good with larger boundaries of colors & wood. So people can customize their Halfbike more. It should cost more and not be the same delivery time. Black default or customize. I think brake lever with a bell? is a good thought or just bell. It would be good if there were reflections on Halfbike, red back and white front and an orange in the wheel.

The rea sping should be painted for preventing rust/ corrosion. I dit it on my own, for ensuring the not where to corrode. Have further more added more reflectors making it more visible. Red on the rear and white on the front three frame. A bell would be nice, a nice thinge.

Bonjour, J ai ajouté des cornes sur le guidon (18€ sur Amazon ) et cela est mieux que de tenir le guidon. Des réception je n ai monté que le garde boue de la roue 20", j ai tordu la fixation des roues 8" pour faire une poignée qui protege aussi les freins et permet d utiliser le pied pour basculer le 1/2 vélo. Passant dans des chemins caillouteux, je changerai sans doute les pneus comme sur ma trottinette grande roue et mes Skike. La modification du nombre de vitesse effectuée sur halfbike3 me paraît indispensable et pourquoi pas 5.

Voici les cornes sur le 1/2 vélo après la promenade sportive de 25km.

I like the way you made the handle at the back wheels. Does it work well for resting your foot, too? Is it strong enough for that?

Je l utilise juste lorsque j ai besoin de le basculer en position pour le faire rouler sur les 2 roues et inversement donc pas d effort . La poignée est sans doute inutile sur le hb3, puisque les freins ne sont plus à l arrière. Grace aux cornes, j'ai ajouté facilement une sonnette indispensable avec les promeneurs qui ne quittent pas leur téléphone des yeux...

Love my Halfbike!!! My major complaint is the corrosion happening on many parts. The cables, pedals, chain, springs, and hardware are rusting. I live in Idaho, which is a high mountain desert. We do not get much moisture, but I have ridden in some moisture. My traditional bikes do not rust, but the Halfbike is suffering from corrosion. I second the comment about the fenders. The are an awesome concept, but fall off way too often. So often, in fact, that I no longer use them. I use a light like this: (smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IIPBYB2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). It works great on the front, but I wear a backpack to display the back light. I have seen some mods to attach one to the rear, but that is too low to be safe, IMHO. I also have the problem of the knob-nuts loosening at the pivot. I have to tighten them every day.

I have the Halfbike 2 with the three speed hub and the limited efficiency rear brakes. I would like to be able to get the Stumey Archer drum brake hub that the Halfbike 3 comes with. My local bike shop quoted me $600.00 for an upgraded front hub, too expensive.

Hey Steve, We saw the rust on your Halfbike and that's very strange for such a new Halfbike. On the pictures we can see stains that look a lot like salt & you mentioned living in the desert. Salt is highly corrosive to the metal parts. If that's the case it would be best if you wipe the Halfbike after usage - that also stands for after riding in the rain. Also, you should have in mind that the bearings on the rear wheel & the springs should be regarded as consumables and should be changed after some time. We saw that your rear bearings have rusted at least on the outside and should be changed if they start making unnatural noises or if they loose their performance.

Thanks for the reply. I don't think it is salt. They do not use salt on Boise's (Idaho) roads and walkways. I think what you are seeing is dirt. I will keep an eye on the bearings and springs. Are those parts I purchase through halfbike or another supplier?

I actually meant the salt from the sand, or actually the sand itself could be the culprit. You can purchase all the parts from us.

a) I like riding in evenings and I don't really prefer current official solutions for mounting lights. The small lights with rubber mounts fit well if there are no fenders on the rear side, but the larger flashlight with rubber mount doesn't look that stable. Therefore, I would like a dedicated mount on both front and rear sides for camera and/or 3rd party lights. People have already used 3D printing for custom mounts, so there are examples. It could be even sold as a separate accessory. b) Bar mounts as a separate accessory. c) More colors on different parts of the halfbike, i.e. QR screws, springs, fenders, tires and so on. d) Different colors on foldable frame and bottom frame parts as is on Halfbike 2. e) Different sets of pedals available on purchase, i.e. metallic ones, different shapes. f) Gears switcher and brake lever combined into one unit for easier access and more space on top.

Since lots of people want to have some stuff to mount on the halfbike, why not ship the halfbike with some pre made holes "here and there"? I don't want to be to precise so you can enjoy digging into your imagination and maybe find better places than I can think of :-).

I wish back tires with better friction for gravel roads. I noticed that my halfbike 3 tens to drift on gravel or dirt roads, which leads to unpleasant situations. I wih that I can choose to install different sets of back tires depending on the terrain. Otherwise half bike is a great disign, because of its simplicity. Great work implementing KISS principle - keep it stupid simple!

My only suggestion would be holes for water bottle holders on both sides of the front so riders could customize.

