If you’ve had a desire to combine your love of water and biking, you’ll be glad to meet the Manta5 Hydrofoiler, an electric bike designed for use on water. The Manta5 can move up to 12 mph in fresh or saltwater and according to its launch site, “Within a few minutes, you can be up and foiling, and within a few hours you can master the submerged launch.”
A hydrofoil is a wing-like structure that lifts the craft to the surface of the water, reducing drag. Manual and pedal-assist options are available, and the bike has a quiet 400-W electric motor. It uses a propeller and a one-hour battery. A team of New Zealand entrepreneurs headed by Guy Howard-Willis of the Torpedo7 outdoor gear brand designed this innovative water bike. Willis kept the prototype a secret for several years while he developed it in a local swimming pool, according to Cycling Industry News. Registration for limited pre-sales is now open.
