Renovo Hardwood Bicycles
Bicycles of wood have been built since the 1800's, but the unique advantages of wood for bicycles were always masked by the heaviness of the frames because none were hollow. Until now:
The Renovo offers crisp handling, superb ride quality and stunning looks thanks to select woods, a blend of cutting edge CAD/CAM manufacturing, state-of-the-art bonding and finishing technologies, and old-world craftsmanship.
Wood's unique properties deliver:
- A magically smooth ride thanks to its unique ability to absorb vibration--you feel the difference immediately.
- Wood doesn't sacrifice stiffness for smoothness so you get tight handling, sure-footed descents and smooth.
- The hardwood frame is remarkably tough. It easily withstands impacts that ruin butted metal or carbon frames.
- The fatigue life of wood rivals carbon and is substantially longer than aluminum or steel. The Renovo is an heirloom quality frame.
- A Renovo frame weighs from 3.5 to 4.5 pounds.
- The Renovo frame is environmentally friendly, with sustainable woods and low VOC waterborne sealers and finishes.
The design of the R2 is state-of-the-art, but wood is really our secret weapon. It allowed us to design a stiff, raceworthy frame, which also has a uniquely supple ride. So while it excels as a club racer, it can also serve as an excellent commuter.
As a club bike, it quickly earns respect leading the pace line; tight, responsive and stable, it handles fast, challenging descents with confidence and authority. On climbs, the R2 reels the hill in, the frame’s stiffness putting all your power to the pavement. On the flats, stiffness again rewards you with power, while wood’s superior vibration damping levels the chip seal, letting you relax and enjoy the ride.
Around town, the R2 is a spirited, but comfortable commuter. Ride it with drops, detachable fenders and lights. But if commuting is its primary purpose, do it up right; flat bars, fat tires, a raised stem, lights, fenders, a rack, and you’ve got a tough, but lightweight and seriously fun commuter. And here again, wood helps smooth the cracks, tracks and potholes of the usual urban streets. You’ll win every sprint to work in the mornings unless you stop for coffee and do the ‘yes, it’s real wood’ thing. And of course it’s the coolest shopping cart in the neighborhood, where its performance and good looks turn every trip to the store into an event of its own.
Some folks view these frames as works of art, too nice or delicate for daily use, but they're not your mom's dining room table. We chose wood for it's ride quality and sustainability, and got beauty as a bonus; but it's not a weakness. Wood is tough stuff; a good example is the walnut stock of the 1903 Springfield rifle. Used in warfare from WW1 through the Korean conflict, they were thrown from trucks,dragged through sand, rivers and hell, used as pry bars, clubs, crutches and even rifles. But after the wars, civilians bought these battle-scarred relics and refinished the stocks into gorgeous sporting rifles.
Like the Springfield gunstock, or any bicycle frame, a Renovo can be dented and scratched. But, like those gunstocks, and unlike other frame materials, the Renovo is easily refinished, because it's wood all the way through, not just a paint layer. And the best news--a dent or scratch won't escalate into a frame-terminal crack as with other bike frame materials. So really, if you want a beautiful bicycle as your daily driver, the Renovo is the one that will outlast you and still be looking good. And yes, between rides, it is artful decor in any cyclist's lair.
The Renovo is semi-custom made, and every frame is completely unique, thanks to the color, grain and figure of wood. Although the sizes are standard, each frame is made-to-order with woods chosen by the owner. Renovo bicycles are made in Portland Oregon, of course.
Patents are pending.
The woods, adhesives, and finishes are probably not what you're familiar with, so please visit Wood,Craft,Technology for an overview.