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HTech release design for AerOne Concept wooden aero road bike

It might be made of wood, but innovative Aussies HTech are claiming “one of the world’s most aerodynamic bike frames” with their AerOne Concept…

The Aerone is the product of over a year’s design work from Australian wooden bike builders HTech, who say they want to "take wooden bikes down off the wall and onto the road".  

10 stunning wooden bikes

They've designed the frame around UCI frame regulations, but with tube profiles and sizes to combine the best weight, strength, stiffness and aerodynamics. Despite being made of wood aero is very much the priority with the AerOne, and HTech say that it's aerodynamic drag, and not weight, that is the single biggest factor in slowing a cyclist down. The front of the fork dropouts is designed to create a large bulge to remove turbulent air from the quick release which causes drag. HTech claim their CFD testing shown adding a rear-mounted caliper reduces overall frame drag by shielding the downtube. 
The versatility of wood allows HTech to create complex shapes and frame geometries that complement the frame’s appearance, while providing much structural strength to make it as stiff as carbon but without the road vibration. 

HTech wooden bike 3.jpg

 

HTech say they can't give an exact estimate of weight for a full build as their bikes are customised, but the frame itself will weight between 2-2.5kg. That's more than double the weight of a mid-range carbon version, but still impressive for a wooden frame. 

Currently there is no price range for the AerOne, but they would look to sell it as a frameset (comprising frame, fork, brakes, seat post and handlebars) or a complete bike. Their Aeriform bike starts at AUD$3,000 (about £1,750) for the frame, going up to AUD$12,000 (around £7,100) for a full build with Sram eTap and disc brakes, and HTech say due to the greater level of customisation, the AerOne frameset cost would be higher than the Aeriform.

Htech wooden bike2.jpg

Though designed primarily as a concept to show just what can be done with a wooden frame, HTech say one of the key design points was making sure everything on the bike can be fully manufactured - so if they get enough interest it's fully possible that the Aerone could go into production soon.

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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4 comments

Avatar
The _Kaner | 6 years ago
1 like

I don't want ONE, I don't want TWO....

I want TREE....

Avatar
antonio | 6 years ago
0 likes

Could grow on me I suppose!

 

Avatar
RobD | 6 years ago
1 like

I'd love a track bike version, would look lovely, and probably sound pretty awesome going round on the boards

Avatar
RobD | 6 years ago
0 likes

I'd love a track bike version, would look lovely, and probably sound pretty awesome going round on the boards

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