Alt Bike Culture - Bamboo frame bikes

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detroitjim
07-02-09, 01:33 PM
I think they are a bit pricey, even though someone is quoted in the article that they maybe under priced.
$475 (£290) for road or mountain bike frames, and more than $900 (£550)for a finished bike.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8125274.stm

UBUvelo
07-18-09, 06:28 AM
this is very interesting...curious to see where it goes. true, there's an expense factor, but it's doing the world some good. a part that needs to see and experience some good.

i googled some and found these:

http://www.bmeres.com/bambooframe.htm

http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/ecoloblue-creat.php

http://www.calfeedesign.com/bamboo.htm
AllenG
07-18-09, 06:35 AM
Three hundred pounds is cheep.

hendrick81
07-19-09, 06:07 PM
Calfee bamboo frames are pretty sweet...
UBUvelo
07-20-09, 07:44 AM
anyone seen one or even ridden one?
jeph
07-21-09, 01:01 PM
anyone seen one or even ridden one?

I saw the Calfee frame at LBS in town
http://www.westcountyrevolution.com/

I think they wanted $2500 US for the frame. I might be wrong but it was way beyond my "forget it" amount.

I did see someone riding what looked like a bamboo bike. I was in a car and they rode off.

Neat novelty but too much $$$ for me.

Jeff
AllenG
07-21-09, 02:12 PM
I've built a few.
They are flexy but ride smooth as glass.

http://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/2009/Side.jpg

http://web.me.com/awcg/iWeb/Springwood/Library_files/Lugs.jpg
jtgotsjets
07-21-09, 07:26 PM
How totally out of reach is this for a layperson to build? it seems like it might be a good introduction material to framebuilding? being that there's no welding, no brazing and any carbon (or hemp) work is relegated to lugs only.
Road Rage
07-22-09, 03:49 AM
There are a few organizations and companies promoting bamboo bikes here in Zambia. Right now the cheapest bikes are imports from China, so it is a good thing for Zambia’s economy, especially for insolvent villagers, and for bicycle ambulances.

-RR
AllenG
07-28-09, 09:59 AM
How totally out of reach is this for a layperson to build? it seems like it might be a good introduction material to framebuilding? being that there's no welding, no brazing and any carbon (or hemp) work is relegated to lugs only.

Sorry for the late reply.

Totally easy for a layperson to build.
That's one of the reasons I picked bamboo to do my builds. I don't have any welding equipment or metal working tools.

You need only one specialty tool to build a bamboo frame, a pipe mitering jig, and you can make do without it.

Search "bamboo" in the framebuilding section, there are a few threads in there where I went into detail about building my frames.