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Crowd Cycling: Bamboo Bee Bikes Hope to get Built in Tech

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There has certainly been no shortage of Bamboo bikes recently, though in most cases they have been from smaller hand built brands building custom bikes for their customers. Bamboo Bee bikes is looking to bring bamboo bikes to the masses, but not just any bamboo bikes – technologically advanced bamboo bikes.

Just what is a technologically based bamboo bike? Good question – to start with, Bamboo Bee points out very clearly that bamboo can crack when the fibers dry out. To prevent the frames from cracking, Bamboo Bee developed a proprietary frame strengthening method that is two fold. First, the bamboo is infused with honey. Yes, honey. We’re guessing that might have something to do with where the name came from, and probably keeps the internal structures of the bamboo from drying out. Second, each bamboo tube is actually double-wall. One smaller piece of bamboo is bonded inside of another larger piece, resulting in a much stronger tube.

In addition to the relatively low tech frame improvements, Bamboo Bee hints at utilizing modern technology like Bluetooth and GPS in their bikes as well.

Crowd Cycling: Bamboo Bee Bikes Hope to get Built in Tech

The video mentions that the bikes could have built in alarm systems that will alert you via text message if your bike is being stolen, and then can be tracked by GPS to retrieve it. However, this technology looks like it will only be developed if the Kickstarter funding reaches the lofty $600k mark, a far cry from the $21,631 currently pledged with 27 days to go.

Crowd Cycling: Bamboo Bee Bikes Hope to get Built in Tech

Never the less, the bicycles are intriguing without the electronic bits thanks to their hand built, reinforced design that carries EN certification and a 10 year warranty.Each of the bikes is hand built in a village in China, and supposedly takes around 38 hours to craft. In order to keep each bike unique, Bamboo Bee uses minimal processing of the bamboo’s exterior and offers multiple finishing options of the lugs.

Crowd Cycling: Bamboo Bee Bikes Hope to get Built in Tech

Currently, there are only two models offered for the Kickstarter – the Revolution and the Sunny, though there are quite a few build options for each. In addition to the bikes there are a ton of options for pledges from clothing to bamboo water bottle cages, saddles, and even rims.

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13 Comments
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Androo
Androo
10 years ago

Lots of people have tackled the bamboo-cracking problem. Usually it involves using high-quality bamboo that is properly kiln dried. And then drilling out the nodes.

But hey, honey might work , too. Not sure if bonding a smaller piece of bamboo inside the larger piece (essentially increasing the wall thickness) is particularly elegant engineering. Then again, you’re probably not getting a bamboo bike for its performance.

Topmounter
Topmounter
10 years ago

Does each Bamboo Bee Bike come with a complimentary can of bear spray?

drider
drider
10 years ago

Why does the “Sunny” have it’s QRs levers on the drive side?

Ajax
Ajax
10 years ago

Kiln dried is good for lumber, but it’s a total joke using it on thinner woods like Bamboo. If anything, using kiln dried bamboo would make the wood dryer and MORE prone to cracking, not less.

Androo
Androo
10 years ago

Ajax – looks like you’re correct. Properly air-dried, then?

bike gang
10 years ago

because riding around the world is 3700 miles… and honey is the best laminate…

CJ
CJ
10 years ago

Ahhhh! the old bamboo bike frame idiocy continues. Just Awesome.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
10 years ago

Ah, the old bamboo bike frames are idiocy comments continue. You have to wonder if there are really that many 13 year old kids reading bike rumor, but from the number of “that’s stupid”, “that’s retarded”, “that’s idiocy” comments, I guess the 13 year old readers are greater in number than anyone might have expected.

CJ
CJ
10 years ago

PSisquared- Are you the official bamboo supplier to these builders?
Your drive to 3rd world materials is relentless.
Feel free-I like actual engineered materials not using my rake handle to form a bike frame.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
10 years ago

Nah, I’ve got nothing invested in bamboo, but I do have something invested in reducing ignorance in the world. Engineered materials? You don’t really get engineering, do you? Your ignorance of the properties of wood, bamboo, and other materials is flashing like a Vegas marquis. You should have taken a science class or two in high school.

ACE
ACE
10 years ago

Nice,but I want a bike marshmallows and sunshine.Are there anybody building those here?

CJ
CJ
10 years ago

PSI-Hate to burst your bubble but I am a licensed ME.
I have spent way too much time in Structural Materials classes to accept your BS.

Joe Peanut
10 years ago

Craig Calfee, one of the most respected bicycle frame builders around, has been making bamboo-framed bicycles for years. He first started to make them as a project designing bicycles people in rural areas of developing countries could build themselves. He liked the material so much, that now he sells his bamboo frames alongside his carbon fiber ones. See http://www.calfeedesign.com/products/bamboo/

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