Technological progress is always accompanied by the discovery of new materials. Materials have always determined our prosperity. Be it in the negative sense through exploitation and pollution or in the positive sense through the discovery of new, useful materials, without it, there would be no impetus for technological progress. The impact of materials on technical progress is clearly demonstrated by Lotus' 110 road racing bike. Both the frame and wheels are made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, or also colloquially known as carbon, which is particularly lightweight. Carbon was originally used in aerospace applications. But due to its light weight, carbon found more and more use in various sports. In cycling, the use of carbon replaced aluminium, which had previously been commonly used, as a lightweight material. This is because of the material’s lower weight and higher strength. As an automaker with ties to racing, Lotus was already experienced in using carbon. The bike was developed based on the Lotus 108, with which Chris Broadman managed to win the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics. However, to remedy the inconveniences of the road bike and make it available to the masses, Lotus developed the 110 road racing bike. The frame shape was changed, standard components were used and an adjustable seat post was added. Furthermore, the single-sided suspension of the impellers was abandoned. Even with this bike, Successes were still possible – Chris Broadman managed to set a new hour record with it in 1996. But materials can have various effects, for example, carbon is difficult to recycle. This is why modern bicycles also feature new approaches to the use of materials, which is intended to promote the mode of transport’s sustainability.