This thing looks amazing! I really like the frame finish as well! I had seen another wooden bike at my LBS, not sure of the make and it looked like a desk. This thing looks incredible. Can't wait to see the finished product and hear some post-ride reports.

The builder (Forcewheelz, Netherlands) is brilliant, he has it all:
Fair prices on the parts, fair price for the overall build, fair shipping costs, superb quality, eye to detail, gives great advice on lacings paterns, spoke count, component choice. etc, often sends you work in progress pics, patient, friendly and eager to try new things.

Check his Flickr photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58648111@N03/

Rob from English Cycles just confirmed that he received the frame Renovo. So I thought I would check the website of Renovo (http://www.renovobikes.com) if they would happen to have posted some pictures of the frame. I was in luck, because after some searching I came across them on their Facebook page. You should take a look at their page, because it shows pictures of some very cool bike: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Renovo-Hardwood-Bicycles/151200981609440

Anyway, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. After a long wait I present to you the first pictures of the finished frame:

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My Renovo R1 wooden bike project

Check it out: the most amazing vintage Colnago, Merckx and Pinarello collection

wow what an frame and really nice bike this will be!

the 25DA will look good on this one.

WOW.

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"Truth is a pathless land." - Jiddu Krishnamurti

6.29 kg and dropping...

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=89221

The wheels were delivered this week and they look amazing! The hubs are ridiculously smooth. Unlike anything I have ever seen before and I have seen quite a few. The hookless tire bead seems to work just fine with my Conti GP4000s 25 tires. The low spoke tension does feel a little bit strange, because you can actually flex the wheels by putting your weight on it.

Here is a first picture of the wheels. I will be able to post better pictures in two weeks.

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My Renovo R1 wooden bike project

Check it out: the most amazing vintage Colnago, Merckx and Pinarello collection

This is just such an outrageous build, I love it! The frame reminds me of a '60s Riva speedboat and those wheels... belissimo!

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Too old to be fast, too young to be this slow!

Incredible. Just incredible.

Keep the updates and pictures coming!

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Cervelo R3, Campagnolo Chorus/Record mix... pastatrails.blogspot.com
And you can call me Macktastik Honey Pete Kicks, thank you.

Yesterday I contacted the guy who will be carving the Brooks Swift saddle for me. I had planned to go with a black one, but he convinced me to go with a Honey version, because the carving would look much better with that colour.

We chose to go with a mountain theme because I plan to use this bike at the Marmotte (a cyclosportive in France of 174km and 5000 metres of vertical ascent). Below is the final design sketch. I think it looks very nice. In real life the colours will look more like the saddle in the last picture.

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My Renovo R1 wooden bike project

Check it out: the most amazing vintage Colnago, Merckx and Pinarello collection

Absolutely stunning.

As for your saddle... before you commit to the honey, might I suggest taking a gander at the various green saddles Brooks offers (if you haven't already, that is)? That dark, almost British Racing Green is such a stunning & beautiful contrast to the rich browns & ambers of wood. Combined with the matching bar tape, the effect might be really rather dramatic.

That would also give you the option, in future, of riding on some Vittoria Paves; their green is initially little lighter & brighter when new, but darkens up quite nicely after a few turns around the neighborhood.

Regardless, it's simply breathtaking. Congratulations, and even thanks for having a hand in keeping such artistry alive and well.

You might think I'm nuts, but what about turquoise (aquamarine green). I'm thinking:

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Too old to be fast, too young to be this slow!

Fantastic project and it has really opened my eyes re: wood frames, I never realised they could make such a beautiful frame like this. Thanks for sharing and can't wait to see the finish build/ride report.

This is super cool. This bike is screaming for some tan sidewall tires though!

@Jaq: I did consider a green Brooks, given the 'green' environmental nature of the bike and simply because I liked the green colour a lot. However, the bike is already getting a lot of shades of brown, because it is pretty difficult to get the colours of wood to match. That is why I chose to go with a more neutral colour for the saddle.

@bigskyTi: Tan sidewall tires will definitely look better with the wheels. Unfortunately I very much like my Conti Grand Prix tires, so I am not willing to compromise here for the looks.

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My Renovo R1 wooden bike project

Check it out: the most amazing vintage Colnago, Merckx and Pinarello collection

I just stumbled across some information on the Acros A-Rim, whilst looking for information on Acros' hydraulic shifting. By the looks of it Across is using a similar rim profile compared to the Ghisallo rims and the ones from Reynolds, neither of which have a hooked bead. I was not very confident about using the rims given their lack of a hooked bead, but seeing that Acros is using it on a mountainbike rim, makes me feel much more confident to use the rims.

Hopefully I will be able to try the wheels out next week and give you a first impression.

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My Renovo R1 wooden bike project

Check it out: the most amazing vintage Colnago, Merckx and Pinarello collection