Green Wheels: Bicycles Made of Bamboo

Bicycles have been made from metal over the years but you should not be surprised if you see one made of bamboo in your vicinity in the near future.

Since last year, two bamboo factories in Kumasi and Accra have been producing bicycles from wild bamboo on a pilot basis to boost transport in the rural areas.

No one has built bicycles in Africa using local materials but through ingenuity and innovation this has been made possible and soon Ghanaian cyclists would ride locally-manufactured bamboo bicycles.

There have been reports of school children walking long distances to schools in rural areas while some professionals have refused postings to some villages because of lack of vehicles.

Since the commencement of the bomboo bicycle project, some farmers, teachers, midwives and other health care workers in remote areas have been given bikes freely to discharge their duties effectively.

Now the factories intend to improve production by 250 percent by the end of the year.

With 20 employees each, the factories plan to produce up to 20,000 affordable bikes a year.

David Ho, a student of the Columbia University in the USA and his associates John Mutter, Vijay Modi and Craig Calfee are the brains behind the production of bamboo bicycles in Ghana.

This was after they introduced a prototype bamboo cargo bike to young entrepreneurs in the country and one of them has since helped to manufacture frames which have been fitted with metal parts latter.

Using locally sourced material, Craig Calfee, who used to focus on building ultra-light custom bicycle frames out of carbon fiber, now teaches young entrepreneurs to build their own bikes.

“I want to give them a chance at economic independence.”

Currently, the bamboo bikes are not being provided freely and the young men at the two manufacturing sites now build several types of bamboo bike frames, which they ship to Calfee’s shop.

First, the bamboo is smoked and treated with heat over four months to prevent splitting and then the pieces are joined together using a natural fiber, called hemp fiber.

Bike mechanics set up treated bamboo pieces on what looks like a low-technology, a jig made from plumber’s pipes.

With wood glue holding the frame in place, they bind the joints using tough cord made from plant fibre soaked in epoxy.

Making the frame by hand takes at least a week and after the final sanding and coating, the bamboosero bikes are shipped to the USA, tested fitted with wheels, pedals, handlebars and brakes and put on sale.

Access to power or power tools is not a requirement for making the frames and hence the rural areas where the bamboo grow is most suitable after which each frame is worth about $150 to the builders.

“The combination of strength and flexibility inherent in bamboo makes it an excellent choice for frames and because it doesn’t need heavy tooling, it’s a great option for places without access to high-tech manufacturing tools,” said Calfee.

Bamboosero currently offers frames for road bikes, mountain bikes and cargo bikes.

Some African countries including Zambia and Uganda while others such as New Zealand, and the Philippineshave also started putting bamboo to good use, making bicycles for its citizenry.

Apart from assisting young people to work to support their families, the project also helps attract foreign investment into economies.

The Bamboo Bike Project has received several donations from the Charities Advisory Trust, the Ripple Foundation, an enterprising donor who organized a benefit concert, and numerous others.

Calfee Design, who started making bikes with carbon fiber, says bamboo will be the next hot material.

Maame Adjwoa Pomaah, a student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, who spotted one of the bamboo bicycles, couldn’t hide her joy.

“For me, it looks solid and I think it’s a great invention.”

If more young people get to learn this technology then they can produce the bamboo bicycles for the masses and make them affordable for everyone.



Why bikes?

v Bicycles are in great demand as a major labor saving device, and transporting water, people, food and other items is six times more efficient on bikes.

v Bikes are reliable and efficient capable of improving the lives of people.

v Bikes can make workplaces, markets, and schools more accessible.

v Bikes are easy to maintain than cars, so the positive improvements they create in people’s lives can be counted on a daily basis. Bicycles enable villages to build their own economies and have access to resources beyond their own immediate area.

Why bamboo bicycles?

v Bamboo bikes cost less than inferior imported steel bikes.

v Bamboo is plentiful and does not need to be imported as a raw material. Bamboo is easy to grow and can be cultivated in dry areas with minimal irrigation.

v Bamboo bikes require a significant amount of labor to produce, providing skilled employment and an apprenticeship model that helps youth find opportunity.

v Making Bamboo bikes does not require electricity or a huge investment in equipment.