People mill around the shore, elbowing each other. Or did they just look at the spielberg shark or a Citizens voter. The same open mouths as when seeing the price of gasoline. “A mountain bike in the water!”A woman points to the sea. Yes, on the beach Badalona are now practiced express miracles: they teach you to pedal a bike on the waters like Jesus Christ in the Induráin version. What is worn in the sea is hit a pedal.
“The world’s first water bike”, technogurus have been exclaiming for years on the internet. It was one of the most talked about inventions in the CES Las Vegas -the biggest ‘tech’ fair- of 2018. Technical name: XE-1 Hydrofoiler. They usually call her Blanket5: is the name of the company New Zealand who devised it At this point, in the antipodes they have already crossed on this bike to the cook strait: about 24 kilometers pedaling on the water. feat with world record.
“Work is already underway to make it a Acuatic sport more & rdquor ;, Adrià points out after taking a bike ride among the waves before the beach expectation. “With this hydrobike -promises- you can reach the 22km/h”. Advantages over dryland bikes? “If you fall -he laughs-, you don’t get hurt & rdquor ;.
Adria Mercader31 years old, is the manager of Manta5.cat. It is a new Catalan company dedicated exclusively to water cycling. Behind are three partners. Three friends. Three crazy to do Projects” summarizes Adrià. The idea came from one of his Friday lunches. “We are always discussing ideas, projects… the manager explains. And we got by chance a video of this product”. And the light bulb went on, plin! That was just over a year ago. They got in touch with the original company and invited them to test the bike in Marseille. In February they were already with 4 hydrobikes in the Castelldefels Olympic Channel. They have organized ‘team buildings‘.
Nautical Club Betulo (Badalona). Today there are waves of half a meter. “The ideal is always less than 0.4”. Oriol shrugs his shoulders and smiles at you. challenge to Jesus Calleja. It is your monitor today: Oriol Uviedo23 years old, when he is not teaching how to pedal on water, he is oceanographer. “The key, at first, is to balance yourself & rdquor ;, he advises you between the waves with the zen calm of Mr. Miyagi. “You get on helping yourself with the pedal, grab the handlebar and you balance the weight”, indicates how to go out by bike a few meters from the shore. It will take at least three attempts to stop looking like you’re dancing the ‘Gangnam style’.
“When a wave comes – explains Oriol-, you take the opportunity to climb the noseas if you were going to do a wheelie, and then you start to pedal as if life depended on you & rdquor ;. Pedal, pedal, pedal. But you sink more than the PSOE after the Andalusian elections. “It’s a challenge –warns the monitor-. People who get frustrated quickly don’t go out.” Without waves, a standard novice usually takes 15-20 minutes to start pedaling.
They just started their first summer season in Catalonia: in addition to Badalonathe Manta5 will be in the Costa Brava (Torroella de Montgrí). Theirs are not the only hydrobikes that are sighted along the Spanish coasts. There is also in Mallorca, Alicante or Vigo. is even organizing a water bike race for july.
How does it work? “They have copied the technology of the America’s Cup sailboats -Adrià uncovers the trick-, what they do is pick up a lot of speed with the sails, the boat rises and it is the foil that keeps you in the water”. It is the word that you have to know how to pronounce on the run for three years: foil. It is the basis of eFoil, wingfoil, wakefoil and other flying boards with which humanity lately flies over the seas in plan surfer aladdins.
What is foil? “It’s like a spoiler -Adrià details-. As a wing of an airplane that goes under the water & rdquor ;. It’s what this bike has instead of wheels. “We have two wings: a big one behind and a small one in front. What’s happening? That when we give speed to the turbine below, the foils make the bike rise and slide under the water & rdquor ;.
They are used to it. The curious they look at them with the dissimulation of Inspector Clouseau. “People come up, ask,’what is this?, we had never seen it before’ –says Adrià-. Some are more interested in playful part and who is more interested in sports part”. “Oh, can it be done? water cycling?”, they tell them. “Yes –they answer them-, you can go cycling in the water and you will sweat”.
“Very futuristic&rdquor ;, describes a couple on the shore, rainfed cyclists, they confess. “Much better than a jet ski, because it is more ecological” she says. Adrià and Oriol nod to the side. “It does not pollute. No gasoline and no noise”. Price? asks the couple. “This is worth 10,000 euros,” they reply. “Ah, like my bike & rdquor ;, replies the rainfed cyclist without flinching.
Medium term goal? “Do routes along the coast, which is what they are doing in New Zealand & rdquor ;, says Adrià. “Just as people do ‘mountain bike’ routes, you can take a bike and do a coves route”. Like someone who makes a round path. “You have to be a bit of a ‘master’ –he warns-, because if not, they will have to come and rescue you”, he laughs. Going out from the sea already requires hours of training.
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“It’s one thing that vice&rdquor ;, warns Oriol. It’s true: you itch more than a contestant on ‘Survivors’. “You want to try again until you really get it and it gives you a high that cannot be counted: I am cycling above the water & rdquor ;. is is a adrenalin, he says, of overcoming. “Of realization of oneself: I try, I try, I try and I get it & rdquor ;. And, yes, you will end up pedaling a few meters. “Today it already has merit -they encourage you-, it already has merit & rdquor ;.
It is not the most unusual thing that one can come across this summer by the sea. It’s been a year since Blue Salt School mount matches of surf pole: water polo on surfboards. “To train surf paddling – they explain – with added fun & rdquor ;. It is played every Friday in the Forum marine platform. You swallow more water than Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Titanic’, yes. “But you swallow more with the waves & rdquor ;, they will reply.