Erwin S. - US

I have had the Halfbike 2 for a few years and it is an interesting transportation device. You have to be fairly fit and definitely well coordinated to use it. It’s not as easy as riding a bike. Even just to get it started is challenging for a novice. I'm fairly fit and coordinated and it took me about 20 minutes before I got it to go straight. Turning is another different skill set. That might take a few hours to a few days. You don’t turn by twisting the handlebar since the front wheel do not pivot. It turns by tilting the entire unit so the back 2 wheels turn from behind. You do this by leaning into a turn and gently pulling or pushing the handle bar to the side that you want to turn. You don’t twist it. The challenge is that when you lean into a turn, it feels like the back end will slide out from under you and your first instinct is to bail out and jump off. But you have to trust that it won’t and then you will carve into the turn from behind. When I go fast and I do slalom turns, it feels very jittery and unstable, probably because the wheelbase is so short. It it were maybe a foot or two longer, it might feel more stable. The front wheel is top notch very sticky bmx wheels, but the back 2 wheels almost feels toy-like and they don’t spin very long, so it’s not a very efficient transportation device. And the rear brakes are very weak. You cannot stop quickly if you have any speed. The 3 version seems like it solves this problem with the brakes being in the front wheel. If you want a workout, this is will definitely give you that. It’s a much bigger workout than riding a bike. I would say about 2 to 3 times more. It is so small and light taking it into your office or train or bus is very easy. Just fold the handle down and bring it in. It’s also a great conversation starter. Most people will stop you to ask about it or want to try it out. Better than having a cute puppy. Overall, it fits a very specific niche and probably won’t ever replace the bicycle. For a 1 to 2 mile commute, this will do, but for longer commutes, you will break a sweat unless you’re in superman shape. And it looks like a work of art fit to be in a museum.