Bamboo and Hemp Road Bike

This is my second broken carbon bike I turned into a Bamboo and Hemp bike.  This bike looks amazing in person, and rides really well too.  The stiffness of this bike is unbelievable.  I highly recommend making one.  You can view the entire process, plus the build of another bamboo bike at the AdventureSeed Blog. 

If you want the reasons I made some of these decisions, read the build for Bamboo Bike number 1.  It explains a lot about why some decisions were made and gives more details on the jig

I have only a few tools available to me, so I hope this is useful to the rest of you garage builders who don't have extensive shops. 

This is bamboo bike version two. It was built in a weekend. It is meant to correct the problems of version 1- cracking tubes and poor ride quality. The seat mast idea on version 1 was inspired by the LOOK 595 we demoed, but the bamboo didn't work well because of the length of the mast and bamboo's tendency to split if you put anything inside of it.

Materials changed, as we decided to go cheaper and more accessible on this one. Also, we went to Jungle Supply for the bamboo, and the selection was bigger.

If you do like this instructable, check out the blog at AdventureSeed.com for similar DIY projects and awesome stuff.

Step 1 Assemble Materials

Bamboo - Jungle Supply - $7.50 per 10' 2-3" speckled bamboo pole

Epoxy - Tap Plastics - $40/qt, but don't buy this. Any low VOC (less toxic) laminating epoxy will work. I recommend System Three, West Marine MAS Epoxy or Resin Research Get a quart

Hemp - Craft store - $10 A full large roll of hemp was used.

Tools - Dremel diamond cutting bit - $15, wood cutting bit $15. Available at Home Depot too

Gorilla Glue - Home Depot - $10

Frame Jig - Ours is build from Aluminum Extrusions.  Plywood or MDF can work if you have the capacity to make it.  I don't have enough tools for that. 

Comments

[jakebaldwin]

Any specific reason you're using hemp? Why not twine or something?

[bruno nogueira]

you cut s works frame? you crazy????

[aalese]

I thought the same thing

[xrais]

yeah, this man is crazy!!

[dwosullivan]

By broken and unrideable what do you mean exactly?
Considering the amount of epoxy and hemp you used to make your 'lugs' you should have been able to fix the s works...

you gotta admit a carbon frame with hemp joints would look pretty good.

[dyoder]

that bike has to be supper light wait

[BobMarleyFan]

when it comes to cracks, you could fill them with epoxy and wrap them with the hemp. I did that when I cracked the side of my boat whilst bowing the sides.

[jugglingninja33]

I have bamboo growing all around my house (I made a sweet little hut out of it). Should I dry/treat the bamboo in any way before I use it?

[jmasonherr]

yes. there is a heat treating method using a torch you should use. it is easy to find with google.

[matthew gowan]

This is the ultimate hipster bike. Did you ever try to make bamboo forks?

[chapa-de-frente]

HOW DID I NOT KNOW OF THIS!
i like bikes, ima buy some bamboo seeds soon, and my bike feels like giving up on me too!

[jmasonherr]

this frame was broken and unrideable. we joked about it being fine, and it being ordered just for the project, but it really was broken.

check out nova cycles for an awesome selection of bike frame pieces. they're my favorite.

i would be curious to see how you dealt with the rear dropouts using steel lugs.

[discontinuuity]

Surly sells dropouts:
http://surlybikes.com/parts/frame_building_parts/

You'd probably have to weld them to short lengths of steel and then bind them to the bamboo. Getting the alignment right might be difficult, but not impossible.

[the prisoner of Azkaban]

nothing like re-inventing the wheel!

[discontinuuity]

It looks like bike #1 used parts from a broken carbon frame, but this one looks like it's in good shape. Did you cut up a perfectly good frame?

I think if I was to attempt such a project I would order steel lugs rather than cut up a frame.