NorthReport | Issue 08 | Second Quarter 2024

told Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.

This experience of cycling on the water is Manta5’s claim to fame. A surreal experience free from trails and traffic. Being able to experience the sensation of flight over the water’s surface at pace while witnessing sea life bursting below, to riding on mirror lakes that reflect the sky above. It is an unparalleled experience which needs to be experienced first-hand. Like all foiling products, when you stop moving, the SL3 will lower until the chassis is floating on the water’s surface. Riders can stay on the saddle semi- submerged when stationary. When it’s time to launch, kick in the throttle or pedal to take off. Very similar to aircraft, the hydrofoil ‘wings’ begin to lift you up higher out of the water the faster you go. To fly on the water’s surface using hydrofoils requires a substantial amount of power – around 400+ watts continuously. Unless you’re training for the upcoming Tour de France very few can maintain that level of physical output for an extended duration. Combining both human power and a variable electric assist motor has made foil biking possible for the masses, enabling the average rider to adjust the motor assistance as and when they need it. “We have riders averaging 1.5 hours per battery right up to 4.5 hours. It all depends on how much exercise you want to put in,” says Howard-Willis. When the swell picks up, the new SL3 kicks into gear and turns those conditions into a playground for any thrill seeker. The SL3 competently takes on moving mountains and pierces over and down swell. A guaranteed thrilling experience for advanced riders.

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RIDING THE WAVES LUXE LIVING

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