buzzy-beans
Über Member
- Location
- Woolsthorpe By Colsterworth
booooootiful and brilliant!
Self Build Bamboo Bike Frame Kit Build Thread
- Thread starter chriswoody
- Start date
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Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Looking gewd indeed. Bet you can't wait to find out what it feels like to ride!
LeetleGreyCells
Un rouleur infatigable
- Location
- Whitehaven Mansions
Awe-inspiring!
Smokin Joe
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
Looks fantastic, Chris. All your efforts have been well worth while.
However, in complete opposite to thre normal forum quote of "Your chain's a bit slack", that one looks as taut as a bow string and could do with a bit of sag in it to avoid knackering the bearings.
However, in complete opposite to thre normal forum quote of "Your chain's a bit slack", that one looks as taut as a bow string and could do with a bit of sag in it to avoid knackering the bearings.
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
That looks fantastic.
Amazing! I've binge read this thread from start to finish and was gutted when I got to the end and it wasn't finished!
Now I'm kind of jealous of all the folks who followed you in real time.
I have so much admiration for the way you've gone about this project and you've been a big inspiration to me to get off my lazy ass and commit to my own (very much less complicated) project.
I'm very much looking forward to the next installment.
Now I'm kind of jealous of all the folks who followed you in real time.
I have so much admiration for the way you've gone about this project and you've been a big inspiration to me to get off my lazy ass and commit to my own (very much less complicated) project.
I'm very much looking forward to the next installment.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Looking good. 
Andrew1971
Veteran
- Location
- Northallerton
Can't wait to see it finished. Look's fantastic The green look's like british racing green.
OP
OP
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
Thanks everyone for the comments, good to see you follow along @Serge . Hope you get stuck into your project soon, it's always good to have a project on the go. The colour is called Hercules from the vintage bike collection, but I was attracted to it because I thought it looked just like British racing green as well!
So yesterday the postman arrived with the last bits, however, due to family commitments, I couldn't pick up any spanners until 8 O'clock. I then set to for the next 2 hours building up the last of the bike. Aside from brakes, fettling and adjusting the chain tension (Thanks @Smokin Joe !) I also had the last of the frame fittings to do. The kit supplies four threaded inserts for attaching racks or bottle cages to the frame. It involves drilling two 8mm holes into my nice new frame. To say I was nervous would be an understatement.
The drilling went well, however screwing the inserts in fractured the surface of the Bamboo slightly. It's only cosmetic though and will be hidden under the bottle cage, so no great problem.
Then we reached the point were there really was nothing left to do. We were done and could finally stand back and admire our work.
So today I dragged the bike out into a beautiful day and gave it one final check over. Then it was of for a few laps of the estate, whilst adjusting seat positions and handlebars. When I was relatively happy I packed some tools and filled a water bottle before heading out on my favourite route. It's only 22km, but provides a nice workout for the bike with a mix of smooth roads, forest tracks and small sections of cobbles. So enough talk, here is the final finished bike out in its natural habitat.
So the million dollar question, how does it ride? Absolutely lovely. I'm no expert on different frame materials or their properties and I still ride the old Dawes Galaxy I bought 25 years ago. However, the ride is so smooth and comfy, it is really noticeable. I know the steel front forks will cancel out some of the effects of the Bamboo, but the smoothness of the ride was really noticeable. Aside from that it is a really lovely bike and the fact that I built the frame is really satisfying.
So after all this time, I'm sat here typing this and supping the Bamboo beer that you saw in the very first post. Yep I vowed it would stay unopened until after the very first ride, and how does it taste? really satisfying.
So yesterday the postman arrived with the last bits, however, due to family commitments, I couldn't pick up any spanners until 8 O'clock. I then set to for the next 2 hours building up the last of the bike. Aside from brakes, fettling and adjusting the chain tension (Thanks @Smokin Joe !) I also had the last of the frame fittings to do. The kit supplies four threaded inserts for attaching racks or bottle cages to the frame. It involves drilling two 8mm holes into my nice new frame. To say I was nervous would be an understatement.
The drilling went well, however screwing the inserts in fractured the surface of the Bamboo slightly. It's only cosmetic though and will be hidden under the bottle cage, so no great problem.
Then we reached the point were there really was nothing left to do. We were done and could finally stand back and admire our work.
So today I dragged the bike out into a beautiful day and gave it one final check over. Then it was of for a few laps of the estate, whilst adjusting seat positions and handlebars. When I was relatively happy I packed some tools and filled a water bottle before heading out on my favourite route. It's only 22km, but provides a nice workout for the bike with a mix of smooth roads, forest tracks and small sections of cobbles. So enough talk, here is the final finished bike out in its natural habitat.
So the million dollar question, how does it ride? Absolutely lovely. I'm no expert on different frame materials or their properties and I still ride the old Dawes Galaxy I bought 25 years ago. However, the ride is so smooth and comfy, it is really noticeable. I know the steel front forks will cancel out some of the effects of the Bamboo, but the smoothness of the ride was really noticeable. Aside from that it is a really lovely bike and the fact that I built the frame is really satisfying.
So after all this time, I'm sat here typing this and supping the Bamboo beer that you saw in the very first post. Yep I vowed it would stay unopened until after the very first ride, and how does it taste? really satisfying.
LeetleGreyCells
Un rouleur infatigable
- Location
- Whitehaven Mansions
Superb!
Smokin Joe
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
What a great achievement, the bike looks absolutely fantastic and even better that you are happy with the ride.
I too will miss this thread, it's the best we've ever had on Cyclechat. It would be great if it was on a sticky so newcomers and those who may not go on this particular section could read it too.
I too will miss this thread, it's the best we've ever had on Cyclechat. It would be great if it was on a sticky so newcomers and those who may not go on this particular section could read it too.
Last edited:
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