Hi, I really like the halfbike concept. I had a halfbike2 and now a halfbike3. The halfbike3 is a nice development. Less noise, higher agility, and the brakes fit perfectly to the needs of the halfbike. Things I dont like: 1) For the Quick release levers the diameter of the thread became smaller. Also I need to tighten the levers every few kilometers. Therefore the halfbike starts to make some noise. After tightening it is quiet again. Here is room for improvement. I would personally go back to the system with the knobs with the nuts inside. (is it possible to go back with my existing halbike3?) 2) 18'' front whell. I directly changed from the original innova tire to a schwalbe big apple. The choise you have for 20'' tires is much bigger than for 18'' tires. Also the availability for 20'' rims is better, since it is BMX equipment and many kids bikes have 20'' tires. 3) I tried to mount a GPS device and bottle holder for longer distances. But I failed. To have some space for this equipment would be nice. Things I'd like to see: A non-foldable long distance version with broader handlebars (more space), a more rigid frame, bigger tires (20'') and probably the S&A 5 speed hub or aven an shimano alfine 8-speed, since the over locknut dimension is also 135mm, just like for the 4-speed hub. best regards Rainer

Hi peeps! Couple of ideas I had as I was riding in central London today. - Have you though of doing an electric version? I often had thought if you could have the systems where you could have full electric, pedal assist or all off. I thought that would be quite cool. For that you could have a mini LED display similar to most e-scooters that have charge level and speed indicators. - Any other materials? I like the idea of a pro bike perhaps that is in carbon fiber? It could bring huge weight savings for sure but I understand the manufacturing process for that would be quite intense. - I also like the idea of perhaps more mounting points for accessories. I think of it like camera accessories that have multiple mount points on the frames to attach other gadgets to it. I also bridge that because the handle bar is quite short, there isn’t much room to attach things and so a mountable frame where I could screw in a GoPro camera or a tripod holder or a drinks holder might be quite good. That’s my two cents. Happy riding!

Hi all! I own a Halfbike 2 from the previous Kickstarter campaign. I like my Halfbike but it’s more like a toy, as the Halfbike 2 brakes are, in my opinion, inadequate for riding on the street or hills. I only ride it in a nearby parking lot, which gets old really fast. The original promotion materials on Kickstarter were, I believe, disingenuous as there was never a clear picture of the brakes, or an explanation of how they worked. Those brakes do not work well. I believe there should be an option to purchase a add on hub, with a drum brake like the new halfbike has. In the past,Halfbike staff have kindly responded to my request for such an add on, and said it would not work. I then went to a skilled local bike mechanic who was sure he could add such a hub but the price would have been the same as the Halfbike 3. I think that if the Halfbike company made such an upgrade available, it would show high degree of customer service, and immensely increase safety when using the Halfbike 2.

Hello I would like to have some customisations to add on the halfbike maybe some different colour grips, as well as metal pedals as I find the plastic ones can get slippery when wet and maybe hydraulic brakes. I might be getting a head of myself here but stunt pegs seem they they would be fun

I've been thinking about this for a little bit. I'd like to see a stiffer upper frame (or an option/upgrade to make it stiffer). As I've improved and push myself, I find that if the upper frame were stiffer, my hill climbing would improve, too, resulting in a better workout. I put a lot of pressure on the frame as I'm working hard uphill and I can feel it flexing more as I work the bike.

This is a wishlist for the website rather than for the Halfbike itself... I'd love to see the forum threads re-arranged so the newer posts are on top rather than at the bottom. Currently, you have to scroll all the way down to see the newest posts.

I am with Joel H. for improvements to the website. The forum layout looks nice at 1st sight, but isnt really practical. As far as improvements to the halfbike i think a steering bar that would be 2cm bigger on each side would be more ideal. The basics grips arent super comfy and the ergon grips need 13cm free space on each side. A more sturdy frame would be welcome too. I have already broken my frame once when jumping off a sidewalk and ever since that happend i am more carefull. Also with a bigger steering bar i am guessing more force is being applied to the frame, so with that in mind more firmness would be welcomed. More gears are also welcome for me.Currently i ride mostly in the heaviest one even uphill! I dont really like biking with a backpack, but since there is no way of mounting saddlebags onto the bike sometimes i must wear a backback. I would be awesome if some sort of luggage carrier could be made that would sit ontop of the rear wheels. That way everything would just function fine i bet. Possible an option for this carrier to be easily dismounted when you dont need it. Another problem i have are with the fenders, like others said they come off very easy. Also the screws on the plywood frame part seem to come loose a lot and i have to constantly tighten those. Something to think about as well is to make different version for different types of riders, i mean some people like to make long rides on the halfbike and others just want to do tricks or go offroad on mountainbike tracks and downhill tracks (me included). Or just offer different specs when selecting your bike in the shop, that you select different pedals based upon your riding style etc. That you can just build your bike up selecting different features based upon how you would like to use the bike. Better visibility for in the dark is another wishlist item. Some one mentioned a drinkbottle holder, thats sounds good to me.

The number 1 thing for me to address is the max weight limit- Americanize this thing! 250lbs or 300 lbs might require some beefed up bearings/wheels but I can't imagine a huge change to frame. Also, to steal a page from the Priority Bicycle's use of the Gates Carbon Drive belt as opposed to a chain- no/less maintenance, and smoother ride/transfer of mechanical energy.

