The bamboo bicycle concept mentioned in an earlier post is making its way to Africa. California-based bicycle maker Criag Calfee is teaming up with David Ho, John Mutter and Vijay Modi to introduce the sustainably produced vehicle and stimulate a self-sustaining bicycle industry.
According to the Bamboo Bike Project's website: [...] bicycles currently used in Africa are utterly inappropriate for transportation in these regions. They are a throwback to the British colonial period, meant for the amusement of the wealthy classes in well-paved cities, not for critical transportation of poor rural people. They are manufactured outside Africa in China and India, and shipped complete. Despite the critical need for bicycles in Africa, there are no local bicycle building businesses anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa. Incorporating locally-grown bamboo, according to The Bamboo Bike Project, is a key element in realizing the project's potential for sustainability. The manufacture of a bamboo frame requires very little in terms of equipment and resources relative to other bikes.
After the initial visit to Accra, Ghana, the project will undergo a testing phase the Earth Institute at Columbia University's Millennium Villages.
