Perhaps you like riding your ebike but you also like paddleboarding, and you don't like the idea of having to choose between the two. Well, with the Red Shark Bike you don't need to, as it (sort of) combines both activities in one watercraft.
We first heard about Spanish company Red Shark back in 2018, when it was manufacturing a pedal-powered trimaran. The craft was designed by CEO Josep Rubau, who previously designed cars for Volkswagen, and was the creator of the Tramontana supercar.
With its three polyethylene or carbon fiber hulls, the trimaran presumably wasn't the easiest thing to transport or store in a garage. That's where the Red Shark Bike comes in, as it replaces those conjoined hulls with a single inflatable paddleboard.
The bicycle-like frame sits on a platform on top of that board, which it can be removed from when not in use. Its pedal-driven propeller runs through a well in the board to protrude through the underside – as is the case with an ebike, an electric motor augments the rider's pedalling power.
The Red Shark Bike is being offered in three models, named the Enjoy, Fitness and Adventure.
At the bottom end of the range, the Enjoy features an 8-kg (18-lb) high-density polyethylene frame, a 150-watt motor, a handlebar-steerable rudder, and a removable stabilizing fin. The Fitness has mostly the same specs, although it allows users to switch between four different motors (ranging from 150 to 250 watts), depending on how much of a workout they want.
At the top of the pack, the Adventure lets users choose between two motors, but it also comes with front and rear cargo nets, two dry bags, a saddle bag, a handlebar bag, plus smartphone and fishing rod holders.
All three models additionally include a water bottle and holder, a manual air pump, a board-patching kit, and a multi-tool. Among the optional extras are a wheeled travel bag, an electric air pump, a kayak conversion kit, and a no-pedal electric scooter kit.
We're still waiting to hear back from Red Shark Bikes about pricing, although we do see that one US retailer is offering the Enjoy for $3,899, the Fitness for $4,099, and the Adventure for $4,449. You can see the Fitness model in action, in the video below.
Prospective buyers might also want to check out Manta5's pedal-electric Hydrofoiler XE-1, which goes for $8,990.
Source: Red Shark Bikes via Bicitech
https://www.redsharknews.com/
And yah, I’d also be interested in how it is side-tipping stable with your feet planted on pedals rather than directly on the hull, the way a SUP is normally used.
Could this contraption use some type 'removable' pontoons?