Bamboo bikes.

finchy
finchy Posts: 6,686
edited July 2009 in The bottom bracket
Do you think this will ever take off?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... amboo-bike

The raw material must be cheaper than producing steel, carbon fibre or aluminium, and in terms of sustainable development it could help cycling to boost its environmental credentials even more.

Comments

  • whydoesitalwaysrainonme
    whydoesitalwaysrainonme Posts: 532
    Maybe, depends on disadvantages and strengths and weaknesses etc, also is it cheaper than a carbon or alu frame?. And is it strong enough. If it is going to go mainstream then they are going to have to advertise it more and possibly get a big bike manufacturer involved.
    Ribble Gran Fondo
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    Raleigh Chopper
  • dilemna
    dilemna Posts: 2,187
    Might be popular with Pandas.....
    Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
    Think how stupid the average person is.......
    half of them are even more stupid than you first thought.
  • fungus_the_muffin_man
    fungus_the_muffin_man Posts: 1,608
    dilemna wrote:
    Might be popular with Pandas.....

    As some cyclists look like panda's after a days riding in the sun when they take their shades off it could be appropriate.

    cycling_panda_light_shirts-p235568219086741753try8_210.jpg
    Bianchi. There are no alternatives only compromises!
    I RIDE A KONA CADABRA -would you like to come and have a play with my magic link?
  • ColinJ
    ColinJ Posts: 2,218
    Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:
    As some cyclists look like panda's after a days riding in the sun when they take their shades off it could be appropriate.
    More like negative pandas - light round the eyes and dark elsewhere!
  • jos2thehua
    jos2thehua Posts: 76
    Sounds interesting, but seems way distant in the future before it goes mainstream. Somebody will have to win the Tour on a bamboo frame before it catches on big.
  • pedylan
    pedylan Posts: 768
    Marying a bamboo frame up to racing groupsets and wheels no doubt gives an eye catching concept but it gives a price tag of '000's of pounds.

    This looks like intermediate technology for developing countries - renewable raw materials, biodegradable at end of life and simple to construct.

    It isn't really the answer to the frame partner for a group and wheel set costing £2k if it's going to catch on.
    Where the neon madmen climb
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    Calfee actually make one. supposedly v.comfortable. Musueew uses flax in their bikes so why not bamboo. It's strong,light and sustainable.

    http://www.calfeedesign.com/bamboo.htm

    Oops, hadn't read the OP, but quite a bit on Google about this. If i had the money/space I'd be interested in trying one.
    M.Rushton
  • fatandwheezing
    fatandwheezing Posts: 169
    There was a cardboard bike featured on the BBC news a few months back, can't recall exactly how much of it was cardboard, but the entrie frame was certainly.

    The designer said it was deliberatly made to look rubbish, so that nobody would want to nick it.
  • mhuk
    mhuk Posts: 327
    On the outskirts of Lusaka, Zambia, next year's crop of bicycles is being watered by Benjamin Banda.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8125274.stm

    _45988331_bambooteamc.jpg

    Looks nice and light :)
    Scott Scale

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