Gravel Frame Build Kit
Adventure-ready geometry for gravel roads, light touring and bikepacking — hand-built by you from bamboo, flax and carbon.
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 gravel geometry on the jig — wider clearance and a slacker head angle than road.
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.
A smoother, more compliant ride.
Bamboo's natural vibration damping takes the edge off rough trails — ideal for bikepacking. Frames are compatible with all major groupsets and can be built around Shimano GRX or Rohloff geared hubs.
Smoother off-road
Natural fibres soak up the trail buzz that aluminium and carbon pass straight to your hands — comfort that pays off on long bikepacking days.
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.
The current trend is for carbon frames that lack environmental credentials. Bamboo is easy to grow, offsets its carbon footprint, and — combined with flax and bio-composites — offers a viable alternative.
Why we build with bamboo
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.
Woody made the full 8,288 miles with virtually no mechanical issues at all. All bikes are like magicians — but a bamboo bike multiplies that a hundredfold.
Kate Rawles, author of 'The Life Cycle'
I've got five bikes and this is my favourite — it feels stiffer, dampens vibration better, and I feel safer and more confident on it.
Daan · gravel-touring build, Amersfoort
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.
Do I need power tools?
No. Just basic hand tools — a hacksaw, files, sandpaper, a measuring tape and a work surface (a table around 1200 × 600 mm). Everything else is in the kit.
What if I make a mistake?
Most mistakes are fixable. Epoxy can be sanded back and re-applied, and bamboo is forgiving. If you're stuck, our community has seen every problem — someone will have the answer within hours.
How strong is it really?
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.
Is it weatherproof?
Yes. Finished frames are sealed with epoxy resin. Dry your bike after wet rides and store it indoors, and with proper care it'll give you years of riding.
Not sure which size?
Send us your height and inside-leg measurement and we'll recommend the perfect fit — or choose a Custom frame, made to your measurements.
Can I use Cycle to Work?
Yes — build your bamboo bike through the government's Cycle to Work scheme and save hundreds through salary sacrifice.
More kits to build
Road Lugged Kit
Endurance road geometry, lugged and built by hand from bamboo.
MTB Frame Kit
Trail-ready bamboo frame kit for off-road riding.
Balance Bike Kit
A first bamboo bike to build with a child.
Custom Frame Kit
Built to your exact measurements — request a quote.
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.