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Bike frames are made from bamboo[2] today like this one [1].. There is many other... [1] https://www.my-boo.com/ https://www.my-boo.com/ [2] https://en.wikipe

by chewz 6y ago

Bike frames are made from bamboo[2] today like this one [1].. There is many other... [1] https://www.my-boo.com/ https://www.my-boo.com/ [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_bicycle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_bicycle

enriquto 6y ago
Notice that it is not full bamboo, though. The crucial parts that take a lot of stress are still precision metalwork (e.g., axes, bearings, even the frame corners). I doubt an ancient civilization without very advanced steelmaking could pull such a "bamboo" bike.
- alpaca128 6y ago
  Of course a modern wood bike still has steel parts because the alternative is so far inferior nobody would buy it. That doesn't mean it's impossible or that back then nobody would have considered it. Today nobody would seriously use wooden gears, but back then they were the best you could get and were still good enough to be worth the effort.
  - enriquto 6y ago
    Do you think that you can build a wooden axle and bearing that stands the weight of a person? It seems to be very hard. The greeks and romans used bronze axles lubricated in lard.
    - alpaca128 6y ago
      ...which only supports the point that they had the necessary tech to assemble rudimentary but functional bicycles.
      - WalterBright 6y ago
        Such a machine might have been "functional" but be too heavy to be worth it.
        Ekaros 6y ago
        Even ignoring the weight. I wonder what would have been the efficiency. As I would say that is the main point of bicycle. All of the losses would likely add up and make up something that is rather unpreferable to drive and use. Anyone who have used very poorly maintained bicycle know that it's not fun.
        alpaca128 6y ago
        The first bicycles didn't even have pedals, were used on rather bad road surfaces but apparently were still fun enough for some people to make multi-day journeys. It was bad but the best you could get without a horse.

by chewz 6y ago

enriquto 6y ago

Notice that it is not full bamboo, though. The crucial parts that take a lot of stress are still precision metalwork (e.g., axes, bearings, even the frame corners). I doubt an ancient civilization without very advanced steelmaking could pull such a "bamboo" bike.

alpaca128 6y ago
Of course a modern wood bike still has steel parts because the alternative is so far inferior nobody would buy it. That doesn't mean it's impossible or that back then nobody would have considered it. Today nobody would seriously use wooden gears, but back then they were the best you could get and were still good enough to be worth the effort.
- enriquto 6y ago
  Do you think that you can build a wooden axle and bearing that stands the weight of a person? It seems to be very hard. The greeks and romans used bronze axles lubricated in lard.
  - alpaca128 6y ago
    ...which only supports the point that they had the necessary tech to assemble rudimentary but functional bicycles.
    - WalterBright 6y ago
      Such a machine might have been "functional" but be too heavy to be worth it.
      - Ekaros 6y ago
        Even ignoring the weight. I wonder what would have been the efficiency. As I would say that is the main point of bicycle. All of the losses would likely add up and make up something that is rather unpreferable to drive and use. Anyone who have used very poorly maintained bicycle know that it's not fun.
        alpaca128 6y ago
        The first bicycles didn't even have pedals, were used on rather bad road surfaces but apparently were still fun enough for some people to make multi-day journeys. It was bad but the best you could get without a horse.