About Bamboo Bicycle Club

Founded in London in 2012 by design engineer James Marr, Bamboo Bicycle Club is a community-driven movement that empowers people to build their own sustainable bicycles. What started as a small East London workshop has grown into an international network of makers, riders, and educators who share a passion for creativity, sustainability, and cycling.

At the heart of what we do is the belief that everyone should have the chance to experience the satisfaction of designing and building their own bike. Using bamboo—a material that is strong, lightweight, and naturally vibration-absorbing—we provide hands-on workshops, DIY kits, and online support so that anyone, anywhere, can craft a truly unique ride. Every frame built helps reduce carbon impact and encourages people to rethink how products can be made.

Our mission extends beyond bikes. We collaborate with schools, universities, community groups, and even prisons to use bike building as a tool for education, rehabilitation, and social impact. These projects inspire learning in STEM, promote sustainable values, and create opportunities for teamwork and personal growth.

With workshops in London and partners across Europe, as well as a thriving global online community, Bamboo Bicycle Club continues to support thousands of builders worldwide. From hobbyists and students to professional cyclists, our community celebrates individuality, craftsmanship, and the joy of riding something built by hand.

Whether you join us for a weekend workshop, build a kit at home, or take part in one of our education programmes, you’ll discover that the journey of making your own bike is as rewarding as the ride itself.

At Bamboo Bicycle Club, we build bikes with bamboo because it’s an accessible, sustainable, and high-performing alternative to traditional materials like steel or aluminium. With over 1,500 species that grow almost anywhere, bamboo offers better global supply options and reduces reliance on carbon-intensive industrial production. Its naturally tapered tubes make it easier to shape into frames, while its high strength-to-weight ratio ensures durability. Most importantly, bamboo’s unique vibration-dampening qualities provide a smoother, more comfortable ride. By choosing bamboo, we’re not only rethinking bike building but also proving that sustainable materials can outperform conventional choices.

Our community stretches across the world. We have shipped our kits to 42 different countries and collaborated with communities, creating pop-up workshops in many countries outside of the UK. We have also conducted team-building sessions and talks across Europe. We have an active community on social media with help forums for builders and a Strava ride group.

If you're interested in building a bike, our advice would be to think about it or get in touch to plan it. The better the plan, the better the bike. We’ve helped thousands of people, so get in touch if you have a unique custom build or if you would like to try our easy-build lugged kits. One thing we can confidently say is it’s a unique experience and creates a new interaction every time you ride, with a common question: "Is that bamboo? Where did you get it from?" It’s always great to say, "I built it!"