Looking to ride some bamboo?
By JEFF GREENWALD
This sidebar is a supplement to What? A Bamboo Bicycle?
While Craig Calfee may be the godfather of modern bamboo bicycles, a number of other outfits have sprung up that sell the bikes—and parts—in the United States. Here’s a shortlist of the ones we recommend:
Calfee Design
https://calfeedesign.com/products/bamboo/
A pioneer in both carbon fiber and bamboo-frame bicycles, California-based Calfee remains one of planet’s most expert and committed designers and builders. Pre-made frame prices begin at $2,000 to up more than $10,000 for tandems.
Greenstar Bikes
https://greenstarbikes.com/
Elegant and affordable, Greenstar, based in Minneapolis, makes both road and hybrid bikes, from one to 21 speeds, embellishing their bambo frames with aluminum joints and steel forks. Prices start at about $470.
Erba Cycles
https://erbacycles.com/bamboo-bikes/
From their retro-looking Drift Wood to the minimalist Speedster, the inventive models from Boston-based Erba reflect founder Randall Levrere’s lifelong passion for bicycling. Prices start around $3,600.
Renovo
https://renovobikes.com/pages/pandurban
Based in Portland, Oregon—which has long been a hub of innovation in handmade bicycle designs—Renovo uses hardwood and laminated bamboo to create their line of artisanal bicycles. Since their bamboo Pandurban is currently in production, no price has yet been set on the bike.
Jeff Greenwald is a writer, photographer and performer. He is the author of six books, including Shopping for Buddhas and The Size of the World, for which he created the first Internet travel blog.
© 2022 Jeff Greenwald. All rights reserved. Under exclusive license to Craftsmanship, LLC. Unauthorized copying or republication of any part of this article is prohibited by law.