Floating Bike?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Floating Bike?
Hey, I'm not sure if this is the right sub forum for this question, as I wasn't sure where to put it. Anyway, as I was biking along the river today watching people floating down the river on inner tubes and whatnot I realized that it would be fun to have a floating bike that I could bike upstream for a few miles and then throw it in the river and float back.
A quick google image search gave me some ideas, but is seems like most floating bikes are attempting to keep most of the bike above water. I don't care if the bike is mostly submerged as long as I can float on it or with it in relative comfort. While I can compromise a lot on ride quality, the bike still has to be able to be ridden on paths shared with other bikes, so whatever I do can't be too bulky. I also understand that some fat bikes will float by themselves due to the big tires, so that might be an idea although I am not planning on buying a brand new bike for this purpose. I'm hoping I can build something from a cheap craigslist bike.
Any ideas or experience with floating bikes?
A quick google image search gave me some ideas, but is seems like most floating bikes are attempting to keep most of the bike above water. I don't care if the bike is mostly submerged as long as I can float on it or with it in relative comfort. While I can compromise a lot on ride quality, the bike still has to be able to be ridden on paths shared with other bikes, so whatever I do can't be too bulky. I also understand that some fat bikes will float by themselves due to the big tires, so that might be an idea although I am not planning on buying a brand new bike for this purpose. I'm hoping I can build something from a cheap craigslist bike.
Any ideas or experience with floating bikes?
#2
Banned
Race Results ? Kinetic Universe these all guys/gals race around Humboldt bay on road water and mudflats & sand..
Corvallis Oregon home of the state university with an Engineering department has their own fun memorial day weekend too..
so get out your creativity
..
Corvallis Oregon home of the state university with an Engineering department has their own fun memorial day weekend too..
so get out your creativity
..

#3
Banned
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Posts: 9,669
Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque
Mentioned: 103 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2209 Post(s)
Liked 2,567 Times
in
1,406 Posts
lots of them out there
https://hydrobikes.com/
https://www.austinkayak.com/Hobie-Mi...IaAqDVEALw_wcB
https://schillerbikes.com/
hydrofoil https://manta5.com/
https://hydrobikes.com/
https://www.austinkayak.com/Hobie-Mi...IaAqDVEALw_wcB
https://schillerbikes.com/
hydrofoil https://manta5.com/
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 2,023
Bikes: Trek 800 x 2, Schwinn Heavy Duti, Schwinn Traveler, Schwinn Le Tour Luxe, Schwinn Continental, Cannondale M400 and Lambert, Schwinn Super Sport
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 769 Post(s)
Liked 918 Times
in
611 Posts
I while back, probably in the 80's, in the magazine Small Boat Journal someone posted a design for a simple rowing catamaran. I like the design and built a scale model of it. Construction was mostly plywood. It had a square cross-section through the hulls. It would be possible to mount a bike on there to drive a paddle wheel or propeller and then I would think that perhaps you can devise a way to trailer the catamaran back on the land.
This will be an engineering challenge, however, it should be do-able.
You could also get a folding bike and a folding boat.
A folding bike with a kayak might even work. You would have to tow the kayak on land.
This will be an engineering challenge, however, it should be do-able.
You could also get a folding bike and a folding boat.
A folding bike with a kayak might even work. You would have to tow the kayak on land.
#8
Banned
#9
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Down Under
Posts: 10
Bikes: Dunlop Special
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Great idea! There is this guy who quit his job to float along rivers with his bicycle and fish out plastic. His design has 2 pontoons - maybe you could design something similar which could be unfolded and inflated on the go?
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/m...-plastic-trash
Dhruv Boruah, a cyclist and environmentalist from London, found a way to make his bike trips much more than a fun pastime or good workout. He combined two of his passions and found himself riding his bike on … the city’s canals. Boruah decided to learn how to make his bike float on the surface so that he could ride it on the waterways and collect plastic trash – and the results of his “Thames Project” are inspiring in every way.
#10
Junior Member
There are a few designs and production models for backpack frame and inflatable pontoons that can be attached to your bicycle. I have looked into
into pedal bike/boat combinations as I live in the city. I even saw the Schillar prototype bike boat on the Hudson once. All interesting but too complicated. Unless you have a dedicated paddle boat, I think the efficiency might be too low and it's rather cumbersome to carry around all the material. I had an inflatable boat that I biked to the Harlem River to paddle in but had to return to my bike and trailer to get back home.
into pedal bike/boat combinations as I live in the city. I even saw the Schillar prototype bike boat on the Hudson once. All interesting but too complicated. Unless you have a dedicated paddle boat, I think the efficiency might be too low and it's rather cumbersome to carry around all the material. I had an inflatable boat that I biked to the Harlem River to paddle in but had to return to my bike and trailer to get back home.
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,654
Bikes: iele Latina, Miele Suprema, Miele Uno LS, Miele Miele Beta, MMTB, Bianchi Model Unknown, Fiori Venezia, Fiori Napoli, VeloSport Adamas AX
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1324 Post(s)
Liked 927 Times
in
640 Posts
Small pontoons that can be transported in a small trailer behind the bike when the bike is used on land.
If a lot of the bike is underwater you run t he risk of striking underwater debris/obstacles and of having water get into places you don't want it - crank, pedal and wheel bearings for starters.
Cheers
If a lot of the bike is underwater you run t he risk of striking underwater debris/obstacles and of having water get into places you don't want it - crank, pedal and wheel bearings for starters.
Cheers
#16
Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: https://t.me/pump_upp
Posts: 5
Bikes: CharlesraP
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Most visions of the future include floating devices/vehicles. How exactly would a floating bike or hospital bed work without fans, rockets, or magnetism?