Bamboosero News
August, 2009
Bamboosero Newsletter We’ve been extra busy getting the Bambooseros up to speed. The BBC story generated a lot of interest and demand for the bikes, so we are working hard to make it easy to order them. The Bamboosero website has been updated! We thought we’d do a “soft” launch to the people who have already signed up (you!) and give them the first chance to order a Bamboosero frameset. In this newsletter we will describe exactly what types of bikes will be available and answer most of the questions that were emailed in the last two months.
General questions:
When will they be available?
We will start shipping limited quantities in two to three months.
Can I place an order now?
Yes, have just started accepting orders and that will get the builders fired up to produce bikes at a faster pace. The order page can be found here.
Are they waterproof?
Yes. They are well sealed with a polyurethane finish.
Can I order from a specific group in a particular country?
Yes. But some groups are building more frames than others and might have a longer lead time.
I live in Finland (or Germany, Spain, Australia, South Africa, etc.). Can I order one and how much will it cost to ship?
We plan to start shipping from the US first. As we gain partners in the various regions, we will set up ordering, shipping and support from those locations. If you wish to order one from the US, the shipping cost will be from the US. Once we’ve inspected and shipped a certain number of frames, we will start shipping to partners outside the US. We have an airport to airport shipping option with Delta Airlines that is much less expensive than using the regular carriers. But you would have to process paperwork at the airport to bring it through customs.
Can I order a complete bike?
Complete bikes will cost from $795 to $1,500 and up, depending on the parts kit selected. There will be quite a few choices for stem lengths, crank arm lengths and handle bar widths to choose from.
What type of bikes will you start with?
Road bikes. Mountain bikes. City bikes. Cargo bikes.
Road Bikes: These will be classic road geometry as found here. They can be set up for racing, touring, singlespeed and commuting. Frame options include: rack and fender mounts, single speed horizontal dropouts, 28 mm tire clearance,
Mountain Bikes: These will be hardtail, disc brake Mountain bikes, suitable for cross country racing. Geometry found here. We will start with 26” wheels and hopefully offer 29” wheels next year. Frame options include: rack and fender mounts, single speed horizontal dropouts and integrated bamboo racks.
City Bikes: These will be more upright position, 700c wheel, urban machines. They will have disc brake tabs. Geometry found here. Frame options include: rack and fender mounts, single speed horizontal dropouts (or eccentric bottom bracket if running rear disc brake) and integrated bamboo racks.
Cargo Bikes: These will be 26” wheel utility bikes with extended rear ends that allow significant cargo carrying capacity. Two levels will be offered: Medium duty will have 10 cm extension and carry up to 200 pounds of cargo and Heavy duty will have 20 cm extension and handle up to 450 pounds of cargo with the bamboo reinforced wheel option. Details found here.
Thanks for supporting Bamboosero!
Bamboo bike tour
Our first bamboo bike tour was a success! 6 brave souls traveled to Ghana last June to ride some of the first Bamboosero Mountain bikes. It was great fun and we hope to conduct another tour next year. A blog of it can be found here. If you are interested in participating in 2010, send an email and we’ll keep you posted.
Testing, testing, testing. . .
We have been busy developing a test protocol that every Bamboosero frame must pass before being released for service. We sent a sample frame to EFBe in Germany and were able to pass the Standard Performance Out-of-saddle test for overall fatigue. It survived 100,000 cycles at 950 newtons. We’ll send more frames as they become available.
International partners needed
We are looking for partners who would like to sell Bamboosero bikes in their country. Ideally, that person or company would already have experience in assembling parts onto frames and have wholesale accounts with the parts distributors. They would ship frames and complete bikes to end users throughout their country and possibly neighboring countries. They would answer questions from potential customers and provide follow up service. We would supply the test fixtures needed to guarantee the frames are safe. We would also direct sales leads to them. A website listing would be created for them. If you know a good candidate for this opportunity, please email me.
Thanks for the great comments in your emails. We are now able to answer emails personally. The volume of interest has been huge and we appreciate your patience with this exciting new business! And thanks for filling out the survey! The responses have been truly helpful in making this happen.
Craig Calfee
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