Team GB to ride Cervélo bikes through Tokyo 2020

The 2012 GB time trial bike doesn't look that fancy the front brake wasn't shrouded and the cables were external.

http://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/2...

The 2012 Tour Time trial bike looks much more aero.
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02283/report_2283836b.jpg

That British bikes cost more is a matter of scale not wages Taiwan is not a low wage country anymore.

One British brand springs to mind as still churning out track bikes and keeping pace with modern tech and materials and they've supplied all the top riders over the years! Surprised no one's mentioned Terry Dolan! Anyone who's anyone in British track cycling has competed on a Dolan at some point and he has a long history of bespoke bike development for just that purpose!

If you think about it, Cervelo was founded as a Canadian brand. Canada has some sort of allegiance to the British crown, or at least tip their hats to the crown as needed.

Plus, long ago, the Normans were ravaging both the British Isles and the Netherlands, where Cervelo's current owner, PON, is located. Plus, PON used to own Raleigh, a distinctly British brand, but they sold Raleigh to another Dutch company, Accell, furthering Team GB's nationalistic connection to their Cervelo bikes via the horrors of the Norman conquest.

I love it when every complains about lack of British bike (or whatever) manufacture ring industry. There is one very simple reason why little is made in Britain any more - the wages are higher so it costs more to make and it's us that look for the best 'value' or try and find whatever item for the cheapest price, and thus aren't as a rule willing to pay for the item that was made here.

I.e. It's our fault!

I understand your logic, but sports funding should not come with strings attached such as 'you must buy bikes from xyz'
It's there to support sport, not an industry.
I'd never purchase machinery/services in my line of work based upon if they are British or not, but on the basis of a combination of the best technical solution and value for money, probably the same top level criteria used byTeam GB.
Supporting industry on the basis of it's British when there are technically superior and better value options out then us just pure jingoism, and why for many years British industry was/still is a joke.

The rules change put an end to that.

I rather liked how GB whizzed around on their unmarked stealth-machines while everybody else went down the traditional billboard route, but hey-ho.

Quote:

What happened to UK Sport Innovations?

I would like to know that too. Were the bikes banned (as part of the move towards 'off the shelf' kit rather than specially made prototypes) - or was the project too expensive - or did it just fizzle out after Boardman ended his involvement? (Boardman - now there is a British brand who could have made some traction with a bike supply deal. Does Boardman still supply the UK triathlon team?)

Of course we have skills in the country to make aero-dynamic carbon fiber bits. McLaren I believe did the aero for the UK Sport Innovations bike, as well as the Spesh Venge. However if the deal with Cervélo makes sens financially and technically, then so be it - although with the way Team Sky have been able to get Pina and Jag to work together, that would have been an easy fit got team GB as well.

The fact that the British bike industry is no more is sad, but it also applies to the motor industry. Although there are still some great smaller manufacturers in cars and bikes

I think Tata Motors owns Jaguar cars!

It's not an ability or inventiveness problem, traditionally Britain has been the source of original and ground breaking ideas. It's just as a country we are hopeless at capitalising on our inventions.

I think it's a lack of governmental strategic thinking and long term manufacturing policy. The authorities are far to snake fascinated with making a quick and risky buck on international money markets, with nothing of any substance to back it up.

Sadly not an easy one to fix

Any mention of money? Are cervelo sponsoring team GB?

Pretty sure Dawes manufacture their bikes in the far east just like everyone else.

What happened to UK Sport Innovations? I remember it being noted at the 2012 Olympics that all the Team GB riders were offered UK Sport Innovations bikes and all used them except Millar, who stuck to his Cervelo, which he said was faster!

Yeah, they'd look just awesome on their steel Dawes Clubmans.

When you think of all the great names that used to be based around Coventry/Derby and the midlands in general its a real shame British manufacturing of high end bicycles hasn't kept up.

With Team Sky being equipped with the latest Jaguar cars it would have been great if Dawes had stepped up to supply the bikes...

Disappointing they couldn't find a British brand to work with instead.