Bamboo Bikes in Africa

I came across this awesome project after I saw a really cool bamboo bicycle parked on the street in my neighborhood and immediately had to do a Google search to find one. Couldn't find any that you could purchase, but I found out about this organization that is helping to build bamboo bikes in rural Africa.

Started by scientists and engineers at Columbia University and initially funded by the Earth Institute there, the projects main objectives are to "introduce greatly improved bicycle design to improve transportation and health care delivery," and to "ensure that semi-literate people in Africa, with limited access to electricity (no power tools), can build bicycles from locally available materials and components." - bamboobike.org

On their website they explain that most people in poor rural Africa can't afford cars or even mo-peds for that matter and the bicycles that they predominantly have there are not only of a design meant for recreation and not critical transportation, and they are mostly shipped completely assembled from Asia. Introducing the design and construction of bikes with the main components made from locally grown bamboo could create a sustainable business model through out Africa. The organization views these bikes as a "necessary and viable form of transportation that will contribute to alleviation of economic and health issues." - bamboobike.org

After reading about the project, I think they are right and I hope they are successful.

Read more about the Bamboo Bike Project here.