Industrial design and automotive manufacturing are similar in many ways, and thanks to this close-knit connection, the two often feed one another’s innovative processes. With genre-leading manufacturers breaking out of their realm of expertise at an alarming rate, it came as no surprise that Lotus Engineering and Hope Tech’s newest project was an exercise in two-wheeled supremacy — in effect, a cutting-edge track bicycle with race-winning pedigree.
The Lotus Engineering x Hope Tech Olympic Track Bicycle is certainly a testament to the automotive manufacturer’s renowned design terminology. After 25 years away from the sport, Lotus has decided to return to the competitive cycling landscape with a one-of-a-kind platform, built to take top honors at the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. To keep Great Britain’s athletes a crank ahead of their rivals, the bicycle has been outfitted with both a revolutionary new front fork design and a set of complementary handlebars to promote greater stiffness and front-end feel. But the fork and handlebar aren’t the only innovative additions; the cycle’s lightweight frame has also been constructed using high-modulus composites to keep the cycle overtly aerodynamic as it rounds the track. The Lotus Engineering x Hope Tech Track Bicycle is still in the testing phase, but if everything pans out, you can expect to see it at the 2020 Olympic Games.
