VAAST Bikes’ flagship road bike, the R/1, has won a sustainability award at the inaugural FIT Sport Design Awards.
The R/1 triumphed in the ‘Sport Equipment Design – Sustainability’ category, which recognizes products that have been designed… ‘with a sustainable vision to reduce the sport’s ecological footprint on the environment.’
VAAST’s products currently include the R/1 (road), A/1 (all-road/gravel), U/1 (urban), Y/1 (youth) and E/1 (urban eBike) performance bicycles. It is part of United Wheels, a global holding company of outdoor brands including Huffy, Buzz E-Bikes, Niner Bikes, Batch Bicycles, Royce Union and VAAST.
Morten Kristiansen, General Manager at VAAST Bikes, said “We’re thrilled the R/1 has been honoured by a world-renowned awards panel for being one of the most sustainable, progressive and eco-friendly road bikes on the market.
“From the very beginning, VAAST has promoted the responsible use of materials and the R/1’s Allite Super Magnesium frame is a shining testament to that. Not only is magnesium considered the most eco-friendly and sustainable metal in the world, it is also 100% recyclable, dissolves naturally leaving no trace, and has practically unlimited natural reserves.
“It also requires less energy to shape and machine compared to other metals, and helps us fulfil our commitment to designing better performing, more accessible, sustainable, and earth-friendly bikes.”
Astrid Hébert, Program Director at the FIT Sport Design Awards, said “VAAST Bikes have demonstrated once again how innovation, performance and sustainability can work hand in hand. With its Allite Super Magnesium frame being 100% recyclable, its responsible production process which reduces energy consumption, and its eco-friendly packaging – VAAST’s R/1 is remarkable.
“This is a well-deserved recognition for VAAST Bikes, awarding their design vision and environmental commitments.”
VAAST’s Allite Super Magnesium frames claims shock absorption properties, and reportedly weighs 70% less than steel, 50% less than titanium and 33% less than aluminium. The frames are also claimed to be 56% stronger than titanium, 21% stronger than aluminium, and 17% stronger than steel.
Before paint, the R/1 frames are treated with a Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation coating. This produces a hard, dense finish optimized to provide corrosion protection, wear resistance, improved hardness, strain tolerance, improved fatigue performance, and a better bonding surface for colours and effects.
The latest award is VAAST’s fifth recognition in the space of 12 months. Its full-suspension urban e-bike, the E/1, triumphed in the Outdoor And Exercise Equipment-Bicycle and Bicycle Accessories category at the International Design Awards, the Best of the Best Transportation Award at the ABC Awards, the Urban category at the Design & Innovation Awards, and the Excellent Product Design – Bicycles and E-Bikes category at the German Design Awards.
The FIT Sport Design Awards recognize the industry’s most innovative sports equipment and apparel from around the world with no-less than 45 categories represented and entries received from 28 countries across the globe.
www.vaastbikes.com
www.unitedwheels.com
