A Triumph of Innovation

HTech Bikes’ HRP Technology

At HTech Bikes, we’ve always been passionate about innovation and pushing the boundaries of wooden bike frames. We’re pioneers in integrating carbon fiber into modern wooden frames. Our ground-breaking Hardwood Reinforced Plastic (HRP) tubes are the result of years of innovation. Standing apart from our traditional machined hardwood frames, by combining wood veneers with resin, we’ve created a mouldable material that offers strength, stability, and improved performance. Developed over three years of intensive research, development, and testing. Our ground-breaking HRP tubes are a testament to our commitment to excellence.

HRP is the heart of our modern bicycle frames. Unlike traditional tubed timber bikes, HRP combines the natural beauty and compliance of wood with the strength and performance of carbon fiber. Manufactured by creating our own wood veneers in a range of thicknesses down to just 0.3mm thick. Various sizes are then rolled and combined with a number of layers of carbon fabric at varying orientations, so each tube has a different layup of these two materials. By adjusting the layup of each tube we can tune them to our desired properties. For example, the top tubes have the lowest carbon-to-wood ratio of a HRP frame to create a compliant ride. Using the HRP process we can create ultra-thin tubes, with the seat tube on a Puissant W just 1.2mm in thickness. Remarkably, despite creating a stiffer frame, the same ability to control our tubes’ properties means that our HRP frames retain the same compliance that defines our machined frames. It absorbs road vibrations, ensuring a comfortable ride without compromising performance. We’ve achieved a frame that surpasses all other wooden bikes. Smooth, lightweight, and stiff, offering an unparalleled riding experience, the ultimate material.

The process itself to manufacture HRP tubes has many advantages beyond just ride quality. HRP tubes, being infused with resin, are completely stable at all temperatures and moisture levels. The wood will not expand and shrink with temperature as machined frames will do, a big advantage for climates that are exposed to extremes of temperature and weather. The manufacturing process for an HRP frame uses less wood compared to our traditional machined wooden frames as well. The same amount of timber needed to create an Aeriform can create four Puissant frames. Dealing with less variability in the timber stock, allow HRP frames to be manufactured in a fraction of the time that it takes to build a machined frame, making them more affordable.

The HRP manufacturing process also results in a stunning visual contrast. Black or raw carbon fiber lugs elegantly complement the natural wood grain tubes a natural work of art that when combined with our classic lugged design is timeless, bridging tradition and modernity. We’ve created a fusion that celebrates craftsmanship while delivering cutting-edge performance, all in one bike frame.

HRP frames redefine what wooden frames can achieve. Our Puissant W is the pinnacle of this technology and is a marvel of engineering, with frames tipping the scales at just 1000g and complete bikes weighing in as little as 6.2 kg. Our HRP frames are not just another bike, it’s a revolution in bicycle frame technology. At HTech Bikes, we’re not just building frames, we’re shaping the future of cycling. Join us on this journey, where wood meets innovation, and ride one of our HRP-built bikes—masterpieces that defy expectations.