Welcome to the Bamboo Bike Studio, Where Self-Propulsion
and Sustainable Entrepreneurship Go Hand in Hand
Our mission is twofold: provide every cyclist the experience of building his or her dream bike from scratch, while advancing sustainable entrepreneurship and development through financing bamboo bike factories in Africa and South America.
One weekend is all it takes to fabricate a frame from bamboo— a renewable and performance-positive material growing right in our backyard— assemble the components, and roll away with a custom-fitted ride, tuned to your body and cycling style. And the cost of the class directly supports the Bamboo Bike Studio’s efforts to seed the first bamboo bike factory in Ghana, where reliable and cheap bicycle transportation can dramatically improve access to jobs, commerce, education, basic food and water resources, and health care.
For fun, for learning, for building a better ride and a better world: we hope you’ll see how the Bamboo Bike Studio offers the unique and intimate chance to create your own ride, and also produces positive effects that extend to the lives of cyclists, workers and entrepreneurs abroad.
Please take a look around our website to learn more about the Class, the Cause, the Bamboo, and the Bikes.
Thanks,
The Bamboo Bike Studio Team
July 14th, 2010
Build your own bike in San Francisco at Bamboo Bike Studio.
My name is Sean. As part of the team at Bamboo Bike Studio, I’ve been lucky enough to help over 100 people build their own bikes in Brooklyn.
My wife…

Mai with the bike she made.
…just finished a winter of healthcare research in Kenya and Viet Nam, and is now a doctor at University of California, San Francisco.
We’re thrilled to help folks build bikes in San Francisco.
San Francisco Weekend Workshops will take place…
- 30-31 October (BOOKED)
- 13-14 November
- 20-21 November
- 4-5 December
- 11-12 December
- 15-16 January
- 22-23 January
- 5-6 February
- 12-13 February
- 26-27 February
Come build your bike.
Reserve your place via: http://bamboobikestudio.com/go/san-francisco
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June 3rd, 2010
Not everyone was able to get the date they wanted, so we’ve added a few more workshop opportunities–dates are below.
Come make your own bike on…
- July 10-11 (1 space available)
- July 24-25 (1 space available)
- July 31-August 1 (BOOKED)
- August 21-22 (BOOKED)
- September 4-5 (1 space available)
- September 18-19 (2 spaces available)
- September 25-26 (2 spaces available)
- October 9-10 (2 spaces available)
- October 16-17 (2 spaces available)
- November 6-7 (2 spaces available)
- November 13-14 (3 spaces available)
- December 4-5 (6 spaces available)
- December 11-12 (8 spaces available)
With the Frame Only ($632) option, you’ll build your own bamboo bike frame from scratch, then add components independently. This option is popular among those who already have bicycle components.
With the Full Bike ($948) option, you’ll build your own bamboo bike frame, then learn how to install and maintain bicycle components before riding off on the full bike you just built with your own hands .
Thanks for your time; we look forward to helping you build a great bicycle.
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May 21st, 2010
Dedication to bike commuting is one thing, but this is a truly inspirational act of bicycle power. Ben Masters,who just made his first bike at the Studio, has announced his Year By Bicycle bid. For 365 days, he’ll pare down all transportation to his bicycle alone. No cars, no buses, no planes, no boats, no rocket ships… you get the picture.
Can he pull it off? What sacrifices and payoffs will ensue? It’ll certainly be dramatic, and Ben has created a blog to share it all with the bicycling public, http://www.yearbybicycle.blogspot.com/. Check it out, get inspired, drive less and bike more. Ben kicked things off by biking back to his home in Meadville, PA, from our Brooklyn Studio. We couldn’t be more impressed, and wish Ben the best of luck in completing his Year By Bicycle challenge.

Bamboo bike complete, Year By Bicyle challenge up next!
Tags: Bamboo Bike Studio, Bamboo Bikes, Ben Masters, Bike Builds, Sustainability, transportation, Year By Bike
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April 14th, 2010
In his recent “Life Cycle” piece for BBC In Business, Peter Day talks about the state of the bike business, including (at 24 mins, 50 secs), the Bamboo Bike Studio. Listen to it here.


Tags: Africa, Bamboo, Bamboo Bike Project, Bamboo Bike Studio, Bamboo Bikes, BBC, Bike Builds, Brooklyn, Columbia University, Earth Institute, Ghana, Green, In Business, Life Cycle, Peter Day, Sustainability
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March 23rd, 2010
Bamboo Bike Studio was featured on a recent Here & Now roundup of spring DIY topics. BBS was featured next to the fine folks that make DIY Window Farms. Listen for it here at about 21:00.

Bamboo Bike Studio on Here & Now
Tags: Bamboo Bike Studio, Bamboo Bikes, Bike Builds, DIY, Here & Now, PRI, Sustainability
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March 7th, 2010
Living On Earth stopped by the Studio a while back, and we’re excited to announce the story by this great PRI show is now up. If you missed the air date, you can check out the piece in full here.

Bamboo Bike Studio featured on PRI's Living on Earth
Tags: Africa, Bamboo, Bamboo Bike Project, Bamboo Bike Studio, Bamboo Bikes, Brooklyn, Columbia University, DIY, Earth Institute, Ghana, Living On Earth, Public Radio International, Sustainability
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March 4th, 2010

Looking into the Studio's window, from Urban Velo Magazine.
The great people over at Urban Velo Magazine stopped by the shop recetly, and put together a great article, “Green-er Machines.” Click here to read the piece, and here to check all of awesome issue number 18.
Photos by Ed Glazar
Tags: Africa, Bamboo, Bamboo Bike Studio, Bamboo Bikes, Bike Builds, Brooklyn, Columbia University, Earth Institute, Sustainability
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February 17th, 2010

We’re lucky to receive emails from all types of DIYers–artists, gardeners, craftsmen–eager to start working with bamboo. Here are some resources that have helped us make the most of “nature’s composite.”
Whether you’re starting on a sculpture or a bike trailer, be sure to send tips, trick, and pictures our way. Lots of luck and have fun.
Tags: Add new tag, Bamboo, Bamboo Bike Studio, bamboo books, Bike Builds, bike trailer, DIY, Sculpture
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February 4th, 2010
Check out this recent story on the Bamboo Bike Studio from Planet Green. A Great look at the student experience of building a bike at the Studio.

Great article on the BBS from Planet Green
Tags: Bamboo, Bamboo Bike Studio, Bamboo Bikes, Express Model, Planet Green, Students, Sustainable
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January 13th, 2010
We’ve been very lucky to work with Yele.org to work on creating jobs and improving transportation in Haiti. In the wake of the earthquake, please help Haiti meet its basic needs. Donate to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund online at http://www.yele.org/ or text 501501 with the word “yele” to donate $5.
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