Flexing the possibilities of bike design

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Wood bike frames are not new. Bamboo frame bikes have been made commercially by a number of companies for some time.  Now one designer, taking his cue from furniture design, has developed a bike frame made of plywood.

Furniture design

Plywood is used prominently in furniture design due to the material having flexible properties. These properties have been applied to bike frame construction with Polish designer Stanislaw Ploski producing his Bonobo bike that features a frame made of curved laminated layers of plywood. While aesthetically it is not the best looking bike, the Bonobo is a clever blend of technology and nature.

Flexible properties

Plywood is strong, naturally absorbs vibrations and is light in weight.  Apart form the plywood frame, the Bonobo features a singlespeed drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes. It is also possible to put in an internal gear hub or a belt drivetrain on this frame design, according to Stanislaw.

Visit Stanislaw’s website for more pictures and information.

See also

Designer bikes

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