With excellent design - the ROTWILD R.R275 X
The R.R275 X has won the IF Design Award 2024. The ROTWILD Gravelbike with eAssist convinced the judges in the "Bicycles" product category. The design was created by the design agency ARTEFAKT from Darmstadt and transferred into a production-ready bike in collaboration with our engineers over 18 months of intensive discussions, drawings, 3D prints, and test rides. This is a premiere for us as it marks our first electrification of the "Road" segment. However, it is also a tribute to the brand's roots in competitive sports. The "R" stands for "Race". The focus is on the rider's own performance and their pursuit of becoming faster kilometer by kilometer. As a flexible all-road bike - indicated by the "X" - the R.R275 X does not shy away from turning onto gravel roads. The design, with its high degree of functionality integration, is clearly to be described as one thing: radical.
The design of the R.R275 X provokes.
"Now we were bold," says Tomas Fiegl, CEO of ARTEFAKT, with a wink and a touch of self-irony. The work of the design agency is always characterized by the principle of "Shaping Identity" and is inherently a special statement. They are meant to literally cast a shadow, allowing the uniqueness of a design to be recognized at first glance. "This was also the case in our work for the ROTWILD R.R275 X. Our goal was to design a signature design for this strong premium brand that would give the model an outstanding position in the competitive environment," he says. "The award is a confirmation of the foresight to develop the ROTWILD R.R275 X from a radical approach, to break with the mainstream, and to represent it before an international jury with a certain willingness to take risks." "We are very pleased that this approach has been rewarded," adds ROTWILD CEO Peter Schlitt. "With our new Gravelbike, we are returning to a development approach whose flagship model many years ago was the R.S1 CX. Light like a road bike, robust like a mountain bike, this model was a specialist for asphalt but also for trails off the road," Peter Schlitt adds. "These are attributes that also characterize the R.R275 X. With our re-entry into this market segment, we want to make a statement from the outset and polarize. The radical frame design, innovative light integration, and the concept of eAssist, which puts the rider's own performance in the spotlight, are essential factors here. The iF Design Award for the R.R275 X confirms this approach, which we made a reality with the outstanding design expertise of ARTEFAKT."
We describe the design process for the R.R275 X in more detail here.
The R.R275 X scores above average
The iF Design Award has been honoring exceptional achievements in the field of design since 1954. The competition now includes nine disciplines, including product design, communication design, and architecture. The "iF" denotes the global classification and now stands for "International Forum". In the current round, the jurors received over 10,000 submissions from 72 countries. Three jurors examined our R.R275 X in the bicycle category with its clear lines, integrated system components, and race-oriented appearance. Five criteria - differentiation, impact, idea, function, and form - guided the assessment process. Why is it relevant? Why does it work? How does it appeal to the target audience? These are just some of the questions the jury had to answer. In all areas, the R.R275 X scored above average, with full marks in the "form" category. With the bike, ARTEFAKT and ROTWILD succeeded in reducing additive elements and creating a clean appearance. A key element is the elongated top tube. By integrating the TQ HPR 50 motor and the battery into the downtube, the designers were able to build on the concept of eAssist in the R.X275 and give the gravel bike a very special touch.
