InZambia, bamboo bicycles are changing the lives of tens of thousands of people.It's all part of a project founded by two Californians who wanted to createcheap and affordable bikes for the developing world.
On the outskirts of Lusaka, a project tocreate bamboo bicycles is increasing employment and easing the cost oftransportation.
A bike made of bamboo
The project co-founders are Vanghu Spethmannand Dustin McBride, who first came to Zambia on a university field trip two yearsago.
They decided to build bicycles tough enoughto handle the Zambian terrain. Theiridea: to make a frame from pieces ofbamboo held together with a coarse fiber called sisal. Fixed to the frames are wheels, pedals andhandlebars.
The plan is to manufacture the bike frames indeveloping countries and send them to Europe and the United States where theywill be finished and sold.
With the help of designer Craig Calfree, ateam of 25 young Zambian men are being trained to build the bikes.
Project manager Chiteu Muyoya said theadvantage of a bamboo bicycle is that it can absorb vibrations and shocks likebumps in the road, making it comfortable to ride over long distances.
"The cost of production in Zambia is veryhigh," says Muyoya. "So we some of the costs by providing bicycle parts like the frames. We contacted CraigCalfee to train our staffs on how to assemble a bamboo bicycle."
Twenty-seven-year-old Friday Mazimba has beentrained to make and assemble a bamboo bike. He hopes to set up his ownmanufacturing plant.
He says the hand-made bamboo frames take lessthan a week to construct, "The bamboo that we use in making the bicycles islocally grown has to be between three to four years old," Masimba says. "Beforewe measure and cut to bicycle size, we for over 24 hours . These bamboobikes are as strong as the steel one."
Zambike
The bikes also come in various sizes. One,called the bike trailer, carries cargo. Then there's the Zambulance:
"The Zambulance is a bicycle ambulancedesigned to meet a specific medical need," Chiteu Muyoya explains, "to transport patientsfrom home to the clinics in a comfortable, affordable ambulance trailer. Nomore patients being ferried to the health center on carts or wheelbarrows. Withthe Zambulance, patients are able to reach clinics fast."
Muyoya says the Zambulance can carry up to250 kilograms.
The Zambike will be sold in Zambia forbetween $ US 200 and $ US 400 and about double that when exported to NorthAmerica and Europe.
The company is also selling the bicycles tonon-governmental organizations that need bikes for their employees such asmedical workers, educators and entrepreneurs.
One challenge for the project is competitionfrom cheap metal bicycles that are being imported from China and other parts ofAsia.
Some of the NGOs may buy the Zambikes butsell them at a lower price to local Zambians.
A similar project is underway in Ghana.
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