Design
Flying Machine of the Day: An Airborne Bike for About the Cost of a Small Car
Don't get too excited — this prototype technically won't let you sail above your morning commute.
After riding in narrow bike lanes and dodging cars and pedestrians, reaching the open roads of the outer suburbs can feel like flying to the urban cyclist. Two inventors from the London suburbs are hoping to make that a bit more literal.
The Paravelo combines a lightweight folding bicycle with a large, biodiesel-powered fan system to take you airborne, up to 4,000 feet at speeds of 25 mph. In order to fly, the bike and trailer are locked together in a compact trike form. The engine, similar to the kind used on an electric scooter, propels the bike and allows a specially designed sail called a para wing to catch air.