The 'Gym on Wheels' That you Ride Standing up - Martin Angelov, the Inventor of the Halfbike

It's challenging to ride, it's not electric, yet the Halfbike has proved extremely successul since its launch in 2014. Kolelinia, the Bulgarian company behind the bike, describes it as a 'gym on wheels'. 

"Our story started back in 2009 when I moved into a small apartment, and had to put my road bike into storage. Got inspired by an architectural competition on new means of transport, so I started sketching ideas for a new kind of bicycle based vehicle," Martin Angelov, the founder of Kolelinia (and the bike's inventor), tells Auto Futures.

Angelov, and company co-founder, Mihail Klenov, are architects by trade, with a mission to improve how we move around.

"The first few initial sketches turned into a bunch of different designs, and eventually - over a dozen full-scale prototypes. In early 2014, over 400 amazing Kickstarter supporters helped us launch the Halfbike. We quickly set up a workshop, and have now shipped thousands of handmade bikes all over the world," says Angelov.

The Halfbike has three wheels, of which the rear pair helps with the steering. You ride it standing up. A typical cruising speed on flat ground is around 13-20 kph. 

"Since the handlebars are immovable, you set the bike's direction with your body. So, when you lean to one side, you initiate a turn. Also, you ride the bike while standing up, which makes the motion resemble running, but without the added strain on the knees and joints. The Halfbike comes with a somewhat challenging — yet rewarding — learning curve, and to get used to it, you will need to train your muscle memory and balance."

The bike is also foldable. The handlebar drops backwards, making it quite compact. It can then be taken on public transport or put in the trunk of a car.

Learning a Whole New Skill

The Halfbike is aimed at everyone, regardless of age and stature, says Angelov.

"Some of our clients use it only for commuting, while others use it as part of their training regimen. It definitely offers a full body workout, while being a blast to ride." 

However, the company admits that learning to ride a Halfbike is initially a bit of a challenge.

"People find the learning curve to be rewarding after a few riding sessions, it is rather steep at the beginning...It usually takes about 20-25 minutes for the rider to get a better idea of the experience, adjust to it and start riding in a straight line. From then on, as with most new activities, the key is practice. We always say it's a whole new skill one has to learn," explains Angelov.

"I can say for sure that the clients who take their time to get used to it and pass through the learning curve, definitely become lifelong fans and great ambassadors for Halfbike," he adds.

At present, the company has no plans to develop an electric Halfbike.

"We have tried a few electric configurations, but none worked well with the Haflbike. We thought that if it was electric, it wouldn't be a Haflbike anymore. Besides, our main mission is to inspire people to move more!"

Cities Need Drastic Measures

Angelov is not standing still. His Sofia-based company has worked on other projects and they have a number of new ideas up their sleeves. For example, Kolelinia is also the name of a project for elevated bike lanes based on steel cables.

"The project was first presented during the international architectural competition 'Line of Site' in 2008 as a utopian transport system. The project won the final phase held in London. Subsequently, the project was developed and implemented as a tourist attraction line. The result is a light and flexible system that allows the cyclist to perceive the world from a different perspective."

Finally, we asked Angelov what urban mobility will look like by the end of the decade.

"Hopefully much greener and diversified than it is today. Bigger cities have become so congested and polluted that we need to implement drastic measures as fast as possible. That's why we're always thinking and developing that kind of ideas. Like our latest conceptual project, dubbed 'Halfgrid' It's basically a proposal for a city-wide transport system that uses artificial intelligence to move suspended capsules to their designated location," he predicts.