British cyclists could compete at the 2024 Olympics in Paris on a new bike, as a £55,000 3D-printed frame has been unveiled which they plan to use in international competitions.
The bike looks almost identical to the striking Hope x Lotus HBT track bike used by Team GB since the last Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games. However, design and manufacturing has been carried out by the technical experts at the UK Sports Institute ( UKSI), who have named the box UKSI-BC1.
Of course, any equipment to be used in the Olympic Games must be commercially available and have been used in competition so that it can be registered and endorsed by the regulations of the International Cycling Union (UCI).
This appears to have occurred at the 2023 World Track Championships in August, when Will Tidball rode him on his way to the rainbow stripes in the scratch race.
It is the first time British Cycling has moved away from its partnership with Hope, which began on the eve of the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games. A spokesperson for the English company confirmed to Cycling Weekly that it was not participating in the UKSI-BC1 bike due to limitations of its 3D printing capabilities.
Lotus continues to supply the fork that is included with the UKSI-BC1 frameset, and would continue to supply the handlebar system for any complete build.
Source: Ciclismo Al Dia