Hamilton could be on his bike

Formula 1 hotshot Lewis Hamilton may be a whizz around the racetrack, but he could soon be pretty nifty on two wheels.

Motorsport engineering specialists BERU F1 Systems, which supply parts to the British driver’s McLaren team among others in the top flight, are keen to see the reigning world champion become its first high-profile owner of their Factor 001 bike.

BERU claim the state of the art road bike will be ‘the worlds most advanced bike’ and is a road bike with a difference, incorporating the latest electronic systems to provide laboratory-grade technical information on a cyclists performance, gathered from the road.

The Factor 001 was designed as a training aid for world-class athletes and was launched at an exhibition at the Science Museum, London, entitled Fast Forward: 20 ways F1 is changing our world.

The £20,000 machine is constructed mainly from carbon fibre and, when the first production model rolls out of the BERU base in Norfolk, should also feature innovative a braking and cabling solution, as well as trick electronics to complement its 7kg weight.

The team intends to fit carbon ceramic brakes and a fully integrated 'Wire-in-Composite' system - where brake wires and gear cables are built into the frame.
Other features include ultra strong 8-spoke wheels, also made of composite materials, designed to resist lateral forces.

Should Hamilton desire one of the hi-tec machines he would have to find time to travel to Norfolk as each Factor 001 has to be custom fitted to the rider. Spokesperson Claire Dumbreck said: “The bike is made-to-measure to the millimetre and customers will need to go to the BERU factory to have their own F1-style 'seat fit', so, if Lewis wants a bike that fits his dimensions perfectly, then that is what he would have to do."