Japan unveils new Olympic track bike with left-sided drivetrain

The Japanese national cycling team has lifted the lid on the new track bike it has developed for this summer's Paris Olympics, revealing an unusual left-sided drivetrain. 

The V-Izu TCM-2, made by Japanese carbon manufacturer Toray, was unveiled over the weekend at the Japan Track Cup competition in Tokyo. It had previously been spotted at last August's UCI World Championships in Glasgow, where it was ridden for homologation ahead of the Games. 

The bike is characterised by its wide front forks, aerodynamic design and, most notably, a drivetrain installed on the left side of the frame. 

Though uncommon, this is not a new phenomenon in track cycling. In 2016, USA Cycling revealed a pursuit bike with a left-sided drivetrain, produced by bike brand Felt. The brand's designers said placing the chainring on the inside improved aerodynamics and handling, and combatted the impact of yaw. 

"It doesn't feel that much different," said US track cyclist Ruth Winder at the time. "It is the first thing you notice. You go, 'Oh, my chainrings are on the wrong side of the bike,' but it feels so good. For the team pursuit, where you are always going left all the time, it feels so fast."

Eight years on, this sentiment was echoed by those in Japan's cycling set-up. Benoît Bétoux, technical director of the country's high performance centre, said he was "moved" by his experience riding the V-Izu TCM-2. "It gives you a sense of speed and stability for the first time in your life," he said.

The bike's speed was also noted by Koichi Nakano of the Japanese Cycling Federation. "The first thing that athletes say about this bike is that once you get up to speed, it's hard to slow down," he said. "Riding on inertia, the bike picks up speed faster than the person riding the bike thinks. 

"On the other hand, it seems to feel heavy at slow speeds. But I think it is a bike that can demonstrate its performance when used in high-level competitions."

As UCI rules state that all equipment must be commercially available, the V-Izu TCM-2 is on sale for ¥19.85 million (£101,000), a prohibitive price tag that effectively takes it off the market. 

The bike sparked controversy when it was used at the World Championships last year for its resemblance to the patented wide fork design of Team GB's Hope x Lotus bike. Speaking in August, British Cycling's head of performance Stephen Park said there "might well be" cause for legal action, although Cycling Weekly understands none has been taken.