Ditching metal: a plywood bike

By Andrew Gregory. Posted

There's a large selection of bikes parked up outside our office: big, small, mountain, road, BMX. Despite all their differences, they've all got one thing in common – they're all made of metal (we're not in the posh end of town that has carbon fibre bikes).

While this is sturdy, lightweight, and practical, it's not the most aesthetically pleasing material. That's why we're excited about Jason Cram's wooden bike, and we caught up with him for more details. Here's what he had to say:

"I’m a software engineer at Boeing and a weekend maker. The thinking behind using plywood for a bicycle frame is to replicate some of the shock absorption seen in mountain bikes. Also, using wood as a composite can create a very tough and strong building material. With the right design, the bike frame should flex and offer a smooth ride. It took around six months to build, with a lot of shaping, sanding, and varnishing. I used it for three to four years as a mountain bike, and it worked pretty well. However, I broke the head tube and the seat post, and repaired it. Also, there is a bit too much flex in the crank when you pedal hard. Some parts need to be as rigid as possible, while in other areas I want flexibility, and with more engineering it’ll work great. I have other ideas and designs for wood bikes that I’ll build at some point, but for now I converted this bike into a cruiser-style bicycle, and I enjoy riding it around my neighbourhood."

You can find out how Jason made this bike at https://hsmag.cc/wfMDej

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