A non-profit group, Zambikes, and bike builder Craig Calfee are partnering up to bring the next reinvention for bikes, the Bamboosero. This design inspiration was first received after Calfee embarked on a trip to Africa where he noticed a shortage in bikes, at the same time as the local population was also experiencing a downturn in jobs. As he first presented the idea in Ghana, the locals learned to create and build their own, cheap, durable, and beautiful bikes with supplies that were within reach, in turn supporting their own economies. The ultimate goal is to sell the bikes back in the US.
According to Intelligent Travel, not only is bamboo cheaper, but it is proven more durable than metal:
In fact, bamboo is similar to wood, but its structure has one major difference that makes it even tougher than carbon: unlike wood, which is strongest on the inside and weakest on the inside, making it prone to splinters, bamboo is strongest on the outside and hollow on the inside. The nodes that separate each branch into different sections also prevents fractures and breakage. In fact, bamboo is so strong that it’s been used to build boats, bridges, and scaffolding.
The innovation won’t break the bank either. Because the bikes are made with local resources, completed bikes will cost about $750-$1500, about $2,000 less than Calfee’s made to order bikes, built in the US.
[via: Intelligent Travel, BBC]
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Looks good, is functional, sustainable, creates jobs and is being made from a non-profit org – what’s not to like!