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From YourSITE.com Miscellaneous Features
With the reputation of a brand like Audi to uphold, and the resources the company has at its fingertips, quattro GmbH is in a position to build some truly unique high-end bikes. Penned by Audi Design, the creation of captivating aluminum frames was aided in development by the Aluminum and Lightweight Design Centre in Neckarsulm – the very same that has worked on development of automotive figurative, if not literal, heavyweights such as the Audi A8 and Lamborghini Gallardo. Additional engineering of the frame was completed by development partner ADP Engineering GmbH.
Using the lightweight metal that Audi has become quite well known for, specifically 7020 T6 alloy in the case of the bicycle frames, weight is kept to a minimum. The design itself has been inspired by the Audi Space Frame principals. The resulting look is characteristically oversized tubes one might find on other aluminum-framed bikes such as a Cannondale, but with much more attention to stylistic detail, like the filigree design of the seat dome or the non-round tubing – shapes similar to forming you might see on a tour of the Audi A8 production line. The designs themselves have been described as “pioneering”, and certainly show unique cues you won’t find at the corner bike store. Elements such as the frame shape and seat tower were developed specifically by Audi – firsts in the bike world. You won’t find these Audi bikes rolling off of a line at an Audi plant though. For that, Audi outsources to partner company Merida and Centurion Germany GmbH.
The central bearing of the framework was developed specifically for Audi by another corporate partner – a German company by the name of Rotwild who also manufactures the component. The design features a multi-ball design with no play between the balls, designed to support the side movements involved in pedaling, necessitating great durability of such a central component. Audi’s latest and greatest bike, launched earlier this year is the Cross Pro RS, a mountain bike with a paint scheme reminiscent of the company’s ‘80’s works rally efforts and letter designations that suggest the company means business with this new two-wheeler. Also akin to fellow RS offerings from Audi, production of the Cross Pro RS will be limited, in this case to only 150 units, assuring significant exclusivity.
Those familiar with the slamming of knobby tires down rock-covered single-track trails can tell you that a good frame is a good frame, but a bike is often only as good as its components. In that regard, Audi has sourced one of the best combinations in the market, fitting the Cross Pro RS with XTR/XT gearing components from Shimano. This setup offers no less than 27 gears, which’ll afflict even a 7-ratio Mercedes-Benz owner with gear envy.
The bike also makes use of Shimano’s XT Hollowtech II crankset, while the bottom bracket is a unique new design - integrated into the crank, adding strength and dropping weight. The Audi Cross Pro RS is fully suspended, featuring a Manitou Minute 2:00 suspension fork at the front and Manitou Swinger Air rear shock. Manitou and Audi suggest this design minimizes torque flex of the bike’s frame that results from weight shifts or hard climbing. This SPV system still reportedly dampens obstructions and irregularities in the road just fine, and like many higher end suspension sets, it can be adjusted at the front and rear for preferred dampening levels required by the rider. Large disc brakes look sexy on any Audi, and that’s certainly the case for the Cross Pro RS as well. For stopping power, Audi sourced all-hydraulic and all-potent Magura Marta SL disc brakes. Fixed two-piston calipers do their duty with carbon pads and expansion tank to reduce fading. This sort of design offers more precision and reliability under both wet and dry conditions than more traditional bike brake systems, while weighing a scant 324 grams.
Like brakes, lightweight yet strong wheels can make a big difference on your Audi – four and two-wheeled alike. The Cross Pro RS sources its rims from the French wheel company Mavic, utilizing its Crossmax SL Disc System, made of aluminum alloy that’s roughly 30 percent stronger than conventional 6106 aluminum bike rims and 10% stronger than stainless steel. The aluminum wheels are shod in Continental Vapor Pro tires. This new offering from Continental is said to lower rolling resistance and road noise on pavement, yet not give up traction when in the mud. Continental also boasts that the compound of the rubber offers improved wet-surface handling. Another critical part of a bike for any rider is the saddle. The Cross Pro RS shines with a gel-filled leather swathed seat reinforced with lightweight titanium, only weighing 260 grams. Not surprisingly, the Audi Cross Pro RS is the lightest offering in the Audi bicycle range – weighing in at 11.9kg.
The next model down in the bicycle lineup is the Audi design Cross, tipping the scales at 12.5kg. Like it’s big brother the RS, the Cross is also fully suspended, though makes use of more affordable component sets. A Manitou Black suspension fork is used at the front, while a hydraulic rear suspension sees use at the rear. Both can be adjusted for preferred damping. In addition, the front shock can be adjusted for compression and rebound. Magura disc brakes are used again, with perforated discs, while the gearing components go down one grade to a mix of Shimano XT and Deore pieces. Both of Audi’s mountain bikes, the Cross Pro RS and the Cross are available in three different frame sizes: 46, 60 and 54 cm. Each Audi design bicycle from quattro GmbH is offered with a five year warranty on the framework and a two year coverage on the components. If you like what you see and you reside stateside, get ready to drop some greenbacks. These aren’t inexpensive bicycles to begin with, but Audi’s European-only distribution assures that anyone finding this bike on their “must have” list will have to source it abroad and bring it over themselves. In a market where hardcore hardware is becoming increasingly affordable, investing this much in a bike purely for the sake of beating the snot out of it on some timber-lined back-country trails may not make a whole lot of sense. Still, for those who find themselves enthusiasts of both bicycles and Audis, the idea is certainly enticing. Fourtitude Bike Week Links Bike Week Main Page Part I: A 2 Wheeled History of the 4 Rings Part II: Audi Moto Concept Part III: Bicycles from quattro GmbH Part IV: Unfair Advantage, the Sequel by Christini J.J. Lehto, Choppers and Cross-Country Cruising with Frank Biela
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