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The most commonly used designs of bicycle suffer from the significant disadvantage of being unable to cross bodies of water. Previous attempts to solve this problem have been crude and unwieldy (link).
The Pumpabike (link) shows that a couple of relatively small hydrofoils are all that is needed to
keep the rider aloft in the water.
So, attach them to the frame of the bike. When on land, the hydrofoils are folded up, away from the road; when you cross onto the water, pull a lever which folds them down to their operating position.
Attach a propeller, too, which takes its power from the pedals, and you have an elegant and efficient amphibious bicycle.
Provided you keep your speed up, that is.
Homemade Amphibious Bicycle
http://www.good.is/...amphibious-bicycle/
Can you imagine trying to ride this in traffic? [Wrongfellow, Dec 09 2012]
Pumpabike
http://www.treehugg...on-a-hydrofoil.html
More fun than practical. [Wrongfellow, Dec 09 2012]
Widely Baked, I think you'll find
http://www.hobiecat...=32&t=4777&start=15
Someone has kindly compiled a host of pictures here. [DrCurry, Dec 10 2012]
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Cool link, [DrCurry], but none of those is amphibious. |
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As you mentioned, keeping your speed up is a requirment. If you sink, you'll need to swim to shore pulling your contraption because you won't be able enough speed to make your planes work. |
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You could fix that with inflatable pontoons and a CO2 cartridge. Generally the pontoons are stowed and are never used, but if you have to hit the brakes to avoid running over some ducklings crossing the pond, just hit the inflate button. With pontoons deployed there may or may not be too much drag to go fast enoughto get planing again, but at least you can pedal across easier than swiming, and if you hit the inflate button before you started slowing down, you might not even get wet. Once you get to land, repack the pontoons for riding on land and get a new CO2 cartridge before going out on the water again. |
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