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

What made you decide to build a bamboo bike?

I loved the idea of building my own bike, and I loved the idea of having a bike made of bamboo. This gave me the chance to fulfil both dreams!

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

I had a fantastic time with the build and learnt a lot - about the materials, the geometry, the breadth of options at the detailed level. It was also an enriching experience creating something with my hands. I don't get much chance to do that in my day-to-day life.

What did you find most difficult about your bike build?

I wasn't blessed with abundant patience, so when I went beyond the 'core' build to more refined finishing, it took concerted effort to settle into the care required for sanding and shaping the lugs.

What was the easiest part of the build?

The cuts and jig work were both fun and relatively straightforward.

How would you describe the ride of your finished bike?

Like a silk pillow on a bed made of Morgan Freeman's voice.

Simple SRAM Aphex setup with disc brakes.

What would you improve about the build experience or your finished bike?

Could we develop a bike-mountable bamboo device to reduce the gravitational force in the vicinity of my arse?

Doug touring in the UK with his son.