Renovo isn’t the first company to build bicycles out of wood, but they certainly seem to offer one of the most capable wooden mountain bikes I’ve seen. Sure, wooden bikes are beautiful, but beyond that, the question many riders have is, why?
Wood is the original performance material
As mountain bikers we love to geek out on the performance characteristics of high tech materials like carbon fiber and various aluminum and titanium alloys, and it turns out wood strength and performance can be analyzed and quantified in similar ways. Renovo chooses the type of wood they use for each bike in their line based on both ride feel and intended use. The BadAsh mountain bike, pictured here, uses a combination of Ash, Walnut, and Hickory wood to create a frame that is durable yet supple enough to ride all day without feeling beat up. In fact, the company says wood is four times better than carbon at absorbing trail vibration.
In developing the BadAsh mountain bike, Renovo found that adding carbon reinforcement inside the frame resulted in the right combo of stiffness for handling and pedaling efficiency with overall comfort. The best part: no more rock pings and clicks from trail debris striking a metal or carbon fiber downtube. It’s hard to imagine a more natural experience than riding in the woods on a wooden bike.
At first blush, a wooden mountain bike seems like it should be heavy, but Renovo claims the BadAsh Elite build (size large) weighs 21lbs., with smaller sizes dipping as low as 20.3lbs. The company keeps the frame light by milling the inside of the frame to accommodate the carbon fiber reinforcement, which leave the frame largely hollow just like a traditional bike.
The manufacturing process involves CNC milling and machining, along with handcrafted joining, sanding, and finishing.
Wood is sustainable
There has been some talk recently about the environmental impact of materials like carbon fiber, which is not recyclable and involves the use of harsh chemicals for production. While the BadAsh does make limited use of carbon fiber, the bulk of the material used to build the frames–wood–is a renewable resource.
Not only is wood sustainable and natural, Renovo is building and selling bikes in the USA, which reduces the carbon footprint involved in shipping overseas. Renovo is based in Portland, OR, a city known for being incredibly bike-friendly and supportive of the types of builders and artists it takes to build a wooden bike.
But is it a real mountain bike?
The Renovo is a real mountain bike that’s meant to be ridden on real trails. The company offers two Fat Ash builds, and while the pricing and build specs are still being finalized, the less expensive build looks like it will be priced around $6,995 with an Eagle GX drivetrain. The top-of-the-line build, like the model I saw at Sea Otter, will feature an Eagle XX1 drivetrain and should retail for around $9,295. Both builds come with a Fox 32 Step Cast fork and a dropper post. Buyers can also choose to purchase the BadAsh as a frame-only for $3,500.
Few of us have experience riding a wooden bike, and these bikes aren’t cheap, which means the BadAsh could be a risky purchase. Fortunately Renovo offers what they’re calling the HomeRide program. The program gives customers “a week to test ride their Renovo on their home trails […] once the bike arrives to their doorstep. And if they aren’t satisfied with it after riding it for a week, they can ship it back for a full cash-refund.”
