Renishaw collaborates with British Cycling to develop track bike for Great Britain’s 2024 Olympic team
August 22, 2023
Renishaw, headquartered in Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, UK, has collaborated with British Cycling – the national governing body for cycling in Great Britain – and other partners to develop a new version of the Hope-Lotus track bike. Unveiled at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships held in Glasgow in August, the new bike will be used by Great Britain’s track cyclists during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The improved bike is an evolution of the model used by the Great Britain Cycling Team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which helped them win seven Olympic medals and take the top spot on the track cycling medal table. The new version features elements that have been rigorously tested, including unique forks and handlebars from Lotus Engineering that allow for increased aerodynamic porosity, together with the HBT Paris frame from Hope Technology that has refined headstock and seatstays.
The Renishaw team assisted with the prototype testing process and produced crucial additively manufactured metal components for the final bike. These parts were produced on RenAM 500Q Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) AM machines.
“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,” explained Louise Callanan, Director of Additive Manufacturing at Renishaw. “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.”
Stephen Park CBE, Great Britain Cycling Team Performance Director, added, “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 Olympics 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.”
“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,” added Park.
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