Pedaling

As ebikes continue to climb in popularity, so do pedal-electric sit-on-top kayaks. One of the latest to cross our radar, the Pedayak Electric, features a unique parallel propulsion system.

Indoor cycling could soon be getting a lot more appealing. The HoloBike system combines a stationary bike with an immersive, interactive 3D holographic display … and it doesn't require riders to wear cumbersome VR helmets or glasses.

We've seen bikes that are powered by both the arms and legs, plus we've seen ones that are rowed instead of (or along with) being pedaled. The Varibike Extreme, however, combines both types of exercise in a unique new fashion.

The Peloton stationary bike and the Zwift online cycling platform are both popular, yet they're not entirely compatible with one another. That's where the Shift Smart Trainer comes in, as it acts as a resistance-adjusting bridge between the two.

​Probably ever since bicycles were first invented, people have been looking for alternatives to the traditional approach of pedalling in circles. Los Angeles-based inventor Rodger Parker has utilized one such alternative in his NuBike, which he claims is more efficient than a chain-drive bike.

Regular bicycle trainers require users to place the bike's rear tire in contact with a roller. This wears the tire down quickly, and creates a lot of noise in the process. STAC Performance is out to change that. Its STAC Zero trainer leaves the tire untouched.​

​Remember the Varibike? It's a bicycle that can be pedalled with both the arms and the legs, allowing for more of a full-body workout. Well, if an upcoming crowdfunding campaign is successful, it'll soon have some competition … in the form of the TwiCycle.​

​Early next year, velomobiles such as the Pedalist, e-fox, Elf and Tripod could all be in for some competition. That's when Eliel Rojas plans on launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund production of his human/electric hybrid vehicle, the Ego Urban Transporter.

Riding a bike is definitely good exercise, although it does tend to work out the same muscles in the same fashion. In an effort to remedy that, the Caron Bicycle was created. It can be pedaled in six different ways, all of which still move the thing forward.

If you don't like cycling alone on a trainer all winter, VeloReality’s VRide Multi may be more to your liking. It lets indoors cyclists "virtually" ride on world-famous routes with other riders, via actual HD first-person video shot on various scenic roads around the world.

Speed skaters and cyclists use different muscle groups to propel themselves forward. Nikola pedals are designed to let cyclists use both of those groups, for increased power.

Last year, US entrepreneur Judah Schiller crossed San Francisco Bay on a Shuttle Bike kit, which adds pontoons and a propeller to a user-supplied bike. Since then, he has been working on designing an all-in-one "waterbike" of his own. The result, the Schiller X1, was officially unveiled this month.