BSNYC Fall Product Review Spectacular Part 3: Renovo Aerowood

This past weekend I partook in my final Fred race of the season.  I'm pleased to report that I passed, largely because I finally came to terms with the fact that I belong in the B field and not the A field.  There are many reasons that I pinned on a number again after a six-ish year hiatus, but one of them is this bicycle:

I took the above picture on my ride today--which, in a way, was a perfect expression of what this bicycle was about.  Basically, I fucked off while the rest of you stiffs were hunkering in your cubicles, rode up to Westchester farm country, and ate a farm-to-table lunch for $20.  Then, while I ate said lunch, somebody stopped to admire the bicycle and discuss it at length.

This is life on an exotic wooden bicycle.

Of course in my case it's all a sham.  I'm not free to ride on Friday because the market is way up and my hedge fund is basically running itself; I'm free because I don't have a respectable job.  I'm not riding an exotic wooden bicycle because I've got money to burn; I'm riding it because someone was dumb enough to send it to me.  As for blowing $20 on lunch, hey, when you spend all week eating frozen Indian food from Trader Joe's you can afford to splurge once in awhile.

Anyway, as I mentioned this bicycle was a not-insignificant factor in getting me to start racing again.  See, after years of solitary solo rides on no-frills bikes I can't deny that it was kind of thrilling to suddenly find myself perched on a bicycle with fancy crabon wheels and push-button battery-powered shifting.  Without realizing it the bike racing Voltron was forming again deep in my subconscious--the Strava, the years of blogging solitude, the need to compete with my wife who has become a SoulCycle dynamo--and so this glossy pile of matchsticks just happened to be the head.

Of course, as I've mentioned, despite the aero styling the Renovo isn't quite as "racy" as my other road bikes--especially when it comes to the kind of racing we're doing here in New York, which is riding around a rolling six-mile (Central Park) or four-mile (Prospect Park) circuit really fast.  Basically, what you want for that is a light and stiff bike with a low front end, reasonably aero wheels, and a pretty large top gear.  (The Renovo could use a 52 or a 53 large chainring for this application.)  Still, it was perfectly capable in that regard (much-maligned single bottle on the seat tube notwithstanding), and while in the drops I was exactly as low as I needed to be.

Nevertheless, the bike that inspired me to start racing again really isn't a racing bike.  It's a bike for going on long road rides.  (Much-maligned single bottle on the seat tube notwithstanding.)  I've been riding this thing for almost a year now (I got it last November) and after trying it with cheap wheels, going from bike to bike, etc., I'm prepared to say that, yes, the frame really does make for a smooth ride.  Really smooth.  Like nicest-bike-I've-ever ridden smooth.  I'm sure there's a psychological factor at play--it's pretty much the only bike I have that doesn't have rust spots on it--but, be that as it may, it feels really, really good to ride this bicycle.

Even so, the bicycle is kind of ridiculous.  Much-maligned single bottle on the seat tube notwithstanding, the tight clearances preclude any unpaved detours.  In fact, this morning I picked up a staple in the tire, and the extra millimeter was enough to rub as it passed through the frame:

Therefore I had to remove the staple, which resulted in immediate deflation.

Still, despite being the antithesis of pretty much everything I stand for, I profoundly enjoy riding this bicycle.

As for the parts, the Shimano Ultegra Di2 has been amazing.  I don't even know if it's the latest version (I can't keep track of this stuff anymore) but I don't really have a single bad thing to say about it.  Also, in just under a year I've only charged the battery three times, and the only reason I did it that often was out of an abundance of caution.  (Granted, I have like 50 bikes so it's not like I'm riding this every day, but still.)  The crabon wheels have also been better than I expected.  The braking is good--yes, was quite loud at first, but it's quieted down considerably.  They've also stayed very true--EXCEPT that back in July I dropped a water bottle basically into the back wheel during a race, which resulted in a small blip.  I then went to touch up the wheel, but they must use some serious threadlock at the factory, because in attempting to hold the bladed spoke still it got twisted, and I'll be damned if I can un-twist it.  So now the wheel is acceptably true (certainly more than any other wheel I own, but I do have a high tolerance for wobbles), but the spoke is still twisted, and because I'm afraid of crabon I may have to do the unthinkable and bring it to a professional.  Who the hell knows.  At any rate, even as a born-again Fred I don't think I'd splurge on crabon wheels, but I can sure see why people like them so much.  Light wheels are super fun.

I've even gotten to like the overwrought handlebars, which are basically these:

Though if I were starting from scratch I'd go with a good old-fashioned un-flattened design. 

So there you go.  None of this is to say you need a $10,000 bicycle, or one made of wood, by any means.  However, it is to say that I've enjoyed riding one tremendously, and even after a year I still want to roll up to people and ask if they have any Grey Poupon.  I'd also go so far as to say that after 11+ years of semi-professional bike blogging I deserve it, goddamn it.

Just stay away from me with your goddamn sandpaper.