The Bamboo Bike Project is a collaboration between Scientists and Engineers at The Earth Institute at Columbia University, and a bicycle builder at Calfee Design. The project aims to examine the feasibility of implementing cargo bikes made of bamboo as a sustainable form of transportation in Africa. The ultimate goals of the project are:
1.To build a better bike for poor Africans in rural areas.
2.To stimulate a bicycle building industry in Africa to satisfy local needs.
1.To build a better bike for poor Africans in rural areas.
2.To stimulate a bicycle building industry in Africa to satisfy local needs.
In Africa bamboo is common, but carbon fiber, or hemp, that’s used to join the bamboo tubes, isn’t. So after a bit of research Craig Calfee found a locally grown substitute, the sisal fiber.
“They use it for insulation in their buildings," he said. "It comes from Northern Africa. We’ve tested the fiber compared to a hemp fiber, bamboo fiber and jute fiber. The sisal is surprisingly strong but it’s a coarse fiber so it’s not as easy to work with, but it’s functional so it does the job and it’s really cheap over there.”
Dropouts, head tubes, bottom bracket shells and epoxy resin will have to be imported. Calfee’s project depends on its ability to get these items to the local builders.
“They use it for insulation in their buildings," he said. "It comes from Northern Africa. We’ve tested the fiber compared to a hemp fiber, bamboo fiber and jute fiber. The sisal is surprisingly strong but it’s a coarse fiber so it’s not as easy to work with, but it’s functional so it does the job and it’s really cheap over there.”
Dropouts, head tubes, bottom bracket shells and epoxy resin will have to be imported. Calfee’s project depends on its ability to get these items to the local builders.
the pics here are of the sisal fiber and a working bamboo bike.
