Track-inspired and motor-assisted, the new Lotus Type 136 road bike is a little bit of everything
Words Emma Cole Photography Tapestry
Is it a track bike? Is it a road bike? Is it an e-bike? The Lotus Type 136 is all these things. ‘We wanted to build a bike that’s as good as any other manual road bike but has the flexibility to adapt to your changing lifestyle and needs, offering assistance when you want it,’ says Lotus project manager Danny Barnes.
Handmade in Italy, the Type 136 takes its inspiration from iconic Lotus bikes of the past, including the Type 108 track bike that Chris Boardman rode to gold at the 1992 Olympics. Thus it’s no surprise that Lotus says the Type 136 is devilishly aerodynamic, thanks to its carbon fibre frame with wing-shaped forks, vaulted seatstays and V-shaped handlebars.
‘The seatstays follow the “calf shadow” theory,’ says Barnes. ‘By placing the stays behind the rider’s legs there’s one less part of the bike causing resistance, which helps channel the air away from the legs cleanly. We can see this when viewed from the front or rear – an unbroken flow of air through the bike and rider – and this led to the design of the bars with the V-shaped cut-out and wing-like silhouette.’
Going electric
The ‘assistance’ Barnes talks about comes in the form of an internal electric motor that offers three hours of extra oomph via a 193Wh battery that is disguised as a water bottle.
‘The battery is easily removable and easy to store on the bike,’ says Barnes. ‘The battery doesn’t affect the bike’s handling as it’s no different to having a full water bottle on your bike. It just weighs a fraction more.’ All in, the
