Hope\u2019s HB.T frameset, which originally broke cover in 2019<\/a>, remains at the heart of the bike, with its radically wide fork legs and seatstays.<\/p> According to British Cycling, the bike is designed to \u201cwork as one with the rider\u201d, with the fork legs breaking the airflow over the rider. The seatstays are then effectively \u2018hidden\u2019 from the trailing airflow by the rider\u2019s legs.<\/p> Compared to the original design, the Hope HB.T Paris features a narrowed frontal area and an updated fork with a sawtooth trailing edge.<\/p> British Cycling says this design is complemented by 3D-printed handlebars that \u201csupport increased aerodynamic positioning\u201d \u2013 or, in other words, enable the bike and rider to integrate with one another in a manner that is more aerodynamic and comfortable.<\/p> The Pinarello Bolide F HR 3D<\/a>, which Filippo Ganna used to smash the UCI Hour Record, has a sawtooth leading edge on its seat tube and seatpost, for example.<\/p> Likewise, some wheel manufacturers produce aerodynamic rims with sawtooth designs, such as Zipp\u2019s 353 NSW<\/a> and the Princeton CarbonWorks Mach 7580<\/a>.<\/p> Towards the rear of the bike sits a striking split seatpost, made from 3D-printed titanium by Renishaw.<\/p> British Cycling remains coy on how this design improves performance, though its similarity to the wide seatstays suggests the split design may serve a similar aerodynamic purpose.<\/p> Again, such a design may enable the seatpost to effectively be \u2018hidden\u2019 from the airflow by the rider\u2019s legs.<\/p> Unlike the Look P24 track bike<\/a>, which is due to be raced by the French national team at the Paris Olympics, the Renishaw seatpost converges at its base to a single point, enabling it to fit the Hope frame.<\/p> The new bike will also use a 3D-printed titanium crankset from Renishaw.<\/p> This, as you\u2019d imagine, has been aerodynamically optimised, although British Cycling doesn\u2019t detail what the potential performance advantage could be compared to the carbon fibre cranksets it used previously.<\/p> As is de rigueur<\/em> in elite cycling nowadays, the crankset is finished with what appears to be a very big chainring<\/a>, constructed from carbon fibre.<\/p> Although the bike pictured here shows it in \u2018pursuit\u2019 setup, with time-trial style aero extensions and a flat base bar, the bike will also be compatible with a set of aerodynamic drop handlebars for sprint and mass-start track events.<\/p> As built here, the bike is finished with a Simmons full-carbon saddle and a set of Hope track disc wheels.<\/p> It appears Team GB will opt for a narrower tyre up front \u2013 to optimise aerodynamic performance on the bike\u2019s leading edge \u2013 with a wider tyre at the rear \u2013 for reduced rolling resistance.<\/p> Both wheels appear to be shod with tubular tyres. With the recent announcement of its new Super-9 Clincher Track Disc<\/a>, though, Zipp teased that a number of riders at this year\u2019s Olympics would be using clincher tyres on the track.<\/p>Introducing the Hope HB.T Paris<\/h2>
![\"Hope-Lotus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/04\/Team-GB-Paris-Olympic-bike_-3-edited-scaled.jpg\")
Splitting the difference<\/h2>
![\"Hope-Lotus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/04\/Team-GB-Paris-Olympic-bike_-2-1-edited-2.jpg\")
3D printing galore<\/h2>
![\"Hope-Lotus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/04\/Team-GB-Paris-Olympic-bike_-2-1-edited-3.jpg\")
![\"Hope-Lotus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/04\/Team-GB-Paris-Olympic-bike_-2-1-edited-4.jpg\")
Mismatched tyres<\/h2>
![\"Hope-Lotus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/04\/Team-GB-Paris-Olympic-bike_-7-scaled.jpg\")
![\"Hope-Lotus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/04\/Team-GB-Paris-Olympic-bike_-6-scaled.jpg\")