A new bike brand called Avona has arrived on the scene, offering a range of models that span road, gravel, MTB and eBikes.
Helmed by industry veterans, Jonas Müller and Max Koch, who worked alongside such established brands as BMC, DT Swiss and Santa Cruz, as well as boutique component companies like ARC8 bikes and Faserwerk, Avona recently broke cover at the recent Bike Connection Agency event in Italy.
Avona says it took a “holistic approach” when it came to developing performance, factoring in all aspects of the bike and rider, including weight, friction, rolling resistance and bike fit, relying on extensive ride simulations to determine the best application of drivetrain components that even included chain lubrication and tire pressure(s).
In fact, Avona has partnered with CeramicSpeed to ensure that every bike chain is pre-treated with the company’s UFO wax.
When it came to aerodynamics, Avona says it conducted detailed 3D CFD (computational fluid dynamics) studies, as well as extensive wind tunnel testing, followed by a series of prototypes before creating a final design.
For us, the two bikes that stand out the most are the Velum road bike and the Callis gravel bike.
While still under development, the Velum is set to be Avona’s flagship all-around road bike, featuring a lightweight frame that tips the scales at a claimed 730 grams in a size 54cm, while boasting enough clearance to accommodate tires up to 35mm.
Avona says the Velum frameset will sell for €3,499, along with a number of build options from SRAM and Shimano with prices ranging from €6,999 to €10,499.
In the case of the Callis, Avona says it’s more or less the gravel equivalent of the Velum, featuring greater tire clearance and all of the trappings of the gravel bike segment including an integrated downtube storage compartment, as well as a dedicated aero seat post from Faserwerk Wuthocker, all the while still coming in with an impressive frame weight of 950 grams for an unpainted size 54cm.
Speaking of paint, this is where Avona claims they were really able to dial in the styling quotient, offering one-of-a-kind dazzling colorways and schemes like the “save the postal service” paint job.
The Callis frameset with an integrated cockpit and seat post will sell for €3,499, while complete bikes fitted with Shimano and SRAM groupsets shod with DT Swiss wheels will top out at €9,999.
