1. evening standard Wednesday 17 June 2009
News
Peddling an
expensive
green idea,
the £3,000
bamboo bike
daisy dumas The beauTy
and Jonathan Prynn
of bamboo
It Is the ultimate green statement for
commuters worried that even their
cycling damages the planet.
For the first time eco-conscious (but
wealthy) Londoners can buy an
organic, biodegradable bike — made
from bamboo.
the frame of the Calfee, which will
set you back at least £3,000, is made
from stems hand-picked in the remote
mountains of taiwan’s Yushan national ■ Bamboo absorbs about five
park, home to wildlife such as the For- times as much greenhouse gas as a
mosan black bear and rock monkey. “conventional” tree plantation.
the bamboo is shipped — not flown ■ It does not fatigue like metal.
— to California, where stems are But it does have to be coated with a
smoked and heat-treated to prevent waterproof sealant.
splitting, and assembled into a frame, ■ It supports a greater load than
the pieces connected with lugs made mild steel can without breaking.
of hemp fibre. ■ In the Far East it is often used as
they are then coated in a satin poly- scaffolding during skyscraper
urethane sealant. construction.
the finished product is transported ■ It is the fastest growing plant:
to Chiswick, where it is being sold in some species can grow 1.5 metres a
the Eco Age shop owned by actor Colin day. The bamboo used for the bikes
Firth, his Italian wife Livia Giuggioli, takes four to five years to grow.
and her brother Nicola. ■ Each bike needs 2.7 metres of
Five have been sold in Britain so far, bamboo to make.
including two in London. ■ Each bike frame weighs only
alex lentati
the bike — available in racing or 4-5lb, but the finished product
mountain format — weighs roughly the weighs 18-19lb.
same as its metal equivalent but has
none of the environmental baggage
that comes with the manufacturing said: “Because bamboo is a natural manoeuvrable, it turned on a pin. the Recycling: 60 involved in a project in Africa to help
process. About 60 per cent of the fin- material it takes a lot of the vibration ethical benefits are obvious. Bamboo per cent of the local entrepreneurs make bamboo breaking
ished product is made of sustainable out of the ride.” is sustainable — the fastest growing Calfee bike is bikes. But a vehicle of such political news
materials. the Evening standard gave the Calfee woody plant. made of correctness comes at a price. the basic For uP-to-date
Bamboo is stronger than mild steel a road-test. It is a thing of natural the co-operatives that chop and sort sustainable frame costs £2,175 and customers news stories
and more elastic than carbon fibre — beauty, pared-down and sleek — it in taiwan are involved in a social materials must buy the other pieces as add-ons istandard.co.uk/
meaning it absorbs shock exceptionally although the lack of mudguards is not project helping local people who come — meaning the finished machine costs news or text
well. Rachel Hammond, founder of an advantage when biking in London. from disadvantaged backgrounds. from £3,000 to £3,500, depending on ES NEWS
British distributor RAW Bamboo Bikes, Lightweight, durable and highly Company founder Craig Calfee is also the specification. to 65400
Cyclists beware, highly realistic painting of hole ahead
Fear factor: a ruth Bloomfield Alistair Darling falling down a black hole
painting of a outside the treasury before the Budget was
canyon on canvas cyclists speeding along the side of announced in April.
has been placed Regent’s canal are being forced to slow British Waterways will keep the new
on the towpath of down by the sight of a gaping hole in the painting to use in other areas.
Regent’s Canal to towpath. Joseph young, its towpath manager, said:
make cyclists British Waterways has commissioned an “the majority of cyclists share the space
stop image of a canyon to place on the path by amicably.
the canal in islington as part of national “However, there are a handful who refuse
Bike Week this week. to slow down. that’s why we commissioned
staff had reported that some cyclists were this art — we hope it will shock.”
riding carelessly and endangering Waterways staff will wait by the canvas to
pedestrians. talk to cyclists who stop, and advise them on
they hope that the image will make riders how to ride safely.
slow down for fear of falling. Mr young said: “the towpaths are narrow
today two canyons painted on canvas will and full of low bridges, lock landings and
be laid on the towpath, edged in chalk to bollards, all of which are part of the charm
blend in with its surroundings. of the canal, but aren’t ideal for cyclists who
the work is by Joe Hill and Max lowry, need to get somewhere in a hurry.”
street artists who specialise in three- British Waterways said there were a record
dimensional images. number of cyclists using the Regent’s canal
the pair painted Gordon Brown and towpath.
H