Have you ever wanted to bike on water? The idea has likely never crossed your mind, just like it never actually crossed ours…but it apparently has to somebody: the folks behind the Manta5, the world’s first hydrofoil bike.
Designed to recreate the feel of cycling as closely as possible, but on water, the Manta5 works much like a regular e-bike: powered by a 400W E-bike battery and lithium battery. When you pedal, the chain and driveshaft turn a propeller to power your forward (instead of turning the wheels on a regular e-bike), and you glide effortlessly across the water.
Definitely not something we ever asked for, but they seem to have done a pretty good job with the Manta5. The frame is built from 6061 aircraft aluminum, which finds the perfect combination of strength, weight and density. The battery and motor have been IP67-waterproofed (necessary, to say the least), though you can easily pull the battery out to simply recharge it in any powered wall socket. It’ll last up to an hour for most riders. And there are buoyancy modules designed to ensure you stay properly afloat the water.
The hydrofoils and propeller blades are made with carbon fiber for supreme light weight and simultaneous strength, and are designed to work on a wide variety of water: lakes, rivers, the ocean. A Hoerner Tip ensures less drag and a more effective wingspan. Heck, they’re even designed so you can
A cool toy, for sure. Lots of thought and design has gone into creating the Manta5, and we’d be interested in trying it out. It looks like a lot of fun, though we wouldn’t consider it a serious sport or anything…And we’re not sure why they felt the need to come up with an “aquatic e-bike.” Why not just bike on the trail or on the road, and boat on the water?
Either way, you can pre-order one now on time for their shipment in mid-2019. It’ll set you back a little over $5000.
