Bamboo gravel bike, part three. The hemp lug.

//Bamboo gravel bike, part three. The hemp lug.

Bamboo gravel bike, part three. The hemp lug.

 

Sand it down, make it smooth

Craig Calfee and his crew of artisans are putting together a bamboo gravel bike that I can ride in the inaugural Peter Sagan gravel fondo in Truckee, California on May 5th.

It’s going to be a rocking good time and I can’t wait for the whole experience: new bike, new frame material, 35 tires, 1X drivetrain, a distant glance at tripe world champion Peter Sagan.

I’ve already chronicled two steps in the fabrication process: the organic yet high tech bamboo tubes that were lightened and then reinforced with a layer of carbon fiber on the inside (genius?) and the beauty of the frame coming together on the jig.

The power of hemp

Here’s another peek into the construction site. These photos show what the frame looks like as they sand down the hemp fibers that were soaked in epoxy and then wrapped around the joints to act as nature’s own lugs. It’s just super cool and a kind of magic that makes you smile.

Next week I will have phots of the finished frame and the frame stain. We’re just about ready for the parts build and we’re right on schedule. In fact, Calfee put a rush on this project to meet meet my May 5th deadline.

Bespoke bamboo

 

 

By |2019-02-03T15:44:05-08:00April 20th, 2018|Uncategorized|0 Comments

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