Purr

I've heard about a used Giant Halfway for sale. Took it for a quick spin and it seemed to ride well (albeit a tiny bit creaky) and it shifted easily. The brakes didn't grab very well, but I figure that some adjustments and some new brake shoes could fix that. I didn't scrutinize the bike but I didn't see much of anything in the way of obvious blemishes other than a ding or two on a fender. It seems to be in good shape otherwise. It looks surprisingly clean for a used bike (the owner works in a bike shop and says he's moving on to a non-folding style of bike). It has the case that straps to the handlebars (and a rack trunk might be included).

What would be a reasonable price?

Also, how much on the Giant Halfway is proprietary? If I want to swap out the seat, let's say, will I be out of luck?

As I've never tried shopping for a used bike, what should I be sure to look for on it in order to make a good determination or to tell if it has a deal-breaker condition. (Think: blue-white smoke coming out of a used car's tailpipe means "walk away"). Any advice would be welcome.

Many thanks in advance,

Purr

14R 

Purr,

I have 2 folding Giants. One was a trade in (US$0.00) and the other was E-Bay (it's a rear suspension one not so popular in the Americas - US$400.00 shipped).

Slightly used Giant Halfways are sold from time to time off of E-Bay for anything between 300 and 375. I never saw one sold for less. I've seen 2 or 3 sold for aprox. 400, but that's unusual.

A lot of things on a Halfway are proprietary. If you want to swap the seat, you can do it without any problems, but that's pretty much about it. The seatpost is 27.8mm (or something like this) so you cannot upgrade it with the long cushioned thudbusters available for Dahons (Dahons use 34mm). The cantilever hubs/single side fork does not let play with wheels upgrades, cushioned front hub or a geared (speed) rear hub. The frame design will not let you play with the chainring size (if you feel like the bike is low geared or something). You will be able to do minor upgrades (handlegrips, handlebar, shifter, levers, etc...) but not as much as the other folders.

The selling point for the Halfway is the cantilever/monoblade design. For a city bike, it is a convenience. While quick-release wheels demand extra care to avoid thieves, the Halfway design let you fix a flat without removing the wheel. If this is something appealing to you (it is for my girfriend and I), the Halfway is your best (and only) choice and, honestly, little to no upgrades needed for an urban commuter. If that's something that does not really mean anything to you, you are better served with other well respected folding manufacturers. For the Aprox. US$300.00 you will spend on your used Halfway, you can get a brand new Downtube shipped + a US$60.00 seat (which is what you mentioned as an upgrade example). I read good things about the Downtube, ended up getting one for my brother this past Friday (kinda excited about it, can't wait to compare them).

Hope this helps with your decision. Please come back and let us know what you ended up with.

Rafael Guerra

jasong

I´m really interested in seeing your comparison between the Downtube and the HalfWay. I´ve also got a downtube, but don´t have the experience of previously owning a folder so am interested in a seasoned comparison. Definitely follow up,

Purr

I'm not a big fan of "proprietary," so I'm gonna have to give this some thought. I wouldn't mind hearing about your comparison between the Downtube and Halfway. I'll see if I can hold off on a decision for now...

Many thanks, Rafael!

Purr

14R 

Hey Purr,

I don't know if you subscribed to this topic or are expecting my reply here, that's why I am adding this note.

I just finished a decent ride on a Downtube VIII FS and am about to create a new topic comparing the downtube to the halfway. Hope it helps you making your final decision.

Rafael