The Bamboo Bike Studio is a  community workshop for bike building, customization and maintenance. The staff is here to assist and guide you through whatever challenge you face. Whether it is mastering a wrapping pattern for the carbon lug on your bamboo touring bike, powder coating your steel frame, or just learning how to change a tire, the Bamboo Bike Studio is the place.

Signing up for a  workshop is easy. Choose the build package that most closely approximates the bike you want to build. Choose any of the popular upgrades from the drop down menu. Enter in any information you want to add about your desired bike.

Enter in your desired build dates in your chosen location.

You’ll receive an email confirmation of your purchase. Within 48 hours, you’ll receive an email from our staff confirming your build package.

Between 9am and 5pm EST Tues-Friday, we are available for phone consultations.
You can bring your own components, but there is no guarantee we can integrate them into your bike. There are a lot of compatibility issues in bicycles, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

workshop

Build your own bike in two days at our workshop in Brooklyn or San Francisco.

We supply all tools and materials, and as much – or as little – help as you need.

We don’t assume any prior experience, but a strong work ethic and an appetite for the unfamiliar is essential.

how it works

As soon as you purchase the class, we will work with you to select and size your frame, and customize your components to your liking.

You’ll begin by setting your bike-making jig and gluing your bamboo tubes into place. You’ll then sculpt the lugs where your bamboo tubes meet. After lunch, you’ll wrap your tubes together with carbon fiber.

On Sunday, you’ll remove your frame from the jig, and file down your lugs to a smooth finish. After applying a final coat, you’ll either walk away with your frame, or learn how to install and maintain all of your components before riding away on your full bike.

schedule

FRIDAY: Optional early start 2pm-8pm

SATURDAY: Start building between 7-8am. Expect to work at least twelve hours. The shop closes at midnight.

SUNDAY: Start before 8am for Full Bike, before 10am for Frame. Expect to work at least ten hours for Full Bike, six hours for Frame.

kits

We also offer kits for the do it at home types. The kit is for experienced makers and fabricators.
You still send us your measurements and desired riding style and we put together a geometry for your bike, printed out and ready for your use.

The kit also includes all of the tools and materials to build the frame (except the MDF board, which is pricey to ship, but cheap at your local hardware store).

We can send you one of the components packages offered in the workshop, but will have to charge for shipping (wheels are not cheap to ship!).

materials

You’ll build your bike by joining bamboo tubes with fiberglass and carbon lugs.

Frames made in workshops and with kits are as strong as conventional frames, with better shock-absorption.

safety

We constantly refine, and improve our bike-making process to help make sure the bikes you build will be strong and safe.

The process used in our workshops and kits has been developed, tested, and refined over three years, hundreds of frames, and thousands of miles. In field testing, frames have withstood all conditions – punishment from some of New York City’s most demanding bike messengers. In lab testing, frames have met the highest American safety standard.

Still, making bikes is dangerous. Riding bikes is dangerous, and riding bikes you make is dangerous. Bike making deserves your respect and caution.

components

We don’t offer anything in our shop that we don’t ride ourselves on a regular basis.

You are welcome to bring in your own components and swap them out with the standard components but we cannot be responsible for issues of compatibility and there may be additional labor charges for mechanical work done beyond the standard assembly.

gears

Full bike workshops include single speed freewheel with front and rear brakes. Upgrade to a 3-speed internal hub for $350. Upgrade to an 8-speed internal hub for $500.

tech specs

Frames accept 1-1/8″ threadless headsets, 68mm English thread bottom brackets, 27.2mm seatposts. Frames are designed for 700c wheels, and accomodate tires up to 35mm.

Horizontal dropouts are spaced for 120mm OLD wheels, 130mm and 135mm OLD available on request.

worth noting

Our goal is a comfortable bicycle. Once we receive your measurements, we search our library of geometries for the best fit. If we do not find a fit that suits you, we will make a new geometry for you at no charge. Due to the constraints of bamboo and our own testing standards, we are not able to replicate other bicycles’ geometries exactly. We do, though, appreciate information regarding geometries that have worked well for you in the past.