footloose
10 kW
Have begun a project to build a bamboo-framed mid-tail bike with BBS02 750W and Nexus 8 IGH.
Wanted to build a bamboo frame for several years. Got the necessary bamboo for tubes back in 2013. It’s been air drying since then. My gut instinct is that bamboo has ample strength for a mid-tail design (stretched about 5 inches), but I'm less certain about how it might do in a long-tail design. So I’m taking a shot at building a bamboo mid-tail.
Found two steel frame salvage bikes – $20 each – as donor bikes for necessary frame bits.
I’ll document build process here. With luck I’ll end up with a ride-able bike that addresses design needs. Or the project simply may not work out but I’ll have learned something in the process. If the bike feels good I’ll ride it. If it feels like a deathtrap I’ll recycle the frame into garden stakes next spring :lol:
Step One. Selection of bamboo begins the curing process in 2013.
Step Two. Donor bike and dropouts held in place on temporary plywood building frame.
Closeups of the bottom bracket secured to frame and original + new dropouts...
View attachment 2
Step 3. Donor bike with un-needed bits removed and recycled. Key bits remain in original spatial relationship on the building frame.
Step 4. Bamboo tubes tacked in place with West Marine epoxy. Starts to look like a bamboo bike...
Enough for now, more later.
Wanted to build a bamboo frame for several years. Got the necessary bamboo for tubes back in 2013. It’s been air drying since then. My gut instinct is that bamboo has ample strength for a mid-tail design (stretched about 5 inches), but I'm less certain about how it might do in a long-tail design. So I’m taking a shot at building a bamboo mid-tail.
Found two steel frame salvage bikes – $20 each – as donor bikes for necessary frame bits.
I’ll document build process here. With luck I’ll end up with a ride-able bike that addresses design needs. Or the project simply may not work out but I’ll have learned something in the process. If the bike feels good I’ll ride it. If it feels like a deathtrap I’ll recycle the frame into garden stakes next spring :lol:
Step One. Selection of bamboo begins the curing process in 2013.
Step Two. Donor bike and dropouts held in place on temporary plywood building frame.
Closeups of the bottom bracket secured to frame and original + new dropouts...
View attachment 2
Step 3. Donor bike with un-needed bits removed and recycled. Key bits remain in original spatial relationship on the building frame.
Step 4. Bamboo tubes tacked in place with West Marine epoxy. Starts to look like a bamboo bike...
Enough for now, more later.