Eric's Bamboo Bike build

"Bamboo Bicycle Club taps into 'the IKEA effect' — that extra bit of affection people reserve for objects they put together themselves."

"The whole goal of Bamboo Bicycle Club is to make bike-building accessible to everyone."

About Eric's Build

Eric's bamboo bicycle build is a testament to what a first-time builder can achieve with the BBC kit and a weekend of focused work. Like many BBC builders, Eric came to the workshop without any prior frame-building experience — just a passion for cycling and a curiosity about making things with his hands.

The BBC workshop environment is deliberately collaborative. Builders work side by side, sharing tools, troubleshooting together, and learning from each other's questions as much as from the instructors. For many participants, the social dimension of the build is as rewarding as the finished bicycle.

Eric's frame used the BBC road geometry configuration — a classic diamond frame optimised for endurance riding. He selected his bamboo culms carefully, choosing tubes with consistent wall thickness and a natural taper that complements the frame's intended ride character. The joints were finished with flax fibre wraps, sanded smooth and finished with a matte clear lacquer to show the natural texture of both materials.

Building your own bicycle changes how you ride it. Every pedal stroke carries the knowledge that you shaped and joined each tube yourself — that the frame is uniquely yours, configured precisely to your body and riding style. Eric reported after his first ride that the frame felt "alive" in a way he hadn't expected — responsive, comfortable, and with a personality that reflects the organic material it's made from.

Bamboo Bicycle Club runs regular weekend workshops in London, and home build kits are available worldwide. The BBC has trained over 4,000 builders across 36 countries since 2012.

Bamboo Bicycle Club has been building community around the craft of bicycle making since 2012 — training over 4,000 builders across 36 countries. Every builder who comes through the BBC process leaves with more than a bicycle: they leave with new skills, new confidence, and a new relationship to the things they use every day.