Reviews

The John Day is so smooth...wood can damp vibration like no other material. Truly one of the quietest rides we’ve ever experienced; road miles just glide away.

Bikes need to lay down power efficiently...the John Day and wood impresses. No piece of wall art, although it would look beautiful on a wall.

Peloton Magazine- John Day, Nov. '17

The degree to which (wood) outperforms carbon, steel and titanium will surprise you. It’s one of the best mountain bikes I’ve ever ridden, and the most beautiful...exceptional build and ride quality.

Outside Magazine- FatAsh 650b+, July '17

As light as some carbon bikes...equally stiff if not stiffer...but with a smoother ride. Diving into turns, our riders often felt they were riding on rails.

It can jump and flow trails as well as any other hardtail...An attention grabbing bike...backs up its beauty with amazing ride quality.

Mountain Bike Action- FatAsh 650b+, Jan. '18

How does it ride? Honestly, amaaaazing. It’s hard to convey how smooth the ride is...Stiffness exceeds all the steel and ti bikes I’ve ever ridden and rivals my current aluminum bike.

Race it hard? Hell yes. Pass to the kids as an heirloom? Of course.

New Zealand Mountain Biker- BadAsh 29er, May '12

The Pursuit has the stiffness and vivacity of a high-end steel frame with the vibration damping of an endurance focused carbon bike...a ride that’s lively, smooth, rigid and well damped without being overly so.

Bicycling Magazine- Pursuit, Jan. '18

The Renovo rides like a proper race bike. The ride quality is firm and direct, but smooth, the bike gliding over rough surfaces rather than chattering...respectably stiff when you give it some power.

Bike Radar- Pursuit, Feb '15

It feels very fast and smooth, I could happily spend all day on it...After a couple hundred miles...I have to admit I am currently in love with this bicycle...I will say one thing...it was most fastidiously-packed bicycle I've ever taken delivery of, and I've received my share. Seriously, they're not messing around.

On balance, being on the receiving end of a Renovo is like taking delivery of a box of 12-year-old single malt Scotch...

Bike Snob NYC (Blog and Outside Online)- Aerowood, Nov. '17 onward - High Praise From the Chief Curmudgeon Hisself.

Dan McDaniel

(Dan builds a mean bike, lots of detail pics on our Facebook page. His bike is featured on a Rohloff page. )

When I opened the box I was blown away with how beautiful my frame was. Waiting for delivery seemed like a lifetime, but was worth it when I pulled it out of the box. It was hard for me to imagine a nicer ride than the two Seven Cycles Titanium and Carbon bikes I have, but the wood structure really damps out the shocks while still recognizing the bumps, it really smooths out the impacts.

Anyway, Bravo Boys! A job well done and I love the frame. 

This customer bought our R2 model in 2008 as a training bike for century rides in place of his Pinarello Prince. After the first century on the R2, he said  'Absolutely stunning!!'. 'After a year and 8 centuries, the R2 has held up to the miles of chip seal with the frame still looking brand new, I feel it's the best frame for reducing the vibrations and shocks that are part of the north Texas cycling experience.' As of January 2015 he has some 17,000 miles on his R2 and it still looks brand new. 

I rode in two metric centuries last weekend and then a three day 300 mile ride this weekend that ended at the Michigan International Speedway. That final lap around the track was a hoot! I expected to get attention with this bike, but had no idea. It is a work of art. Kudos to you and your team.

I wanted something kind of one-off for Street Swell. Renovo was more than willing to accommodate. What I now have is the first bike I've ever had that will never be for sale...a Badash 29er.

I love it!! It is such a joy to ride. The main thing is it is a great bike to ride. Great handling. Stiff, fast so much fun. The huge added bonus is that everyone just loves it. It is a such a work of art. It’s like driving a classic car. Just so much fun. I rode it 30 miles this morning before work. My favorite bike ever!!!!!

Guys. Unbelievable. Really this is a thing of beauty. Thank you so much. The workmanship, detail, love and care that has gone into that frame is amazing.. It has been in the bike shop for two days and I have three offers to buy it already (but wouldn’t sell it for anything) and so much buzz on the local cycling websites about it. What an amazing looking frame. Even people who don’t know bikes look at it and say wow. Thank you so much and  will keep in touch. I have sneaky feeling you may get a few more customers from Singapore soon!!!!