The only request I would ask you for is a handlebar with longer or larger grips. There is no space to insert a doorbell, a gps, a smartphone bracket, an action cam, an ergonomic knob or more demanding... an aesthetic request would be to be able to change the color by mixing the bottom with the top congratulations for your very nice office and you are a very strong team at work

Wider handlebars Bars that I can attach lights at the back/front Lighter The traditional gear type

Hi, I am a bike enthousiast (I have a big MTB, a road bike and don't count the city bikes). As soon as I discovered the Halfbike I wanted it. Mine is not delivered yet but I amready know what improvment I will desire : The Gates Carbon transmission. www.cyclingabout.com/carbon-belt-drive-everything-you-ever-need-to-know/ I have it on my BMC AC01. It's a wonder and fit very well with internaly geared hub. I think of it because it avoids to smear your shoes, socks and trousers with grease and dust with traditional chain. A proper rear and front ligth is a must wrt regulation. Lateral reflective sticker could also be a nice add-on.

How about Halfbike bar extenders. I've taken two from my mountain bike and mounted them so the hang below the handlebar. Currently have two LED from lights mounted

How about adding to the mudguard offering. I've added carbon fiber tape and a 5x5 cm 3m black reflective tape to the top surface of the standard mudguards. See photo. Also what about extending the width. I ride through lots of surface water and a fair amount of crud is missed by the mudguards. Looking at adapting some 1.5mm think neoprene to help

Maybe some alternatives for the rear hubs. Something like the attached from a local (to me) mountain board manufacturer, they do hundreds of combinations.

Throughout my 1+ year of riding, I keep having issues with the QR screws on pavement and bumpy roads. You should make the model more sturdy. QR screws either over-tighten or loosen up from the vibration. The same happens with the chain getting loose rather quickly. During my 2+ hrs rides, I have to adjust QR screws about 4-5 times at least. I came under impression that Halfbikes do not go along with high amounts of vibration from bumps in the pavement, jumping, etc. It would be nice to see the folding structure getting reworked in the following iteration. You could also introduce a separate 'sport' edition, without any foldable parts: no QR mechanism, single mould, more lightweight, more sturdy and so on. This idea might not resonate with the majority, but it would be absolutely handy for people who tend to exhaust their Halfbikes through hard conditions. Cheers

I bought a Halfbike 3. I am 71, 190lbs, 6'2", and in pretty good condition for an old man. On my first ride attempt, I got all of 5' before losing my balance. I did not exactly fall but did twist my knee such that it was a serious injury requiring a doctor visit and xrays. I feel that I am, perhaps, too tall for this bike, in that I felt top heavy. But, I don't want to give up. I've been a biking enthusiast for at least 65 years and love this concept. So, I have two suggestions. 1) Offer a removable rear training wheel attachment option so that the bike is more stable while learning. 2) Offer a permanent rear wheel axle extension option that would stabilize the bike. The axle length would be sufficiently wide to stabilize the bike but not to the point that it would hinder turning. Thanks!

Finally swapped out the standard city tyre for the Schwalbe Black Jack. What a difference to the grip on slippery, worn, wet tarmac (I live in the countryside, so don't have a lot of pavement or flat smooth roads. Do have lots of farms, with tractors and trailers dropping slippery stuff onto the roads. Might be an upgrade / option for those who need to deal with wet conditions. www.instagram.com/p/CMz1DfNHykm/

@Neil W. Its rains 80% of the time in the Netherlands. I am actually good with the basic tire as is. Here we have loads of bike roads and even if i go offroad in the woods i never had isseu. Glad you like this new version though. Those pedals seem to be nice when biking offroad, however on long distances on asfalt i fear those pikes might really hurt your feet. I dont like to wear sturdy shoes when halfbiking as i loose maneuverability that way. I prefer vans, these aloow me to make really sharp and fast turns but they have a soft sole.

Change sturmey archer 4spd with drum brakes and index gear shift to Nexus/alfine with roller brakes and underbar rapid fire shifters

I would vote for adding 5 cm (~2 inches) to the handlebar length, but leave it unused. This would allow for many standard bicycle accessories to be easily added. In particular, I want to mount a cellphone holder. Thanks! Love my HalfBike!

Comment, au bout de 3 mois à peine, cette vis a-t-elle pu se casser ainsi !???!? Et comment faire pour sortir le reste de la vis, fermement vissé dans son trou ? Cela mériterait que vous y réfléchissiez, pour améliorer cela .

Hi Marie-Helene, This sometimes happens when overtightening the quick releases - we suggest closing the levers first and then tightening them to minimize this possibility. In order to remove the pin, you'll need to remove the handlebar, which is relatively easy. Drop us an email at hello@halfbikes.com if you need any more help and would like to order one.

the folding mechanism is a design flaw in my mind. The quick releases come undone all the time. Overal it add instability to the bike. I let go of the quick releases and switch to fixed screws and bigger frontal bar in between the sides.

i also wish for better fenders, currently the ones offered do little in preventing your shoes from getting soaking wet.