Craig Calfee partners Bali startup eyeing bamboo electric bike production

Carbon fibre bicycle pioneer Craig Calfee has entered a partnership with a Bali-based entrepreneur to bring about production of bamboo-framed electric bikes.

With an abundance of the material and local skill available, Calfee has partnered Mark Donovan, who plans to launch the Bamboo Electric Bike Company. Stemming from the fashion nitwear business, Donovan is said to be eager to develop clean mobility solutions for the motor-centric region.

Calfee, owner of Calfee Design, brings to the table knowledge of bike construction from both his days as a carbon pioneer, but also many years of knowledge gained from working with the light yet incredibly stiff material. Indeed, Calfee already offers in the U.S. a DIY bamboo bike kit.

Having already journeyed to Bali, Calfee has begun educating the region’s Green School on producing bicycles with the naturally grown material. Two types of bamboo – Gigantochloa and Phyllostachys – are to form the basis of the proposed electric bike designs.

Having formerly built bikes for Tour de France winner Greg LeMond, Calfee is now excited by the prospect of seeing bamboo bikes gain market share across Indonesia. He has previously also shared his expertise with bamboo in African countries.

A team has already been assembled to bring about production of both standard and electric bamboo bikes.

Calfee Design – Craig Calfee story from KEVIN WINZELER on Vimeo.