I believe Nytro, rented the patent from Lotus a couple of years ago and made some special order frames. (I think that's where Larson got his.) You may check there.

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I don't work here, I just live here

The Lotus was parked just a few down from my wife's P2K in the transition area, whereas I got stuck in another area, but was still able to get a side by side comparison. When viewed near side by side, especially from a head on or rear view it was shocking how much "fatter" and less aero the P2K looked. The Lotus seems paper thin when viewed from the front or rear. IMO, it has to be the ultimate aero bike. Would love to get my hands on one. I'd gladly trade my 2PK and even throw in my TCR as well for one!

Aah, the Lotus bike. In my opinion one of the most beautiful bikes ever created. I actually know three different owners - all picked up their frames secondhand, with at least one coming from Gan (was Stuart O'Grady's TT frame). In fact, back in '99 two of these people were my teammates... Mike was doing ludicrously fast times (like a 50 mile TT in 1hr 38m 29s), and medalled in two national TT championships. Between the three of us we were the first University cycling team to win a team prize at a TT national championships; we also set the second fastest ever team 25 mile time (calculated by adding 3 individual times). All largely thanks to Mike. The upshot was that many people assumed that the Lotus was some kind of team frame, and have been convinced that I used to ride one too! (I was on an aluminium low-pro.)

The first frames were made in England, then production was moved to South Africa. The English frames had a habit of delaminating down the centre, though they can be glued back together. Since '99 Mike has been sponsored by Giant, and proving that TCRs can also go fast. He always felt that the very high stiffness of the Lotus helped make it fast (note they are not light). Fashions change, and they're now rarely seen in British timetrials even though must still be around. My other teammate from '99 has never gone as fast since he stopped using his Lotus, even though he found a bike that fitted him better. Whether this was due to changes in the bike or the rider, it just goes to show that fit isn't everything!!

Duncan

The Lotus bike is certainly not light, but it is light for the shape of it, for certain.

Many factors could play into your mate's slowdown. He is four years older now. Also, that bike probably did make him faster through the aerodynamics and the stiffness.

There is no argument the amount of worrld championship strips and other palmares that the Lotus has won. But, in the age of the increasingly restricted areas of bike design, we are not likely to see anything with that much research and development to build the fastest bike, and that is a bloody shame.

By Mike, are you referring to Michael Hutchinson? If so, I don't envy anyone riding a team TT with the guy - it's got to be hard just to stay on his wheel.

I take it you are in the UK (Duncan Alexander?). I pick up a fair number of Cycling Weekly's and have noticed the extreme popularity of the TCR's for time trials there. Why are they so popular? I know they're light and stiff and cheap, but why don't more guys would go for aero bikes or forward geometry bikes? I'm sure Hutch has a nice sponsorship, but the TCR is a relative parachute with it's sloping top tube and relatively long head tube.

For some reason the TCR seems to work better than expected. Consider that Lec VanLierde won IM Kona with the top bike split on one in 1999 and Team Once's reat success in the TDF TT's.

... and he set the world record in Roth on the same bike. And that record will stand for some time I think...

Actually, as I recall, he was riding a Colnago. Remember...not about the bike.

I was in that incredible race and all I know is from what I saw during those days, which is getting blured by time.

He did have a sponsorship with MAPEI at the time and they where riding colnagos but as I recal it he was riding a Giant, which was weird because of the MAPEI sponsorship but I might be wrong...

Hi John, thanks, you have got my identity right, although at the moment I'm living in Sydney. Just to clear something up the team prize is not for a team time trial, but for the fastest team time - calculated by adding three individual times. I've never actually ridden a TTT with Mike, only summer chaingangs (where, to be fair, I have sometimes made him work in the hills, if only when he started the ride after doing 80 miles). Definitely the number of timetrialling TCR's in the UK is connected with the Hutch-factor. However, do remember the TCR was also a Mike Burrows design, and I have heard that Burrows does believe in his aero seatpost, notwithstanding contrary testing from some parties.

And Bunnyman, I fully appreciate the number of possible reasons for my friend's relative slowing.... Just it would take too long to go into them all here. (However, I would hate to think age was one factor because we're both only 27!) I don't believe the bike was the only factor... But enough of a factor that I would still like to ride one.

duncan

Luc was definitely riding a colnago at Roth 1997.
It was a yellow colnago with (if I remember well) a 700-650 combo...
he also rode a colnago for Hawaii 1998
he got with Giant for the 1999 season.

Okay, I would think that at the ripe old age of 27, you and your mate would just be hitting your prime.

I will tell you what, some bikesshould not be the factor, but the number of rainbows on people's strips should say how good that bike (the Lotus) really is. But an undertrained, weak rider can be made to look like an idiot on a Lotus.

"But and undertrained, weak rider can be made to look like an idiot on a lotus?"

Are you sure?

Reminds me of an older guy who used to ride up and down this one section of road here in Raleigh. No problem with that. But the guy had a few too many cheeseburgers under his belt and his cruiser was rather conspicuous: a Lotus. Too make matter even worse, he had it set up as a road bike with drop bars and STI, no clip-ons or anything.

I've heard of bike posers before, but this guy puts all those old fat guys in USPS kits on 5900's to shame.

"Reminds me of an older guy ..."

If you only knew how bad I want one of those bikes. I think I'm gonna cry.

If any of you were at the Manhattan Beach Gran Prix last year there was a rather portly guy rolling around the infield on a Lotus with Vision Tech bars. He had BMX plastic platform pedals on it and a big cushy gel saddle with springs underneath. He was wearing a cactus cup jersey ( at least 2 sizes too small) and black Lycra tights(no chamois). To top it off he was wearing the Oakley "over the tops". Even David Millar cant make those look cool!