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Bamboo bikes on the SA cycling stage?


Calculus Bikes

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Posted

I find your comments very interesting, both seem to like the idea, but dont think bamboo can be used for a "serious" bike.  Could I press you a bit to think why you feel that way?

If it was a "stiff technology" it would have been used more by "industry"?

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Posted

Saw one banging around my neighbourhood under an old toppie years ago.  I think Nils also had one on display in his original Woodstock Cycle Works store on Sir Lowry.

 

May appeal to the real niche peeps who are into that sort of this.

 

But me personally?  Not interested.  I do wear bamboo socks if that counts.

Posted

If it was a "stiff technology" it would have been used more by "industry"?

If we define "industry" as main-stream bicycle manufacturers: Natural materials are not so inclined to be used for mass production of 100 000's of frames per year.  So it makes sense that natural materials won't feature as much as CF, Alum and steel.

 

If we define "industry" as wider than bicycle manufacturers: There is wide application for hard wearing and robust properties such as flooring, and scaffolding building ect.

 

The question then slightly changes to if an industry / consumer should compare itself only to the current "best practices" or look outside the and compare to wider industries.

Posted

If we define "industry" as main-stream bicycle manufacturers: Natural materials are not so inclined to be used for mass production of 100 000's of frames per year.  So it makes sense that natural materials won't feature as much as CF, Alum and steel.

 

If we define "industry" as wider than bicycle manufacturers: There is wide application for hard wearing and robust properties such as flooring, and scaffolding building ect.

 

The question then slightly changes to if an industry / consumer should compare itself only to the current "best practices" or look outside the and compare to wider industries.

I tell you what.

Seeing that it is Friday.

 

I am a bit of a racing snake at heart.  And a number cruncher.

Give me a standard Bamboo road bike to try out for a week. (with a power meter)

I'll do, lets say, 5 "challenges"

Uphill.  Crit type.  Sprint.  Long ride.  etc

 

I'll post the stats of each challenge and we can compare it to my normal road bike. 

My 'normal road bike' will be a stock standard Cannondale Evo.

Posted

If you can throw down pricing and perhaps link that to pictures we would all have a far better idea of what you mean.

 

I would love one. A disk brake frame with an EBB.... a 44mm head tube that has clearance for a standard road crankset.... maybe one that doesn't cost more than an S-Works.....

 

A bamboo gravel bike would be the business.

Posted

If you can throw down pricing and perhaps link that to pictures we would all have a far better idea of what you mean.

 

I would love one. A disk brake frame with an EBB.... a 44mm head tube that has clearance for a standard road crankset.... maybe one that doesn't cost more than an S-Works.....

 

A bamboo gravel bike would be the business.

 

Prices and links would approach the fine line between promotion and discussion  :ph34r: , but, hypothetically speaking I would love to do a gravel bike build.  Give it room for nice 35mm rubber on perhaps 21mm rims. MTB thrue axle front and back for stiffness running some carbon, perhaps South Industy wheels...

Posted

I tell you what.

Seeing that it is Friday.

 

I am a bit of a racing snake at heart.  And a number cruncher.

Give me a standard Bamboo road bike to try out for a week. (with a power meter)

I'll do, lets say, 5 "challenges"

Uphill.  Crit type.  Sprint.  Long ride.  etc

 

I'll post the stats of each challenge and we can compare it to my normal road bike. 

My 'normal road bike' will be a stock standard Cannondale Evo.

 

A number man.  Close to my heart.  

Some riders that took my (bamboo) bike on a local climb did do personal best on normal training ride.  Not that this is nearly real evidence of bamboo performance.

Good idea to do some variety comparisons.  

 

Only problem would be that its not really fair for "cannondale" standard/stock geometry to be compared against custom build geometry.

 

We need to find a standard bamboo bike...

Posted

I find your comments very interesting, both seem to like the idea, but dont think bamboo can be used for a "serious" bike. Could I press you a bit to think why you feel that way?

Weight. Stiffness. Price.

If those three are competitive then why not?

If the bike is heavy, then you may as well use it as a pub bike..

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