Audi's woody 2-wheelers
Audi teams up with Renovo to offer three bicycles made with wood frames.
The latest models from Audi feature two wheels instead of four, and wood frames. No, this isn't an April Fools' joke; Audi partnered with Renovo, a bicycle designer in Portland, Ore., to offer three bicycles featuring Audi logos and colors.
The really unique thing about Renovo's bicycles is that the frames are made from wood, hardwood, to be specific. The wooden tubes of the frame are hollow, and Audi says that wood offers the smoothest ride of any bicycle frame material due to its ability to absorb shocks. Further, Audi notes that the wood used in the frames is lighter than aluminum. However, aluminum doesn't suffer from termite infestations.
Audi and Renovo created three bicycles, the Duo City, Duo Sport, and Duo Road. The "duo" in the name is a reference to Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, although the bicycles only have one-wheel drive. The Duo City and Sport bicycles use internal gear hubs with belt drives, and are designed for city and casual use. The Duo Road features 20 speeds and has the narrow tires of a racing bicycle.
All of the bicycles get Audi's four-ring logo, and the hardwoods making up the frames were chosen for a specific Audi color scheme. Components use aluminum and carbon fiber, while lighting is LED. Audi created the bicycles with Renovo to highlight its green credentials, as the wood frames are biodegradable and recyclable.
The bicycles are priced at $6,530 for the Duo City, $7,350 for the Duo Sport, and $7,460 for the Duo Road. More information can be found about the bicycles at the Audi Collection Web site.
