Built by Kim, using thick-walled Tonkin Bamboo which allows the lugs to be integrated into the frame

Kim built something different. Thick-walled Tonkin bamboo allows the lugs to integrate into the frame, creating this stealthy all-black aesthetic with just glimpses of natural material.

The effect is striking. From a distance, this could be a carbon superbike. Only up close do you notice the bamboo sections at the seat tube and the organic grain hidden within the black exterior. The 'Kim Simmons' text on the top tube and 'HANDMADE' badge claim ownership of the craft.

This approach requires thicker-walled bamboo than our standard builds. The extra wall thickness provides enough material to shape the lug transitions smoothly, almost invisibly. The result is more sculptural than functional, but that's rather the point for a build like this.

The brick wall backdrop is pure London backstreet. The pavement kerb, the tarmac, the slight angle of the shot — it could be any of a thousand spots in the capital. The bike fits the urban context perfectly.

Road geometry, proper groupset, deep-section wheels. Kim didn't compromise on performance to achieve the aesthetic. This is a bike built to ride, not just to photograph. The confidence to make it look like this comes from knowing it handles like it should. 🖤