Jetcycle hydrofoil: The recumbent bike that soars over water

JetCycle Hydrofoil Recumbent Pedal Bike
JetCycle hydrofoil soars over water under pure pedal power. Images © JetCycle

By now, you must be familiar with hydrofoil cycling. If you haven’t heard, it’s one of the newest trends in water sports.

With the introduction of novel and varied water-based modes of transportation, such as hydrofoil boats, pedal-powered kayaks, water bikes, flying boats, and others, the personal watercraft industry has recently experienced tremendous expansion. Since they are capable of both cruising and exercising, they blend leisure and sports, which is something that many of them share in common. However, there is a new player in the game that was created and produced in France.

If you love biking and being in the water, then you’ll love the hydrofoil pedal bike. JetCycle hydrofoil essentially offers the experience of cycling on water while simultaneously generating a seemingly strange feeling of flying.

But it’s not an easy task to balance a small frame on the water surface while pedaling at the exact same time to attempt to get it into a hovering posture. Because of this, unlike other water cycles on the market that use a two-wheeled frame, the JetCycle’s design is inspired by the boating sector rather than the bicycle industry.

It has a sturdy platform similar to a sit-atop kayak’s back seat for greater stability, effective performance, and comfort. Actually, the boat can at first resemble a pedal canoe or a flying pedal boat. Its sleek shell design, which is built of composite materials generated via infusion and is 11.5 feet (3.40 meters) long by 2.6 feet (0.80 meters) in width, allows for the combination of stiffness and lightweight.

JetCycle Max Hydrofoil
JetCycle builds its Max models in France.

The front and back of it each have a pair of carbon fiber foil wings. The JetCycle hydrofoil differs from other pedal boats thanks to these authentic marine foils, which also enable the it to lift effortlessly and smoothly, even at low speeds.

The Max, according to its designers, is simple to use. It comes with a crankset that can be quickly and easily adjusted to the user’s size. The adjustable pedals can accommodate riders with heights ranging between 4.9 and 6.6 feet (1.5 and 2 m).

The innovative variable-pitch propeller just at the back is driven in the best possible way thanks to the crankset’s design. As a result, unlike previous pedal-assist electric watercraft, the 77-pound (35-kg) JetCycle hydrofoil is entirely human-powered and controlled, as just the rider’s pedaling is sufficient to spin the propeller. The cyclist must sustain speeds of 5.6 mph (9 km/h) in order to lift and glide well over water.

JetCycle Hydrofoil Lift Fly
With a steady pedaling speed of 5.6 mph, JetCycle Max riders can lift and fly.

The weight of the user affects the amount of power needed for takeoff. A 130-pound (60 kg) rider will require 230 watts of power to start, while a 190-lb (85 kg) individual will require 300 watts of power, according to the company.

If what you’ve read thus far has caught your fancy, JetCycle offers the Max for €12,000 ($11,675). Although pricing is a bit high, the contraption certainly provides a satisfying and enjoyable workout.

Source: JetCycle