Wish you can skate to work every morning, but can’t live with the inefficiency of commuting with those small wheels? Try the Dreamslide, which combines the exceptional feeling of boardsports with the feasible performance of a regular bicycle.
Invented by Jean-Marc Gobillard, the new pedal pusher actually looks like an undersized bike. Except once you spend some time looking at it, you’ll realize someone forgot to put a seat frame and a saddle on the thing.
The Dreamslide is an unusual bicycle that measures 120 cm long and 105 cm high. Instead of riding seated like regular pedal pushers, you use it standing, with oversized pedals designed to let your feet rest in comfort. Since pedaling endlessly, as with a regular bike, is tiring, it uses a new crank design called APS (Adaptive Pedaling System). Employing two crank arms that work independently, this system allows you to just stand there and cruise for extended periods, working the pedals only when you need to gain speed.
According to the website, the cruising motion enables it to feel like you’re riding a board on the water, especially as you lean into bends, all while resting your body weight on your legs. During storage, the steering tube can also fold down, allowing you to conveniently park it under a table in the garage.
Sure, it’s probably going to take plenty of effort to ride this uphill. On flat roads, though, the unique riding mechanism should afford you an entirely unique experience that does sound more fun than what the typical bicycle offers. You can purchase a Dreamslide for €1,250 (around $1,750).
[Dreamslide via Gadget Lab]