For the manufacture of the frame of the Möbius bicycles , we have selected bamboo , an age-old material, rather than steel. We explain why through this article.
The first bamboo bicycle patent was registered in England by the Bamboo Cycle Company in 1894. The frame is made from bamboo culms, these are the cylindrical stems made up of knots characteristic of this plant.
However, due to the development of harder industrial metals, such as steel and aluminum, bamboo was never used on a large scale to make bicycles .
Wearing
For such a light material, bamboo is very strong . Its hollow morphology associated with its nodes distributed evenly on the stem increases its lateral resistance.
Its fibers have a tensile strength of 40 kp/mm², which is higher than any other normal wood fiber which reaches 5 kp/mm², and higher than steel fiber which reaches 37 kp /mm².
In addition, bamboo is soft, light and flexible .
Vibration absorption
In addition to its resistant qualities, bamboo has a very good capacity to absorb vibrations , up to 5 times higher than that of aluminium. On a bicycle, it absorbs micro-vibrations, which improves road comfort .
Ecological
Bamboo is a plant that stands out for its rapid growth , in fact the stems can take up to 1 meter in 24 hours. It does not need fertilizers or other phytosanitary products to develop.
In addition, it can fix up to 30% more CO2 than trees and therefore releases 30% more oxygen than them.
There are more than 1000 species of bamboo, but they cannot be planted everywhere because their growth is very fast and takes up a lot of space, endangering other plant species. The largest production in the world is in Asia, where there is an ancestral know-how around their valorization. There are even 5-star hotels in Bali made entirely of bamboo, from floor to ceiling!
Bio-sourced, they are recyclable and compostable since it is a plant material.
They usually reach growth maturity in four to five years . Multiple harvests are then possible every two years, for more than 100 years for some species, and indefinitely for others!
However, as with any plant, care must be taken in the management of bamboo planting and harvesting.
To control this, the FSC certification was created recently. This label guarantees that the bamboo is cut at least 5 years old (at good maturity), that it comes from a sustainably managed bamboo grove and from which only 20% of the plantation is harvested annually.
Möbius bamboo bikes
As you will have understood, as a company with a mission , it was essential for us to select this resistant, ecological and durable material for our bikes. We use it in glued laminated and not raw.
The bamboo we use is produced in China, a country where the majority of the world's production of this plant is found, and where they have a thousand-year-old know-how.
We work closely with all of our partners to create sustainable, low-carbon bicycles within a fair and ethical framework.
Read also: How to choose your electric bike?
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