Unique Renovo Hybrid Frame 56cm

Description

Unique Renovo Hybrid Frame 56cm.
I ordered this custom frame from the factory in 2008, serial # 13. It’s hollow of course and uses the Easton carbon rear stay set. The frame materials are a center of laminated bamboo, pinstripe of black wenge and the outer wood of bubinga. I was in Portland at the time and got to select the woods from Renovo’s list of approved woods at the lumber yard and I still remember how this stick of bubinga jumped out from the rest in the rack. The figure is complex with deep chatoyance which, with its natural color is an unusual combination. I’m told that although bubinga was a popular wood on Renovo frames over the years, they never found more like this.
The problem with chatoyance is that it’s difficult to photograph - looking different from various points of view and angles of sunshine which is why I’ve tilted it in different ways to try to capture how it looks in person...it’s a showstopper in sunlight, bigtime conversation starter, not ideal for shy folks. The photos are unaltered.
I should point out that the bamboo part of the frame is not what you get with cutting boards etc. It was laminated in 25mm thick planks by the bamboo supplier in Taiwan specifically as stair treads and is the stiffest bamboo laminate. This perfectly suited the stiffness requirements of Renovo which, with the bubinga, delivered a superb frame, light, stiff, and responsive with Renovo’s trademark silky smooth ride. The finish is a Dupont automotive clear linear polyurethane topcoat over an epoxy sealcoat, an extremely durable combination that Renovo used for years.
This early frame had 3 decals which were later discontinued. ‘Patent Pending’ was there because Renovo had applied for a patent on the hollow wood frame concept but did not get it. Monocoque was on the seat tube defining the hollow construction, but was dropped because many people thought it was the model name. The 356 decal was about having little fun with Reynolds ‘Air-Hardened’ stickers on their bicycle tubing, since all hardwoods are obviously ‘Air Hardened’ and the hardwoods Renovo used were all ‘Ultra High Strength’ out of the some 356 commercial hardwood species available. Not many folks got any of this either.
This unique and exquisite frame is in excellent condition, no crashes, road rash etc. There are a few barely noticeable dings, none of which have penetrated the finish. I rode it for several years and wouldn’t sell it if I didn’t have another from the same era.
Seat tube 27.2mm
Head tube 170mm, 1 ⅛” straight
BB 68mm English threaded
Designed for 42mm fork rake
Up to 28mm tires
Internal cabling thru top tube