This began with the help of ACIRFA, a non-profit that helps Africans start up bicycle projects that will help local people and also create jobs. For more information on ACIRFA check out www.abikes.org. By supporting Zambikes and getting a frame you are getting newfound opportunity to those who are in need.

There are bamboo bikes that have been ridden for more than 10 years that are still fully functioning, looking great and riding well. We make every effort to ensure that the frames will last by preserving the wood, letting it cure for months and then through extensive product testing. We do not recommend you ride it in your down hill races or big air competitions but for the purpose of riding in your local town or city, it will work great for a long time to come.

If the frame is taken care of, stored inside in moderate temperatures it should last for a long time. This is not the alternative for a carbon fiber or titanium frame, what bamboo does offer is one of the classiest, comfortable rides in the bike industry.

Each frame varies in weight because of wall thicknesses and size. We are not pretending it is in the same genre as a carbon fiber frame or aluminum frame. This frame is all about the incredible ride and artistic ability that goes into making one. Bamboo exhibits ride qualities unmatched by any other material. Dampening and road vibration absorption is almost magical.

The bamboo comes from Zambia near our Zambikes production facility. We use yellow and green types of bamboo. The yellow bamboo was originally grown in Asia but brought to Africa and the green bamboo is indigenous to Zambia.

It takes three years for the bamboo to grow to ensure the walls are thick enough and strong. It then takes more than three months for the bamboo to cure in special preservatives and completely dry. Following the curing process a complete frame takes more then a week to complete. These frames are incredibly labor intensive.

The bottom bracket, drop outs, seat tube sleeve and head tube sleeves have some aircraft grade aluminum but the bike is 95% bamboo and other natural materials. None of the bamboo tubes have inner cores of metal.

We are currently making a very beautiful, clean messenger bike. We feel for a bamboo frame this is the best application for the most people. We sell three sizes of frames: small 50-53 cm, medium 54-57 cm and large 58-61 cm.

• 1.125” thread less headset
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 27.2 mm seat post
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 68 mm english thread BB (We highly recommend the traditional four sided tapper spindle because it offers much more adjustability)
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 130 mm rear drop out spacing (can be shimmed for a 120mm fixy)
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Standard road bike calipers
  
  
  
  
  
  

Any local bike shop in a developed country should have the parts above or be able to order and fit the bikes for you. Zambikes is working on getting these components available for persons direct through our website. For more details on that please email us at information@zambikes.org

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