Lotus and Hope have unveiled their latest track bike, showcasing new refinements that are aimed at delivering British Cycling to victories at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Indeed, Lotus and Hope have collaborated with the Great Britain Cycling Team (GBCT) to evolve its previous Tokyo 2020 track bike, which now features a revised cockpit that sees not only a new handlebar design, but a radical new seatpost and fork in order to gain greater aerodynamic efficiency.
GBCT has been testing the bike rigorously on track and in a wind tunnel, working alongside the Lotus team to optimize the fork and handlebars ahead of its competitive track debut next month at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Richard Hill, Chief Aerodynamicist at Lotus, was responsible for the design of the Lotus Type 108 Olympic track bike and Lotus 110 Super Bike Tour in the 90’s and has continued to play a pivotal role in both the Tokyo Olympic track bike and the 2024 Hope-Lotus Olympic track bike.
“More than 150 hours of wind tunnel testing and advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation have helped to create significant aerodynamic gains. This testing was instrumental in optimizing the airflow around the legs of the rider to reduce drag,” says Hill.
“Lotus and GBCT have developed the cockpit of the bike, evolving the unique front fork and handlebar design to allow for greater aerodynamic efficiency. This is coupled with the Hope HBT Paris frame which includes refinements to the headstock and seatstays. Renishaw has provided support in the design and production of wind tunnel models and other crucial components on the final bike,” adds Hill.
The unique patented, wide-element fork design, introduced at the Tokyo Olympic Games, continues to reduce drag and improve airflow, thanks to a new serrated edge that allows for smoother airflow around the rider, while customizable handlebars help achieve less drag and a more efficient aero position for longer races.
Additionally, in order to reduce weight, the fork is crafted from the same high-modulus carbon fiber and single-cure manufacturing process as the Lotus Evija hypercar, along with a combination of carbon fiber and 3D-printed metals that are designed to further optimize aerodynamics, ergonomics, structural integrity and lessen weight.
“Lotus is proud to have again played its part in helping British Cycling push the boundaries of sporting performance in the quest for Olympic medals. It’s the perfect demonstration of our ability to transfer the skills and knowledge we’ve gained through 75 years of automotive development to bring a new perspective to other industries. Through the deployment of our expertise, innovation, tools, techniques and processes developed to engineer high-performance Lotus cars, we’ve been able to deliver efficiencies to give British track riders the best possible opportunity for success,” says Mark Stringer, Commercial Director, Lotus Engineering.
Lotus has a successful history in cycling through its Lotus Engineering division. Innovations include the early Lotus bikes that were used by cycling legend Chris Boardman in the 90’s, leading up to the recent Hope-Lotus collaborations.
“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 a 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,” says Stephen Park CBE, Performance Director for the Great Britain Cycling Team.
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