Weird Wheels: 5 Unusual Ways People Get Around Town

Most people get around with regular transport options. They walk, they cycle, they use the bus or subway, or they take one of more than 270 million cars registered in the USA.

And if that works for you, that’s great. But some people are on the lookout for more unusual methods of personal transportation.

Don’t believe us? Here are five of the weirdest self-transportation options available (if you prefer to travel with others, you can take a look at this list of Weird Trucks instead).

1. The Aero-X

Developed by Aerofex, the Aero-X looks like it’s come straight off the set of Star Wars Episode IV. Riding around 10 feet off the ground and with a top speed of 45 mph, the Aero-X is the ultimate in cool transportation.

But it’s not just about the looks. The Aero-X has been designed for use over rough terrain, for search and rescue missions and disaster relief, and for dusting crops.

Built by a California-based company, it’s not fully developed yet, but if you’re interested, you can put down a deposit on one right now. With twin rotors, it achieves a vertical take-off, so you don’t even need to build a runway.

2. The Solowheel

Move over Segway, here comes the Solowheel. As the name implies, this personal transportation device is an update of the unicycle. It’s electric and has gyro stabilization, so you don’t have to worry too much about your own balance.

Unlike unicycles, there’s no seat. You balance on the two foot plates on either side of the wheel and enjoy motoring through the streets at around 10mph.

3. Lexus Hoverboard

Stand back Marty McFly, the luxury car maker has created a hoverboard. Powered by magnets and supercooled with liquid nitrogen, this board hovers around an inch above the pavement.

Unfortunately, the hoverboard is still in development by Lexus. In the meantime, you can brush up on your skills with cruiser skateboards. At least the wheeled version is relatively cheap personal transportation.

4. The Ryno

Like many of the cutting edge designs for single-person transport, this is a single wheeled design. Called a ‘microcycle’, the Ryno looks a little like a cut-down motorbike.

It has a single wheel, but unlike the Solowheel, this is a wide tire. There’s also somewhere to sit and a form of handlebars for steering. Top speed is again around 10mph.

Designed and built in Portland, Oregan, the Ryno is expected to retail at around $3,000. The coolest thing? There’s no throttle. Lean in to accelerate, lean back to slow down.

5. Impossible

A Kickstarter project that smashed its targets, the Impossible is an electric bike that folds down to be stored and carried in its own saddle. This is the coolest of the portable transportation, not only for this concept but because of its sleek, white aesthetic. All this, and it’s pedal-free too.

The Future of Personal Transportation Is Weird

The designers working at the forefront of personal transportation design are certainly thinking outside the box, and we love it.

If you loved it too and you’d like to get more Weird News, then check out our archive and come back regularly for more!

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