Riding bikes on roads may never become obsolete.
But come on, this is 2022. Give us the flying bikes already.
Or at least let us pedal one on the water until that day comes.
Turns out, that's a real possibility. Because while the Manta5 Hydrofoiler XE-1 lacks a catchy name, it's an actual e-bike that you can ride on actual water.
Imagine a bicycle that's more like a jet ski with airplane wings. And then imagine that it blends manual power with an electric motor. That's... kind of what you've got here. There's a seat, handlebars and pedals, so that's where the bike comes in. It cruises around waterways, so there's your jet ski. And it's sporting two carbon fiber hydrofoils, which are basically underwater wings that keep you stable and skimming along the surface of the water while riding.
Similar to a traditional e-bike, the quiet electric motor supports variable pedal assist that can be dialed up or down, depending on how hard you want to work. When you're really moving, you can hit top speeds of 12 mph, which isn't much on the road. But that's damn fast on a nautical bike, and it will let you competitively race a sailboat.
For some inspiration, these guys set a world record by crossing the 24km Cook Strait in New Zealand. You don't have to attempt the same feat. But it'll be fun to peddle around a lake or something.
Considering most people don't live directly on lakes or commute down canals, the bike is designed to be unassembled and reassembled in minutes, so you can easily transport it in your car. And it's light enough that you can carry it straight from your car to the water.
Which is not something you can say about most bike-jet-ski-airplane hybrids.