BAMBOO-ZLED by Bamboo Bikes

I have been absent from this space, mostly due to the research I have been doing into sustainable design, which is growing rapidly in many different luxury product areas.

Specifically I have been looking closely at the growing trend (pun!) of bamboo bikes. If you’re interested in owning a more sustainable and in many cases, stronger ride, please check out these sites:

http://www.masuelli.com/

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

http://www.bamboobikemaker.com

http://www.flaviodeslandes.com/bicycles.html

Most come with a minimum 3 year warranty to put any doubts you may have about their strength and durability at ease, with all companies acknowledging the frame should last you easily past the ten year mark, and they are proven to stand up extremely well against the hard knocks and weather. Bamboo works as a natural shock absorber so is a naturally smoother and quieter ride.

There are a number of companies  other than those I’ve mentioned popping up, but not enough to push down prices-  mostly the complete builds are still sitting in the couple of thousand US dollars mark.  BUT. There is a huge number of DIY videos and instructions on the web to make your own, and I’ll be damned if they don’t make it look pretty simple.

This is a nice site with simple instructions and step by step images:

http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/how-to-build-a-bamboo-bicycle/R12WLA3VKVISP8R1BLL193WZISP8

Calfee designs are using some of their profits to set up bamboo bike workshops in Ghana, while Bamboo Bike Maker are using profits to aid disadvantaged individuals in Thailand, where they are assembled and shipped (making their carbon AND social footprint far less than their rivals.) And BBM are running at a far cheaper price than their competitors, with frame and shipping currently at US $750.

I for one can’t wait to get one…