It is truly amazing! It’s so beautifully made my dad is hesitant to even ride it – he wants to hang it on the wall! It so great to see a company that still produces beautiful things to such an exacting standard – you wouldn’t believe the feedback that our local bike shop has gotten… Literally everybody that sees it is amazed and wants to know all the details, what it feels like, etc… Maybe South Africa’s your next big market? I’ll send you pictures of the completed bike soon. Thanks again and regards to everyone at Renovo!

Earlier in the week, I didn't want to ride, because my (new R4) bike is too beautiful to ride on the roads which had sand and salt left over from the massive snow we had in February… Today the roads were much clearer and I couldn't stand it any longer, so I took my first ride and I wasn't disappointed.  The ride was smooth as silk and quiet.  I was only going out for a short time, but I enjoyed it so much that I doubled the ride.  It was a beautiful day, and I had the feeling of a little kid who was supposed to be home for dinner, but wasn't, because he was having too much fun. Thanks for making my dream bike.  Great Job!! Previous bike a Trek Madone 5.9 Project One.

Part 2: 

My Renovo R4 was so beautiful that I was reluctant to ride it. I had ridden it only one time before, and on that ride I found the bike to be smooth and quiet, but today I was going to find out if it could perform. I was tired, jet lagged and fatigued because I had a late flight home from the west coast, and I was dragging as I rode the R4 to the Sunday morning group ride. 

 When I stopped at a traffic light, a fellow rider pulled up in his car and he rolled down his window and asked about my new bike. I told him about it, and by the time I arrived, the word had spread about the stunning bike. Everyone was staring, commenting and inquiring about the R4 and this continued the whole ride.

It was the first really nice day for biking in Washington DC after the “Snowmageddon” winter of 2010, and the group was huge. It appeared that everyone was itching for a ride having been sequestered for the winter, and now, finally, warmer temperatures and clear roads.

I usually get strength from any group ride and that day was no exception. As the ride started I began to feel better and stronger.  Even though the R4 is a couple of pounds heavier than my carbon fiber, I easily climbed the first set of hills. The bikes response to the initial hills was reassuring, but the real test was quickly approaching. The Massachusetts Avenue Hill which is considered the benchmark by many, and where the ride really starts heating up, was now in my sights. I was eagerly awaiting to see how the R4 would respond.

The peloton hit the hill like a pack of wild dogs, and I could feel the collective testosterone from a group of riders who had been caged up for the winter.  The strongest riders took off and I didn’t hesitate.  I powered the R4 and it responded as the stiff frame transferred my power directly to the rear wheel, and instead of struggling to stay with the B riders, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself hanging onto the back of the A group.

My friends took notice and I realized that this was not just a novelty bike, but a performance machine. Everyone regrouped and I continued to ride ahead of, or with riders who I usually trail, and I positioned myself for the next test, the “neighborhood”, followed by the sprint.

The “neighborhood” has a shorter but steeper hill than Massachusetts Avenue, followed by a long gradual decline.  As the group climbs, it stretches out and subgroups form and then after the hill, each faction has their own sprint.  I stayed in the first half of the pack while climbing, and then emerged from the neighborhood with 6 other riders.  I sat in, feeling good and then I realized I still had some legs as we approached the finish.  I waited for the perfect moment, and then with all I had, hammered, and the R4 popped out for the win.  This was a first for me, and I was surprised and wondered if the other riders could hear the stealthy quiet R4 as I attacked. 

The R4 was stiff, responsive, quiet, fast, and so smooth that I extended my ride for an extra 20 miles.   I finished the 50 mile ride and I gathered with my friends in the parking lot and the buzz continued.  As they admired the style and beauty of the R4 they realized that this was not a just a wood bike, but a performance bike that deserves respect. 

I received my Renovo R4 build 3 weeks ago, and have had some time to ride her on the mountain roads of northern New Mexico. This bike is actually an engagement gift for my soon-to-be fiance, and we ride identically sized frames. This gives us the opportunity to switch bikes during our rides, which is a fantastic way to compare frames, equipment, etc. We've taken the Renovo out along with a few other bikes, and done some extensive back-to-back comparison. (the engagement gift is not a surprise to her; she's been eagerly awaiting delivery as have I).

