….The bicycle isn’t all wood. Many of the components are made of steel, and the tires are rubber, as on any standard bike. Individual components include an eight-speed hub and a 120-millimeter disc brake. And it’s no lightweight-this first effort tips the scales at a ponderous 52 kilograms (114 pounds).

A weight loss program could be in the offing-Eichler is ready to try his hand again with a “Renovatia II” design. “My goal for the second frame,” he [writes on his Web site], “is to develop a (safe) and lighter frame for the bike market.”