How to Build a Bamboo Bicycle

Step 4 Tack frame togther

Now that you have heat treated the bamboo you need, cut, miter and tack the frame together.

You may choose to use a jig to hold everything in place. I did not use a jig so I am not going to go into that here. I don't know much about jigs so don't even ask.

I used the full size drawing and built directly off of that using spacers and standoffs to get everything in the right position.

Use a good half-round wood rasp to miter the joints.

Make sure that you use trigonometry to figure out the length of the chain stays and seat stays. What is drawn on the paper is a projected view.

Rough up the bamboo where the epoxy will go.

Rough up the metal too and stick it all together using 5 minute epoxy or your favorite glue.

Once it is all stuck together very gently put the wheels and fork in place and check alignment. If it looks good you are ready to move to move to the next step. If not

Note: The bamboo headset shown was not a good idea. I had to ream it out and insert a steel head tube because the headset cups did not seat properly in the bamboo and gave a scary wobble when turning corners! Start with a metal head tube and save yourself the hassle. The picture does show how rough your bamboo joint areas should be.

Comments

[Dandie]

I think It is not a very good idea to build a bike frame of bamboo because It’s impossible to assure strong and safe joint sticks, especially in the headset, one of the most stressed pieces. I have seen more than once headset breakages and I can assure that the consequences for the drivers have been horribly serious, they hit the pavement with their faces,……. noses, jawbones, teeth smashed. I think this is not a matter to play with.

[jentran]

For the headset, perhaps you could cut one so that there are nodes at either end to increase stiffness. There are more nodes located at the bottom of a bamboo culm than at the top. I'm not sure how thick the walls of the headset you tried was, that could help too. Some other people sprayed expanding form successfully to increase stiffness to the seat tube.

[Nkevin90]

Okay, hopefully the last question; I really messed up on my headtube angle (but I couldn't help but laugh at it), so how would one go about taking all that crap off? I read up about sodium hydroxide or soaking stuff in acetone, but I'm not sure how great that either'd be for the bamboo itself. Oh right, and I used a steel tube by the way.

[artodoyo]

very nice, its a handy craftman's work.
I've been working with bamboo for last 5 years.  You may try this bamboo species, its very "rugged", you can bend and shape it as you like.
http://www.axelhandicraft.com

[snotty]

Maybe try carefully chopping off the lashing with an angle grinder.

[bikefridaywalter]

that DOES look good. should have extended the seatstays to the top tube for the old GT Triple Triangle effect :D

[ayasbek]

Wow! Looks good except for that one thing! I am so glad you got this far. Here is an idea - try get a different fork. Do you have a local frame builder you can speak to who could make you something? There are many old steel forks that have a good amount of rake/drag or whatever the offset from the headset is called. Another idea is to get a 650 wheel (sometimes called triathlon wheel). It is smaller and may allow you to ride your bike. It would also give you a super track star look but will lower your bottom bracket a bit. Either way be careful. If you really want to remove the hemp epoxy I think I would try a hacksaw or grinder. Chemicals seem like a bad idea.

[jerandemma]

This project looks awesome! I just signed up because of this bike. Has anyone thought of using lugs to join the bamboo? It would look good if you could epoxy the bamboo to the lugs, and it would be strong. All quality vintage bikes are lugged for good reason. Any thoughts?

[bikefridaywalter]

i'm curious about this too-- i'm gonna see if i can track down some carbon lugs like they use for ti/carbon frames. i'll let you know if i can find anything :D

[jerandemma]

Sounds Great!

[magicalnumber12]

i am toying with the idea of lugs as well. i think it would work well and have a cleaner look. this is a project of mine for the winter. i am thinking about useing kevlar or carbonfiber at the joints as well. here is a bunch of good links

http://www.bikelugs.com/

http://www.cycle-frames.com/bicycle-frame-tubing/home.php

http://www.framebuilding.com/index.htm

http://www.gaerlan.com/bikeparts/bike.html

Have fun

[bikefridaywalter]

cool well life is busy so if you beat me to to the punch, make sure to post some pix!

[santimo]

first, I´m sorry for my English. Did you pick the bamboo pieces in order to match with the size of the short bottom bracket lugs(is that the word for the small tubes that come out from the bottom bracket, those that are connected with down and seat tubes and stays?) or did you fit them by other means, maybe its explained and i´m lost in translation thans from argentina

[CrazyCanuck01]

Like the idea and am on the way to building one. But I was thrown when you mentioned trigonometry. Since I was a Political Science Major (I know stop laughing, I dropped out anyway lol). Is the some way of figuring this stuff out other then trigonometry. Great and informative Instructable.

[xman]

You can use a CAD program to do the math for you :P

[slice_rulz]

i absolutely love this project and cant wait to try it out for myself. thanks.