In summary, the Renovo has been jaw-dropping impressive with its stunning ability to absorb bumps and provide a smooth ride while also remaining stiff and nearly flex-free when standing on the pedals. I've been riding a very long time on some very good frames. When young, my father purchased the first Reynolds double-butted 501 alumnium frame, a 1973 Raleigh International with a 2x5 Campagnolo Record groupo. I still have that bike (with the sales receipt for $376!). I rode some of the first carbon frames, and I've had lovely Colnago steel bikes, to this point, some of the best riding frames I've owned. Currently, my main ride is a Specialized Roubaix SL3 with full Shimano DI2 while my fiance rides a Trek Pilot 5.0. This was my first electrically shifted bike, and once you've ridden DI2, it can be really hard to go back to mechanical. I was so impressed with the DI2, I specced the Renovo for the same drivetrain. I did the build on the Renovo myself, and in addition to the full DI2 drivetrain, I added full Ritchey WCS carbon forks, seatpost, and bars, and choose Mavic Kysrium ES Speciales for the rims. A note on the drivetrain. Lots of steep hills here in New Mexico. I use compact cranks (50/34) and have lately been using extended range rear cassettes. SRAM makes a great 11-32 10-speed cassette, and it works fine with the DI2 rear derailleur. I had no problems getting this setup with the Renovo frame. This gives you a gearing range greater and lower than a triple, with the weight advantages of a standard double.  The build went super-easy, not a single problem, as the Renovo guys are perfectionists regarding all the frame geometry issues. While not something you think about right away, it's non-trivial to get all the mounting points for derailleurs, seatposts, brakes, bottom brackets, and headsets correct on a wooden bike. Renovo does it to perfection, and the payoff is an easy build that takes standard components and fits perfectly the first time you mount them. Kudos and well done. My build, including pedals and cages, weighed in a bit over 19# when finished. Not bad at all. I've posted pics of the build earlier here; the end result is stunning. Aesthetically, this is finest bike I've owned or built, and that's saying something. For my build woods, I choose Wenge, Red Paduck, and flamed Maple. We decided to try something different on the Maple, and I sent samples of a favorite guitar I owned, which Renovo was able to match in staining the inner flaming. The end result is jaw-dropping in person. And yes, it is quite a match to my guitar! For a test-ride, I use a favorite loop on forest roads near my hometown of Los Alamos. The backgate route to Bandelier National Monument is a great, 25 mile ride that has a long, slight descent of 6 miles over an older road with plenty of snakes and cracks. This road is almost unridable on aluminum bikes, as you do about 30 mph while your teeth get shaken out from the regular imperfections. The best carbon bikes I've ridden on this road are the Roubaix and the Colnago CLX 2.0. Steel-framed bikes do well here, but still transmit a bit of high-freqency vibration. Once I began the descent on the Renovo, I was shocked. You still feel the bumps, but they are extremely damped. And there is almost no high-frequency vibration at all! The wood frame just soaks up this road, and gives a ride like some kind of magic, natural shock absorbers. Back-to-back riding on this with the Roubaix clearly shows that the Renovo has a smoother ride.  Of course, the price you pay on this ride to Bandelier is a steep, 3000' climb back out of Ancho Canyon. Here, low gears and plenty of sweat are in order. I found the Renovo amazingly stiff on the climbs. Only the slightest bit of bottom bracket flex was noticeable. The SL3 and Colnagos are just a tad (barely) stiffer in this respect, and the Renovo was stiffer than most of my older carbon and steel frames. As a side note, I've mounted auxiliary DI2 climbing shifters for both the SL3 and Renovo; these are wonderful. You keep your hands on top of the bar, and a quick thumb-press provides a gear change. This ability to shift DI2 from alternate points is a great feature, and underutilized. Expect to see some innovation in shifting control as electrical shifting becomes more mainstream.  Design of any bicycle frame requires a set of compromises among weight, stiffness, compliance, and shock absorption. Race and climbing frames put a premium on weight and stiffness. Touring frames favor ride quality. There is no perfect frame, geometry, or construction method which provides class-leading abilities across all these requirements; everything is a compromise. With that said, I honestly believe the Renovo wooden frames cover a wider spectrum of this diverse design space than any other frame I've ridden. Ride quality is clearly class-leading, just stunningly smooth and compliant. It soaks up the larger shocks, and dampens the high frequency vibration better than any other frame material I've ridden, even Italian steel. Yet, this frame is still surprisingly stiff, certainly rigid enough for anything I might need. The 19# build is plenty light, you pay less than a 2# penalty over the lightest, dedicated climbing frames. And of course, the aesthetics. I can't imagine a more unique or beautiful frame. Overall, the Renovo is simply a stunning, class-altering bicycle. The wait can be long. As a small, boutique builder with a growing reputation, I'm afraid that wait is only going to get longer as others discover the magnificent capabilities of well-crafted wooden frames.