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25 September 2018

Renishaw helps hand-powered cyclists make history

At the World Human Powered Speed Challenge at Battle Mountain, Nevada, USA, Paralympian Karen Darke, MBE and Ken Talbot broke world records for both male and female arm powered speed. By reaching 46.05 mph and 51.86 mph respectively, Darke and Talbot are now the first and second fastest hand cyclists in history, with Darke exceeding the previous men’s record. The records were achieved using a bike created through the ARION4 project run by the University of Liverpool Velocipede Team (ULV Team), with the support and expertise of engineering companies such as Renishaw.

As part of the ARION4 project to build the bike, Renishaw additively manufactured the central titanium support (CTS), a vital component of the bike that attaches to the headtube to hold the layshaft and front wheel in place. The component is the backbone of the ARION4 transmission system, allowing riders to put in as much power as possible without worrying about the structural integrity of the front of the bike.

“We are starting to see the benefits of additive manufacturing being taken advantage of in high-speed applications, from the BLOODHOUND Supersonic Car to the TransFIORmers MotoGP bike,” explained Llyr Jones, Mechanical Engineer at Renishaw. “When aiming to reach high speeds, small technical enhancements can have a large impact. The design freedom of metal 3D printing ensured a crucial component of the bike was strong and light enough to meet the conditions of the race.”


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