When the us women's track cycling team rolls onto the velodrome in Rio for the pursuit event, they'll be pedaling some funky-looking chariots. Felt's new track rocket has been designed to wrestle every aerodynamic advantage from the uncaring laws of physics. Track cyclists tip to the left as they loop around the velodrome. To reduce drag, Felt put the bike's drivetrain on the left side-the opposite of every bike you've ever ridden, and a first in international track cycling. The frame is also asymmetrical; it's shaped to better slice through the air in a left-side lean. The result is a bike that generates 125 fewer grams of drag. For a typical Olympic cyclist, that nets a gain of 4 seconds over the 4-km race. In 2012 the US women lost the 3-km gold medal race by 5.7 seconds to the Brits, who still remain a formidable opponent. This year, win or lose, we all know who's got the coolest bike.
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