Can bikes keep getting better or is the track cycling arms race over?

For track cycling, the Olympics began a year ago in Glasgow. The 2023 world championships were not just a handy chance to survey the competition, but also to get a good stickybeak at all the technical innovations they’d be up against come Paris 2024. As per regulations set by the sport’s global governing body, the UCI, all new equipment to be used at an upcoming Olympics must be presented and used at an international competition at least 12 months before the Games.

Naturally, most national federations and manufacturers generally wait until the last possible moment to let rivals in on whatever secrets they have spent the previous few years developing. In this case, the latest available option within the rules was last August at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. “Glasgow was that big moment where everyone had to show their hand a little bit,” says Paul Collins, AusCycling’s director of engineering excellence.

“So at Glasgow there were a whole heap of people looking at each other, taking photos, sending WhatsApp messages. Then you go onto the social media pages and specialist news websites, and review what’s been presented.” In all, there were almost 400 new components: frames, wheels, clothing, helmets, you name it.

Team GB dropped the second-generation Hope-Lotus superbike that starred at the Tokyo Games, this time with serrated front forks apparently inspired by fighter jets, among other revisions to the seatpost and handlebars. Japan debuted their Bridgestone bike.