My Calfee Bamboo road bike – now for the next step, actually riding it!

I bought this thing of beauty in the past few days:

It’s a Calfee, made in the US, frame price originally $3,500….fitted with triple Ultegra and nice kit.

I’ve only had chance for a 5 min shake down ride up the road and it rides beautifully – I’m slightly nervous about it even though the videos I’ve seen of people trying to destroy these things give some comfort – I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to get my hands on it and give it a go!!!

A link to more info about their frames:

http://calfeedesign.com/products/bamboo/

Anyone else got one?? Their carbon frames look absolutely gorgeous too……

needs more spacers under the stem 😉

actually riding it!

Do what now?

i thought it might fall to pieces…..but actually seems ok! ;o 0

Nice. As ridden by one of the leanest and meanest cyclists on the internet.

his ceiling’s in a right old state.

does it go up a size if you ride it in spring rain?

Disappointed that I can’t see your pic – would love one of those though, how much did you pay for it? One of the few bikes where I’d consider sacrificing a bit of function for form (not that there’s anything wrong with the performance from what I’ve heard).

I went to a talk by a company offering bamboo bike ‘kits’ a while back. Definitely ‘curious’ about them. I think the build process appeals as much as actually riding them though 🙂

@davidtaylforth – if I’d known that, I wouldn’t have bought it!

@arider – I didn’t pay much but it wasn’t advertised well! They don’t come up often and I just happened to come across it by accident really – to be honest, it seems to ride at least as well as my “good bike” – which is a Genesis Zero carbon – I’m very pleased with it but just a bit worried about longevity. Having said that, from what Ive read it should be fine. I’m planning to use it in a cobbled sportive so I’ll soon find out!

@wwaswas – I agree – I found the whole thing “interesting” and felt the need to give it a go….!

😀

use it in a cobbled sportive

Tour of the Black Country?

@rOcKeTdOg – Yes, and the Cheshire Cobbled Classic – did that one last year & planning another assault!

I dug a load of bamboo out of our garden once – took 3 days and came close to killing me. Your bicycle is indestructible, to all practical purposes

Billy Minto’s home build. Old steel frame, bamboo, ladies tights and superglue:

Bamboo home build frame

He also built an interesting TT bike from an old clothes whirly.

Certainly interesting, but I think they’re **** ugly.

How much does it weigh?!?!

@ben98 – it’s around 8.5kg so not too bad……

i put 50 miles in on it on Saturday – great ride and I think it will work well on the cobbled rides…..I’m about 13.5st (just under 13 “racing weight” in a few weeks!) and it is a bit flexxy when laying the power down but maybe not as much as I expected….really pleased with it!

Just need a layback post (in the post already) and can put a 1cm shorter stem on it and the position should be perfect….. 😀

sadly, I couldn’t get the position right with this after all & I’ve had an opportunity put under my nose to buy back one of my old road bikes from a couple of years ago at a bargain price….so I’ve rather sadly put this up for sale in the Classifieds!

Taken some new photos in the sunshine this morning:

😯

1. Njee isn’t wrong – they’re bloody ugly.
2. Get a black saddle,
3. desticker the rims,
…it’ll still be UGLY, but less offensive.

Njee isn’t wrong – they’re bloody ugly.

I totally disagree, the richness of the colour of the frame and smooth epoxy/hemp? joints are things of beauty.

But yes, destickering pretty much every bike makes it look better.

beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and all that! 😀

If I was keeping it, I think the wheel de-stickering plan would definitely be on the cards though, I agree that de-stickered wheels look loads better……

It’s in the Classifieds here