10 Weirdest Bicycles In The World.
Number 10.
Perhaps frustrated by one too many delays at New York City's Penn Station, design exec
Judah Schiller came up with an ideal way to get from New Jersey to Manhattan: a water
bike.
Schiller's bike-raft hybrid is a mountain bike attached to a frame that rests on two
inflatable pontoons.
A drive mechanism attached to the bike's rear frame transfers power from the rear wheel
to a propeller attached to the front wheel.
When the rider pedals, the propeller turns, keeping the bike moving at speeds up to 10
mph and also allowing full use of handlebar steering.
The entire contraption can be set up in 15 minutes and broken down in 5, leaving riders
with a road-ready bike and a backpack of full of accessories weighing less than 20 pounds.
Schiller has pedaled his water bike across both the Hudson River and San Francisco Bay.
Number 9.
Josh Bechtel's Bicymple eschews this normally critical component and relies instead on a
direct-drive, freewheeling hub, one that joins the crank-arm axis with the rear-wheel axis.
This creates a shorter wheelbase and a somewhat bizarre appearance, with the pedals on the
rear wheel and the bike seat directly above it.
Despite its unusual look, the Bicymple rides much like a single-speed bike, save for an
optional rear-steer mode that allows you to navigate sideways.
Number 8.
The German-designed Halbrad packs the two wheels, pedals and handlebars of a bicycle
on a reengineered rear triangle.
This half-bike actually looks more like a third of a bike.
It pedals the streets and carries and stores easily thanks to those compact dimensions.
Clearly aimed at the ever-growing urban mobility market, the Halbrad is a simpler commuter
bicycle that looks perfect for the smallest city apartment and houses.
To ride the super-compact bike, you sit on the saddle, grab hold of the handlebars that
run below the saddle, and pedal away.
Number 7.
Feeling his 15-foot Stoopidtall bike just wasn't stupidly tall enough, L.A. cinematographer
Richie Trimble created the Stoopidtaller.
At a little more than 20 feet in height, it's considered the world's tallest bicycle.
The bike is a 275-pound contraption made from a Monster beach cruiser, eight bicycle chains
linked together, and two 36-inch wheels.
Trimble built it in just four days.
Number 6.
Inventor Michael Killian loves the sensation of balancing on top of a snowboard, carving
graceful curving arcs in the snow.
He also loves tinkering with stuff.
Put those two joys together in a workshop, and you get the SidewaysBike, Killian's fantastic
wheeled creation.
On his website, Killian says the lean-forward or lean-back balance you use on the SidewaysBike
offers finer control than the side-to-side lean of a normal bike.
Whether or not that's true, it sure looks like a ton of fun
Number 5.
In September 2013, former pro cyclist and "Flying Scotsman" Graeme Obree and his bicycle
Beastie set the world speed record for fastest cyclist in a prone position, clocking in at
56.62 mph.
Obree's speed cycle requires him to ride in a recumbent, head-forward, belly-down position
and features rear levers that allow Obree to pedal horizontally after a push start.
There's also a shoulder brace for rider stability.
And because the bike can go nearly 60 mph, Obree encased the entire thing in a Kevlar
and fiberglass shell to protect him from injury.
It features a small window up front, and a snorkel for breathing.
Number 4.
Members of Mijl van Mares Werkploeg in the Netherlands built what's considered the world's
longest bicycle in 2011.
It's 117 feet 5 inches long, has two wheels and no stabilizers.
This super long bicycle requires two people to work.
One steering up front and another pedaling in back.
Number 3.
Want a bike you can slip into your suitcase?
Created by Karsten Bettin, the Kwiggle has a hinge that allows it to fold down into a
compact package, comes with 8-inch wheels, and weighs about 14 pounds.
It's designed to be ridden standing up (though it includes a seat for stability) and can
reach up to 15 mph.
While it's currently a prototype, Bettin is hoping to make a multiple-gear model with
either 8- or 14-inch wheels available to the public soon.
Number 2.
It may look like a sports car, but the Fahrradi Farfalla FFX is actually a recumbent-style
quad bicycle with an upscale exterior.
Built in 2012, the aluminum-frame bike is made for one or two "drivers" (though it forgoes
steering wheels for handlebars) and runs on human power.
It boasts an 11-speed hub gearbox, 200 ultra-bright LEDs for evening cycling, and the coolest
feature: a built-in butterfly mechanism that causes the wing doors to lightly flap while
pedaling.
Number 1.
British inventors John Foden and Yannick Read came up with a dream vehicle: a bicycle that
can fly.
The XploreAir Paravelo can reach up to 15 mph on the road, 25 mph in the air and up
to 4000 feet in altitude.
It consists of a two-wheeled folding bicycle made from aircraft-grade aluminum and a lightweight
trailer that holds a powerful fan with a biofuel-powered 249cc motor, plus a flexible wing that doubles
as a tent (for longer trips).
An electric starter fires the motor and turns the fan, creating considerable thrust, and
with a long enough runway, getting the Paravelo off the ground.
It can stay airborne for up to 3 hours.