cycle on water with the pedal-electric manta5 hydrofoil bike

replicating the cycling experience on water, the manta5 hydrofoil bike creates a thrilling world’s first watersport. the vessel pairs hydrofoil – a lifting surface in water – and electric bicycle technology with a propeller to allow riders to glide across the surface. furthermore, if fallen off, which may happen on the first few rides, the bike can be relaunched from deep water. the new zealand-based product design firm, manta5, is set to release their first production model, the ‘hydrofoiler XE-1’, in november 2017.

its front tiller allows riders to carve down steep ocean swells and over rough chop
all images courtesy of manta5

with the ‘hydrofoiler XE-1’ in its final stages of development, a six year project by manta5 has almost been completed. led by guy howard-willis, their founding director, with the help of roland alonzo, an accomplished bicycle designer, the hydrofoil bike is ready to cycle on lakes, rivers and oceans. its 400-W motor not only delivers all the propulsion a rider may need, but also ensures silence for use in all environment settings. forged from carbon fiber, the hydrofoil reduces drag whilst remaining strong and lightweight. additionally, it benefits from a modular design to allow quick assembly and transportation.

the pedal-electric, 400-W motor propels the user across the water

‘developing a hydrofoil bike has been a rewarding, yet extremely challenging journey, requiring highly technical capabilities to overcome design challenges‘ explains guy howard-willis, founding director of manta5. ‘we’ve had so many people tell us that what we’re trying to achieve can’t be done. I just love working with a design team who redefine what’s possible – it’s always great to see those people’s reactions when we show them video of what we’ve achieved‘.

after a six year development, the ‘hydrofoiler XE-1’ is set for release in november 2017

the ‘proto6’ edition of manta5’s hydrofoil bike