Road Frame Build Kit
Endurance geometry for long days on rough tarmac — a drop-bar frame you build yourself from bamboo and flax. Bamboo tubing tested at Swansea University to BS ISO 22157:2019 — and built on camera by road.cc.
Klarna and Shop Pay at checkout · Cycle to Work accepted
Not sure it's for you? Book a free 10-minute call
1-year kit warranty · 14-day returns on unopened kits · ships in ~2 weeks
Build your own — and help fund a place on our Build to Bond prison programme.
- No power tools required — just basic hand tools
- Illustrated manual + 15+ hours of step-by-step video
- Lifetime community of 4,000+ builders for support
- Cycle to Work accepted — save through salary sacrifice
everything but the parts you already own.
One box: graded bamboo, the metalwork, the fibre and resin, the jig, the plan and the course. Fork, wheels and groupset are yours to choose.
- 1 heat-treated Moso bamboo tubespre-shaped, with spares
- 2 CNC head tube, bottom-bracket shell and modular dropouts
- 3 flax fibre and two-part epoxy resinfor the joints
- 4 plywood alignment jig and 1:1 frame plan
- 5 illustrated manual + 15 hours of videoand the builder community
Spares included. If anything in the box is not right, we replace it.
will it take my parts?
The numbers you need to check a part you already own. The kit is the frame — fork, wheels and groupset are yours to choose.
- tyre clearance
- 38 mm 700c
- rear spacing
- 135 / 142 mm modular dropout
- axle
- 12 mm thru or QR · singlespeed · hub gear
- brakes
- Disc post mount · flat mount with adapter
- bottom bracket
- BSA 68 mm threaded
- seatpost
- 27.2 mm internal dropper routing optional
- mounts
- Rack + mudguard braze-on front mech optional
- build time
- 25–35 hrs across a few weekends
no customs bill at the door
| Destination | Shipping | Duty & tax |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | £12 | Included |
| Europe | £25 | Paid by us |
| USA & Canada | £45 | Paid by us |
| Rest of world | £75 | Paid by us |
The price at checkout is the price the kit costs you. We pay the import duty and tax before it ships, so the courier has nothing to collect when it arrives.
Sydney, Large kit: £375 kit + £75 shipping = £450 total, and nothing further on delivery.
Packed by hand and shipped twice a week, tracked all the way. Kits have reached 45 countries.
built to fit you
| Frame size | Rider height | Inseam |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 148–163 cm | 68–74 cm |
| S | 160–173 cm | 74–80 cm |
| M | 170–183 cm | 78–86 cm |
| L | 180–193 cm | 84–92 cm |
| XL | 190–203 cm | 90–100 cm |
| 2XL | 200 cm + | 98 cm + |
Inseam is the better guide — measure barefoot, floor to crotch. Bands overlap on purpose: if you fall between two, choose the smaller frame.
Your frame's size is set on the jig you build on — so pick the size that matches your fit, then fine-tune with seatpost, stem and saddle. Being between sizes is normal: build the smaller one.
Outside these sizes? Build a custom frameyour build helps fund accredited skills courses — inside prisons and schools.
complete your build, the easy way.
The kit is the frame. Add a matched component pack — fork, wheels, groupset, finishing kit — and you're ride-ready. Or source parts from any bike shop; your frame fits all major groupsets.
Everything to build the bamboo road frame.
Bars, wheels, drivetrain and finishing kit, chosen for your build.
A complete, one-of-a-kind road bike — built by you.
Add the component packPrefer to choose your own parts? Skip the pack — the frame works with any standard groupset, and we'll advise.
in the kit
Heat-treated Moso bamboo tubes (with spares), a full-size frame blueprint, a plywood alignment jig, the CNC metal parts that the steering, cranks and wheels bolt to (head tube, bottom-bracket shell and dropouts), flax fibre (the reinforcing fibre you wrap each joint with), two-part epoxy resin, and an illustrated manual plus 15+ hours of step-by-step video tutorials.
you'll add
Fork, wheels, groupset, handlebars, saddle and finishing components. Grab a complete component pack from us, or source parts from any bike shop.
you've got this — and we've got you
you can't really ruin it
The glue is slow and adjustable, each joint wrap is additive (more = stronger), and a cured joint simply sands back to shape. The kit even ships with spare bamboo — at no single point is a mistake permanent.
tools you'll need
- Hacksaw
- Files
- Sandpaper
- Tape measure
- A rounded wood file
- Electrical & masking tape
- A 1200×600mm board
- No power tools needed
you're never on your own
Stuck mid-build? Get help fast through our builder forum, step-by-step YouTube videos, WhatsApp and email. Most of our builders start with zero experience.
caring for your frame
Seal the bamboo and store it indoors; dry it after wet rides. A frame you built — and understand — is one you can maintain and repair yourself for years.
warranty, returns & shipping
- 1-year warranty on the kit materials
- Full refund within 14 days on unopened, unused kits
- Ships in ~2 weeks · UK £12 · Europe £25 · USA £45 · rest of world £75
See a frame come together.
The same hand-build every kit follows — start to finish, on camera.
The Bamboo Bicycle Club has impressively improved the accessibility of building a bamboo bicycle.
road.cc
rated by the builders who made one
Still riding mine daily after 7 years. Built it at home using the kit. It's outlasted two steel bikes I owned before.
Jamie · Road kit builder, Romania · verified builderTen years on, every joint is still sound and the frame is strong. I ride it daily and did the Dunwich Dynamo — 180km — on it. It handled it effortlessly.
Taro Tsuruta · architect, 10 years on his bamboo bikebefore you build.
Is a bamboo road frame stiff and efficient enough for fast riding?
How much does a finished bamboo road bike weigh?
Bamboo is naturally a touch heavier than a top-end carbon race frame, so it's built for all-day comfort and durability rather than the lightest possible climbing weight. Most builders find the smoother ride and the fact they built it themselves more than worth it. Send us your build goals and we'll advise on the lightest sensible component spec.
Will the frame survive years of big road miles?
What drivetrain and groupset can I run?
The frame works with all major road groupsets. Add one of our matched component packs — Shimano 105 hydraulic disc, a clean single-speed pack, or GRX for road-plus versatility — or source your own parts from any bike shop. We'll advise on the right setup for how you ride.
How wide a tyre will it take?
It's built around modern road rubber — comfortably running wider tyres than a classic race frame for lower pressures and more compliance on rough surfaces. Tell us the tyres you have in mind and we'll confirm clearance for your build before you order.
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