City Bike Frame Build Kit
Upright, comfortable geometry with mounts for racks, mudguards and lights — hand-built by you from fast-growing bamboo and flax instead of carbon. A bike that turns heads at the rack, soaks up potholes, and carries a sustainability and social story no off-the-shelf frame can match.
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
What you'll need at home.
Whether you want to build a bike, run a programme, or back the mission — there's a door for you.
Basic hand tools
A hacksaw, files, sandpaper, a measuring tape — no power tools. Everything else is in the kit.
A bit of space
A sturdy table around 1200 × 600 mm and a spot the frame can sit undisturbed while joints cure.
A few weekends
25–45 hours across multiple sessions. No rush — bamboo is forgiving and most mistakes are fixable.
Four stages, across a few weekends.
Whether you want to build a bike, run a programme, or back the mission — there's a door for you.
Set the geometry
Lock upright city geometry on the jig — comfortable, with mounts for racks, mudguards and lights.
Join & wrap
Bond the tubes with epoxy and wrap each joint with carbon-fibre tow.
Cure
Leave it for a full cure — that's where maximum joint strength comes from.
Sand, seal & ride
Sand smooth, seal the bamboo, fit the headset and bottom bracket. Adventure awaits.
The commuter bike that doesn't look like every other commuter bike.
Bamboo's natural vibration damping soaks up potholes and rough city tarmac, and every frame is built around mounts for racks, mudguards and lights — so you can build the commuter you actually ride.
Smoother on rough streets
Natural fibres soak up the potholes and broken tarmac that aluminium and carbon pass straight to your hands — a calmer daily commute.
Steel strength, a tenth the weight
Tensile strength comparable to mild steel at a fraction of the weight, with every joint reinforced in carbon-fibre. Independently flex-tested at Swansea University.
Built by you, fixable by you
No mines or smelters — just bamboo, a jig and hand tools. A frame you understand is one you can maintain and repair for years.
Greener by far
Bamboo regrows in 3–5 years — a rapidly renewable grass, grown not mined. Combined with flax and bio-composites, a real alternative to carbon.
My daily commuter for 3 years now. Gets so many compliments locked up outside the office.
Urban Cyclist, City commuter build, London
In the kit — and what you'll add.
Whether you want to build a bike, run a programme, or back the mission — there's a door for you.
Rated by the builders who made one
Whether you want to build a bike, run a programme, or back the mission — there's a door for you.
It rides great and it's so comfortable — the only problem is everyone who sees it wants to talk about it or have a go.
Karl · single-speed city build, Medway
To see the bike the first time and sit on it was euphoria. I was more taken than when I got my new car (sorry, car).
Tamas · belt-drive city build
Built to fit you
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.
| Measurement | Small | Medium | Large | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rider height | 160-170cm | 168-178cm | 178-187cm | 185-193cm |
| Seat tube (C-C) | 48cm | 52cm | 56cm | 58cm |
| Top tube (effective) | 52cm | 54cm | 56cm | 58cm |
| Head tube | 12cm | 14cm | 17cm | 19cm |
| Stack | 54cm | 56cm | 58cm | 60cm |
| Reach | 37cm | 38cm | 39cm | 40cm |
Being between sizes is normal: build the smaller one. Outside these sizes? Build a custom frame.
Before you build.
Can I really ride it in the rain every day?
Yes. Finished frames are sealed with a weatherproof epoxy lacquer. Dry your bike after wet rides and store it indoors, and it'll give you years of riding — many of our earliest builds are still ridden daily.
How much maintenance does a bamboo commuter need?
Very little. Build it single-speed and there's almost nothing to service — no derailleur to adjust. Keep the chain clean, dry the frame after wet rides, and inspect the joints once a year. That's it.
Will it handle hills and city traffic?
The frame is single-speed or hub-gear ready, so you can spec gearing to suit your route and hills. The upright geometry gives you excellent visibility in traffic, and it fits standard racks, mudguards and lights.
Is it strong and secure enough for daily city use?
Very strong for its weight. Bamboo is a light, hollow natural composite and every joint is reinforced with carbon-fibre, giving a high strength-to-weight ratio. Our bamboo is independently tested at Swansea University. Builders ride these frames daily and tour continents — with proper care they last for years.
Can I get it through Cycle to Work?
Yes. Our frame kits are eligible for standard Cycle to Work schemes — UK employees typically save 25–39% through salary sacrifice. We accept Cyclescheme, Cycle Solutions, Evans and Halfords.
What makes it different
Whether you want to build a bike, run a programme, or back the mission — there's a door for you.
No welding, no workshop
Build the whole frame on your kitchen table with basic hand tools — everything else is in the kit.
Everything in the box
Bamboo, the jig, metal fittings, resin, fibre and 15+ hours of step-by-step video — you only add the components.
Every kit funds learning
Your build helps fund accredited skills courses in prisons and schools. You learn a skill — so does someone else.
Watch the build, start to finish
Build film · a Bamboo Bicycle Club community build
Every kit ships with 15+ hours of step-by-step video. Here's a taste of what you'll do.