VOTEC VRC – Design Innovation Award Winner 2020
VOTEC VRC – Design Innovation Award Winner 2020
In the category Road Bikes and Road Equipment
It could be said that most Hollywood blockbusters win their Oscars before they even hit the big screen. Similarly, certain lucky insiders get a sneak preview of the film before it’s released. Today that lucky insider is you!
Even though the new Votec VRC isn’t available to the public yet, we’ve already got some good news about it: besides giving you a first look today, we’re also happy to announce that the Votec VRC All-Road Bike deeply impressed the jury of the Design Innovation Award. After months of development work and innumerable test kilometres, we decided to put the bike forward for the Design Innovation Award and were able to submit our first prototype for production just in time for the deadline. Naturally, we’re extremely honoured to begin production with the award under our belts.
The asphalt is no longer the limit. Forget everything you thought you knew about road bikes and come with us on a new journey.
Working closely with Heidelberg design studio vonrafael, the VRC is our interpretation of the modern road bike. Just like the legendary 1978 Martini Racing Porsche 911 SC rally car, the VRC allows you to go far beyond the tarmac – its unique design offers fast and efficient performance, combining classic elements with clever details that allow you to focus solely on riding.
The Design & Innovation Award is the only award where products are tested in real-life conditions and assessed holistically before critically-sound statements are made; for us a convincing argument and reason enough to put the VRC in the hands of the 30-strong jury.
This international group of industry experts, engineers and editors got the chance to ride one of the final prototypes on the roads near St. Vigilio in the Dolomites. We’re extremely happy with the jury’s verdict:
“The new Votec VRC Pro combines classic looks with sophisticated features in a modern racing bike that also offers riders the opportunity to get away from the asphalt. With tyre clearance of up to 35 mm and seat stays with increased compliance, nothing stands in the way of off-road use. The unique seat cluster design includes an innovative seat post clamp that can be removed without having to readjust the seat height. Another clever feature is that many of the screw threads are made from metal and not glued into the frame, preventing it from damage. (…) The endurance geometry makes the bike feel smooth and balanced – perfect for the intended area of application. The Votec VRC Pro is not only an absolute eye-catcher with unique features but also a versatile and well-priced bike.”
D.I.A. 2020 Jury Verdict
Find out more about the Design Innovation Award 2020 here.
A carefully-disguised prototype: The eagle-eyed among you might have already spotted prototypes at the Gravel Fondo 2019: in the picture, you’ll see Brand Manager Stephan’s XL VRC prototype. For us, this is the best part of our jobs: testing the bikes we’ve always wanted to ride ourselves. Those who know us know that we are truly passionate about bikes and that we work hard to incorporate our multi-faceted experience into our designs.
The new VRC is only the beginning of Votec’s new journey. Follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates on the VRC first hand as we look forward to an exciting spring 2020.
Stay Tuned !
Team VOTEC
