Unreleased Look P24 to be raced by French track team at 2023 World Championships

By Jack Luke

Published: Friday, 04 August 2023 at 14:35 PM


The unreleased Look P24 track bike features an unusual two-seatpost setup and wide-stance fork.

The bike is being ridden by the French national track team at the 2023 World Championships and has been pictured in pursuit and bunch racing setups.

Look has supplied no public details on the P24 and did not reply to our request for comment in time for publication.

A double seatpost?

Look P24 French track bike – seatpost view
The Look P24 uses a very unconventional twin-seatmast setup.
Kyleigh Manners

The bike’s most striking feature is its double seatpost (technically a seatmast).

The bladed aero seatposts sit proud of either side of the extended top tube. They clamp onto what appears to be a removable portion of the frame that sits on top of the seatstay wishbone.

Look P24 French track bike – seatpost view
Two seatmasts extend upward from what appears to be a removable portion of the frame.
Jack Luke / Our Media

The saddle then attaches to an extension on the top of the seatpost(s). This places the saddle in a more conventional position, offering fore/aft adjustability.

The design is, presumably, intended to minimise aerodynamic drag towards the rear of the bike.

Team GB are also using a split seatpost in Glasgow.
Team GB is also using a split seatpost in Glasgow.
SWPix

Team GB is using a similar setup on its Hope HB.T Paris track bike, though the split seatpost fits into the frame via a conventional single mast. Trek also took a similar approach with its Madone aero road bike.

It is unclear why this portion of the Look P24 frame would be made removable, however.

Look P24 track bike – profile view
It appears the rearmost portion of the top tube and the upper part of the seat tube may be removable.
Kyleigh Manners

We assume any swappable section would be to enable riders to choose a conventional seatpost, but haven’t seen a setup like this used in competition.

The rear wheel is hugged by a cut-out in the rear of the seat tube, with the axle bolts shrouded by the deep track ends.

Wide vs narrow debate set to emerge

New Look track bike – wide stance fork
The wide-stance fork is becoming a common sight on the track.
Jack Luke / Our Media

The fork is similar in profile to that seen on the Hope HB.T, with deep yet narrow blades sitting proud of the front wheel.

However, unlike the British track squad’s bike, the fork blades end at the crown, rather than extending to the top of the head tube.

The fork attaches to the frame using a hinged setup similar to the existing T20.

Look P24 track bike – hinged fork
The hinged fork is similar to the existing T20.
Kyleigh Manners

There is a distinct divergence in design philosophies emerging on the track, with the likes of Hope, Look and the Japanese track squad all racing on wide-profile front ends.

Meanwhile, Canyon has focused on reducing front-end width and is confident its testing has shown a narrower design to be faster.

Look P24 track bike build

Look P24 track – front view
The cockpit attaches to the top of the stem.
Kyleigh Manners

The cockpit of the bike is centred around a flat and broad stem. This sits inside a divot moulded into the top tube of the bike and extends past this, sitting over the top tube.

Either drop bars or an aero cockpit mount onto the top of the stem via four bolts.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 03: Marion Borras of France competes during the women elite individual pursuit - qualification in the 96th UCI Cycling World Championships Glasgow 2023, Day 1 / #UCIWT / on August 03, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
We’ve also seen the French squad racing on a pursuit setup.
Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

The aero-profiled tops of the drop bar used for mass start events flow into near-vertical ramps. The long drops attach to the hooks of the bar at a near-90-degree angle.

The French national squad have been pictured racing on an aero cockpit, but we’re yet to get a close look at their setup.

It’s unclear if the bike uses Look’s existing Zed 3 one-piece carbon crankset or a new design.

The bike rolls on a pair of Corima disc wheels mounted with Vittoria Pista Speed tyres.