Charlie with his Bamboo Touring bike. Finished with Tiagra Shimano triple and mechanical disc brakes.

Design: Custom touring bike
Build: 4 day workshop
Location: London, U.K.

What made you decide to build a bamboo bike?

I saw someone riding one and it looked so unusual. Plus I saw it as an interesting project where I would learn lots and end up with a custom fit bike.

Did you enjoy building the bicycle from scratch and would you recommend the experience?

Enjoy the process, take your time you are building a thing of beauty.

What did you find most difficult about your bike build?

Fitting the front derailleur which required careful alignment and carving away some of the bamboo.

Bit of south London Graf

What was the easiest part of the build?

It was all pretty straight forward. You just have to be careful to cut things to the right length and not rush.

What advice would you give to other bamboo bike builders and what would you improve if anything?

Enjoy the process, take your time you are building a thing of beauty.

How would you describe the ride of your finished bike?

Love it. It is very smooth.

Building the bike in the London workshop.