Frikkin' hover bikes!

[Charlotte]

Yeah baby, yeah!

[Paul]

This is bad.

When enough rich folk have these things, they'll stop fixing the roads, and cycling will be impossible.

Of course, I will want to be rich by then.

But I won't be.

So burn the hover bike!

[Dibdib]

When enough rich folk have these things, they'll stop fixing the roads, and cycling will be impossible.

Where we're going, we won't need roads...



Sorry, I couldn't help myself. But these look awesome. I hope the trickle-down element of technology means that when the rich kids and dotcom founders all have these, I'll be able to afford a Segway.

[Rhys W]

Looks fun, but disappointing that it's just two big fans pushing air, rather than an anti-gravity engine powered by zero-point energy.

[andygates]

I need one, a silver loincloth, and paraffin to set my beard on fire.  Playa here I come!

[spesh]

Looks fun, but disappointing that it's just two big fans pushing air, rather than an anti-gravity engine powered by zero-point energy.

Swing the fan alignment around, and they have the makings of one of the vehicles in the Unreal Tournament 3 shooter game:

http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/assets/uploads/2009/04/unreal_tournament_3_manta.png

[nmcgann]

Why are they going so slow??? Faster rarrrrrrr!!!

[spesh]

Why are they going so slow??? Faster rarrrrrrr!!!

For safety reasons, they've tested it at 30 mph and 15 feet high, although earlier versions of it went as fast as a helicopter.

Mind you, "as fast as a helicopter" covers quite a range of speeds - typical civilian whirlybirds do around 120-130mph, but the real speed merchant is the Westland Lynx, which is good for 200mph. On 11 August 1986 the specially-modified company demo model set an absolute speed record for helicopters over a 15 and 25 km course by reaching 400.87 km/h (249.09 mph); an official record it currently holds.

[red marley]

One day, they might be able to build a mahoosive one that could carry loads of people all at the same time. Perhaps all the way to the Isle of Wight and back.

[Rhys W]

That's it - just a hovercraft that's lost its skirt.

I came back from France once on a hovercraft when the sea conditions were borderline no-go... great fun!

[fuzzy]

Yeahbut, my commute is up a gert big hill. Can the hoverbike go up hill? It looks like elevating the front of the machine brings it to a halt/ sends it in reverse?

OWOOT anyway

[Riggers]

2 things spring to mind.

1) You say cheerio to beating traffic.

2) Imagine all those hipster chaps and yummie mummies enjoying their café lattés on lovely wooden-slatted chairs, outside the Café on pavements quietly ignoring the fumes from vehicles when… up blams one of those machines!