Self Build Bamboo Bike Frame Kit Build Thread
- Thread starter chriswoody
- Start date
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Hemp cloth, epoxy and prayers.
OP
OP
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
Well at the end of the day you get what you pay for and no, there was no excess packaging on here. I was the one who put their money where their mouth was and bought it and I personally think it was good value for money. I've no wish to over analysis this, I just fancied an interesting challenge for the winter and create something unique and original.
So back on topic:
Well, it's a little more than that, there is also glue involved, but thats the general principle. There's currently a friend of a friend who's cycling round South America on one of these, so I've a lot of faith in the process.
Smokin Joe
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
As you got the frame building jig with it, a future project could well involve buying a set of steel tubes and a welding kit...
OP
OP
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
So in an attempt to get this thread back on to it's intended track here's tonights small piece of work.
I've moved on to the seat post now and the first job is to select a suitable piece of Bamboo from the pile. Firstly it needs to be close to 30mm internal diameter, secondly you need to pay close attention to where the nodal wall is (The "Bulkheads" that run across the bamboo). Basically the longest section without a wall you can find, will allow you to insert enough length of seat tube.
Because you can't clamp a seat post into Bamboo, they also provide a metal sleeve in the kit, that sits inside the top of the seat post. The instructions are a little incorrect here though. They state that 150mm of sleeve should be inserted into the post and a further 20mm should protrude for bonding with the hemp later. Not only does this not allow for the seat post clamp, but the sleeve itself is only 150mm long!
So I decided to place the seat post clamp on the sleeve, then leave a gap of 15mm to the top of the seat post tube. I then taped the sleeve into the tube, so that I could place it on the plans and determine the length of post I required. Once I marked this off I trimmed the post to length and then preceded to mitre the end so it would fit the BB shell.
So I just need to notch this post now so it fits against the down tube and then were done and can move on to the top tube.
I've moved on to the seat post now and the first job is to select a suitable piece of Bamboo from the pile. Firstly it needs to be close to 30mm internal diameter, secondly you need to pay close attention to where the nodal wall is (The "Bulkheads" that run across the bamboo). Basically the longest section without a wall you can find, will allow you to insert enough length of seat tube.
Because you can't clamp a seat post into Bamboo, they also provide a metal sleeve in the kit, that sits inside the top of the seat post. The instructions are a little incorrect here though. They state that 150mm of sleeve should be inserted into the post and a further 20mm should protrude for bonding with the hemp later. Not only does this not allow for the seat post clamp, but the sleeve itself is only 150mm long!
So I decided to place the seat post clamp on the sleeve, then leave a gap of 15mm to the top of the seat post tube. I then taped the sleeve into the tube, so that I could place it on the plans and determine the length of post I required. Once I marked this off I trimmed the post to length and then preceded to mitre the end so it would fit the BB shell.
So I just need to notch this post now so it fits against the down tube and then were done and can move on to the top tube.
Nigelnightmare
Über Member
First discrepancy!
Before doing anything, contact the bamboo bike club and ask them about it.
See what they say,
It could be that the wrong insert has been packed for your kit.
Keep's your back covered.
Before doing anything, contact the bamboo bike club and ask them about it.
See what they say,
It could be that the wrong insert has been packed for your kit.
Keep's your back covered.
OP
OP
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
Ok about time for an update I think.
The Seat post sleeve is really not a concern, there is more than enough insert in the Bamboo to do the job it's meant to to.
So before moving on I took a long hard look at the work that I'd done on the down tube and decided it really wasn't up to scratch, the mitres were not straight enough on the Head tube and BB. So I took the hard decision to bin the tube and start again. Luckily there's a spare main tube in the kit for just such an occasion. So I've spent lots of time this last week carefully measuring and sanding a new down tube. I went a lot slower this time and tried to not make the same mistakes as before. Pretty pleased with the fit this time.
The real key is making sure that it is truly at 90 degrees to the BB mitre and the last one wasn't. This one though is spot on.
Next it was back to the Seat tube. After the end of the tube is mitred to fit the BB shell ,it needs cutting to fit over the top of the Downtube. Again slow and careful was the order of the day.
propped up on the BB shell it fits really well:
So there we go, a lot of effort and only two tubes completed! I'm enjoying myself though and I'm in no rush. Hopefully the top tube won't take so much effort.
The Seat post sleeve is really not a concern, there is more than enough insert in the Bamboo to do the job it's meant to to.
So before moving on I took a long hard look at the work that I'd done on the down tube and decided it really wasn't up to scratch, the mitres were not straight enough on the Head tube and BB. So I took the hard decision to bin the tube and start again. Luckily there's a spare main tube in the kit for just such an occasion. So I've spent lots of time this last week carefully measuring and sanding a new down tube. I went a lot slower this time and tried to not make the same mistakes as before. Pretty pleased with the fit this time.
The real key is making sure that it is truly at 90 degrees to the BB mitre and the last one wasn't. This one though is spot on.
Next it was back to the Seat tube. After the end of the tube is mitred to fit the BB shell ,it needs cutting to fit over the top of the Downtube. Again slow and careful was the order of the day.
propped up on the BB shell it fits really well:
So there we go, a lot of effort and only two tubes completed! I'm enjoying myself though and I'm in no rush. Hopefully the top tube won't take so much effort.
bamboobicycleclub
Member
nice to see how the kit is all working out! If you want to see a frame built over a few minutes you tube channel -
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k79tmYj9Cxk&list=PLwWOIQDjpzQ1YcK-ZJTQ-eTesaeIX1tyE
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k79tmYj9Cxk&list=PLwWOIQDjpzQ1YcK-ZJTQ-eTesaeIX1tyE
OP
OP
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
Good to see you pop in and follow along! I've watched those videos numerous times, a good way to clarify a point or visualise the next step.
Well I've managed to finish cutting and shaping the top tube and here it is lying loosely in place. The next step is to glue the three tube's into place, but there's a fair bit of preparation work to do first.
fixedfixer
Veteran
Looking good 
I'm enjoying this build thread.
I'm enjoying this build thread.
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
Looking good. I guess the acid test is if the joins stay together. Do you apply any reinforcements?
confusedcyclist
Veteran
My motivation for buying this would be experience, not price.
It's a bit daft to factor in the "price" of labour in what is essentially a hobby project. Comparing a industrially manufactured product with a DIY wood alternative is a bit like comparing ASDA's smart price white loaf (which is essentially 75% sawdust) with homemade organic sourdough bread.
