You do realize that your longboard is bamboo epoxy ply, right? Completely different beast.

AND with a carbon fiber center ply ...... sigh, sometimes I fail to just appreciate the nice details of my nice things which I pay extra for....

Almost done, just need to add a brake. I actually test rode the bike and it rides.

i am very impressed

thanks man

That's a cool look. Where did you get the Bamboo?

craigslist. $20 for 5 six foot sections.

if you think the top tube carries more stress then the downtube... well i dont even know what to say.

Unless the frame was totally messed up, I can't imagine why anyone would pursue this type of project ?

Its a project, Why do people invent things?
Curiosity, Challenge, Using pass knowledge.

He could've made it for pure fun, He could've made it for a job interview who knows.

But project like these are the ones that people look at. rather then welding 6 bikes together

the problem with you design is you are treating bamboo like steel. you need to think more like aluminum. i say this because a guy i know made an amazing bamboo bike that only broke cause of a car accident. look at the calfee bikes. they dont use as thin a diameter tube as you are. again think more like aluminum. I am going to be making a full bamboo bike this summer myself too... there is a place not too far from me that sells amazing bamboo in all sizes and straight as an arrow, super cheap too.

I did it, cause someone said I couldn't.

and imo, that is a great reason.

Dude, a lot of great ideas (dare I say, businesses) start small like this.

And at the end of the day, do what you want, right?! This is wicked cool even if it doesn't materialize to bikes that people can "gnar" on. Keep it up, problempoker ... a somewhat ironic username considering you're making stuff.

pretty cool projects but watch out for bumps and girls with hairy armpits.

You could fill the bamboo with some kind of expanding foam to give it more rigidity. I concur with happypills regarding the varnish. You really need some kind of coating to preserve that bamboo.

Exactly what species of bamboo are you using?

You should check out the bamboo thread in the framebuilders forum, I don't think I've seen you post in there.

If the bamboo is not rigid enough, then it is probably too small. It would probably be better to use a larger diameter pole than a smaller one with expanding foam.

I did use a clear varnish on top of the bamboo. The bamboo was also heat treated first. Funny enough I used a turkey deep fryer (minus the pot) as my mean of getting a flame on the bamboo. After a few trials the heat treatment went well. I ride this thing every now and again around town, and it is as rigid as it was the day I finished it. And by the way, I weigh about 200 lbs, so it is going through its paces.

Another thing, the bamboo was purchased off of craigslist. The hardest thing is finding a straight piece without any cracking. Even a hairline crack will give you problems down the road.

Lol I was about to say there...