Edit: Wow, I totally missed that I could scroll down the page. D'oh! Also, it really doesn't look like there's anything electric about it, which I think is pretty impressive.
There is a market for a $4,000 bike, but what's interesting is that there's a market for paying $1,000 for half of a $200 bike. ;)
Basically, you can get a lot more bike for $1,000. If I'd asked for something like this growing up, my grandfather would have used it as an opportunity to show me how to use tools and pick through a junk yard.
I'm sorry, but these look absolutely ridiculous. In the last video around 1:16 showing the two guys riding these things down the track, I actually laughed out loud. I guess the riding experience of these things is supposed to be a selling point?
Just a note for some people who live in really hilly areas (I live in a hilly part of San Diego; I hear there are other hilly cities with significant HN readership): "Riding uphill is alright as long as it is a gentle slope. Halfbike isn’t really made for steep hills so if it gets too steep you may have to push."
The stability of this appears questionable. Anything at high speed looks dangerous - for example: tight cornering, and hard breaking. At $1000 I'm wondering why I'd be compelled to purchase a less versatile bike (than say, a Kona cross country bike) at a higher price with the promise of increased risk of an accident. The other main problem I have with this bike is the wheel size. Obviously this part is critical to the design, but does it not contribute to a bumpier ride? I like being able to ride over cobblestone without getting shaken down for my lunch money. Also being able to ride up onto curbs is something I probably take for granted.
I think the design is pretty cool, and the reduced size of the bike (it's main selling point I'm sure) could very useful in certain situations - but personally I don't see it as enough of an improvement on my current bike (or most bikes in the same price range) to justify the purchase.
Standing up while cycling makes your calves work really hard. A hour or two on one of these would make even a regular cyclist ache for a week, so a seat is probably essential for any practical purpose. The riding experience looks novel, that is probably it's main appeal.
A hero slider with gigantic images, where by the time the image loads, it's ready to scroll to the next blank gray area while another gigantic image loads. No text at all. Ouch what a horrible website. And, it's not a half-bike, it's a tricycle... for adults, apparently.
You forgot no indication that anything is loading. (At least for me.) So I get a blank black screen with some navigation scattered around for a few seconds, then a picture flashes on the screen, then back to black.
Price seems a tad high, especially if it is only half of a real bike. I'd pay $500 for one of these, just think the price point is a tad off for what it is.
I think the fact that you're actually physically exerting yourself makes up for a lot of that. It may look a bit silly, but it's still more likely to garner interest and respect than derision (unless people know how much you paid for it maybe!) With a Segway on the other hand, the silly look just gives the impression that you'll do anything to avoid having to actually use your muscles to propel yourself around.
Given that ~75% of the comments here are negative and a lot of those are related to how ridiculous this looks, surely someone has to raise the question of market research?
At what point does it become ok to try and sell something that the vast majority of people are going to find absurd? I don't know anyone (and I live in a fairly hipster town) who would even contemplate using one of these. Maybe the high cost means that they can make enough profit per unit to make it worthwhile?
Maybe they built it intentionally as absurd as possible, while still being theoretically usable, and put even more absurd price tag, to trick a handful of people into thinking it is actually something so good they can't even understand what is so good about it? The kind of effect when you price something really high and it becomes an item of luxury, even if it's worthless.
I'd love to try one. I've had California Chariots and RipSticks and Turtles and a bunch of other things like this. Looks weird, but could be fun. Won't know until I try.
I'd love to try one, especially with the size and weight it looks like a nice way to get around in a city, at least for the "last mile" from and to public transport.
However unless you are using it for fun, any trip longer than 5-10min is probably more convenient on an actual bicycle and the price is way too high.
Jesus, a thousand bucks. I can't believe anyone would buy one of these for two hundred. It looks unstable, difficult to maneuver, and even dorkier than a recumbent. The basic mechanical principles that make bikes worth having seem to have been left behind.
Who the hell are they trying to sell these to? While I understand the labor that could probably go into making one of these (probably less than 4 hours), the total cost of the actual bike should be no more than $100. $1000 for a bike that looks like it should cost about $30 - $50?
It's like they took all the worst parts of a tricycle, a unicycle, and a broom, and combined them with the inconvenience of standing up the whole time.
And it can't go uphill...
From the FAQ:
How well does Halfbike handles hills?
Riding uphill is alright as long as it is a gentle slope. Halfbike isn't really made for steep hills so if it gets too steep you may have to push.
I also noticed two different frame designs, one of which looks hard to get U-lock through, and the other may be impossible. The FAQ suggests using an 'ordinary cable-lock', which doesn't sound very safe.
I don't know, halfbikes look fun to ride and compact to carry, and definitely less clunky than bicycles. An additional bonus is that literally no one rides halfbikes (and not very many people will for a while, at that price). Riding one would certainly attract looks and questions.
I don't think I'll ever get an electric self-balancing unicycle, but if I did at least I would probably be satisfied that $1800 worth of work went into it.
This "halfcycle" doesn't look like nearly that much effort was spent on it.
Agreed. Far better than the actual website. Took me from thinking it's completely ridiculous to thinking it looks kind of fun, albeit still not worth nearly $1000.
68 comments
[ 3.9 ms ] story [ 129 ms ] threadEdit: Wow, I totally missed that I could scroll down the page. D'oh! Also, it really doesn't look like there's anything electric about it, which I think is pretty impressive.
I prefer the seat on my bike.
1 $7,000 pledge with a "trip to meet the team" reward.
Hmmmm..
Basically, you can get a lot more bike for $1,000. If I'd asked for something like this growing up, my grandfather would have used it as an opportunity to show me how to use tools and pick through a junk yard.
I feel like from that sort of slightly bent standing position hills would be a nightmare to go up. I can already feel the burn.
Also I contend that the people in the video look like dorks on them. But to each his own.
I think the design is pretty cool, and the reduced size of the bike (it's main selling point I'm sure) could very useful in certain situations - but personally I don't see it as enough of an improvement on my current bike (or most bikes in the same price range) to justify the purchase.
Also, with the single, vertical handle-bar... that seems weird. How easy is it to drive with one hand?Why not just have an optional seat post.
That dude on the track is clutching it in a vaguely obscene way. Fortunately the handlebars in the video are horizontal.
At least in the Pacific Northwest, add fenders, and urban buyers will appear.
At what point does it become ok to try and sell something that the vast majority of people are going to find absurd? I don't know anyone (and I live in a fairly hipster town) who would even contemplate using one of these. Maybe the high cost means that they can make enough profit per unit to make it worthwhile?
Very Nathan Barley-esque: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhAr_UeroCk
However unless you are using it for fun, any trip longer than 5-10min is probably more convenient on an actual bicycle and the price is way too high.
b^)
So does wearing a large purple sombrero. That doesn't mean I'm going to pay $1000 for one.
I don't like the single handle bar or tiny two hand handle bar, I would want something with more grip for aggressive riding and peddling.
I'll stick with my BMX.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007Q3FZYK
This "halfcycle" doesn't look like nearly that much effort was spent on it.