Gloucestershire firm plays key role in developing super bike
Precision engineering firm Renishaw has played a key role in developing a super bike which will be used by British athletes at the Olympics.
The cutting-edge bike to be ridden by Great Britain’s track cyclists at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, ahead of its competition debut at next week’s 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
The Hope-Lotus track bike is the product of a long-standing collaboration between British Cycling, Lotus Engineering, Gloucestershire based Renishaw and Hope Technology.
The machine is an evolution of the bike that Team GB rode to take the top spot of the track cycling medal table at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
British Cycling has continued to collaborate with the best of British engineering, culminating in a bike that has been meticulously designed and optimised to deliver improved track performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The bike has been through rigorous testing to optimise its individual elements, including unique Lotus forks and handlebars that allow for increased aerodynamic porosity, coupled with the Hope HBT Paris frame which includes refinements to headstock and seatstays.
Additive manufacturing experts Renishaw provided additional support in the design and production of wind tunnel models and other crucial components.
Spectators will be able to see the bike in action with less than a year to go until the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, as part of seven days of track cycling action in Glasgow, which will see a squad including five of the track cycling medallists from the Tokyo Games, fight it out amongst the best in the world for the coveted rainbow stripes.
Nations are required to follow a process which requires teams to register track cycling equipment and textiles with the UCI to permit legal use at the Olympic Games, by a specified deadline.
Great Britain Cycling Team performance director Stephen Park said: “To continue to win medals year-on-year at the highest level, we need everything to come together at exactly the right time: the best riders, the best equipment, the best technology. We have been working with Lotus, Hope and Renishaw for the past two Olympic cycles as we believe that together we have the world-leading expertise needed to deliver what we believe to be the fastest track bike in the world.
“Our relationship with Lotus Engineering, Hope Technology and Renishaw is going from strength to strength. Their combined high quality manufacturing standards, renowned lightweight design, aerodynamic efficiency and their keen eye for finer details help us to unlock valuable marginal gains, which make all the difference come race day. This is the most advanced bike that has ever been ridden by British athletes.”
Louise Callanan, director of additive manufacturing at Renishaw, said: “We have been busy designing, testing and building components for the new bike and we are really excited to see it in competitive action for the first time at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. Working with British Cycling is a fantastic opportunity to showcase how our additive manufacturing technologies can help improve the performance of the bike and ensure that it is optimised for individual riders.”
