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mat's bamboo bike

cmc

Turbo Monkey
Nov 17, 2006
2,052
6
austin
from http://leastmost.com/features/bamboozled/



"The other day my buddy Mat got ahold of me to try and locate some bottom brackets and headtubes for a bike he wanted to make…

He explained to me that after 2 years of being disabled from a bad car accident he was trying to ride again. His injury had left his shoulder virtually un usable, but that the weightlessness of riding a vert ramp, getrads were still possible, and pumping the ramp worked. He then explained how he outfitted a brace, attaching his elbow somehow to his hip, and could ride, even though he is essentially doing it one handed. Further explanation, brought him to the point where in testing his limits, and having to think new about it, and unlearn, and relearn, and that a regular bike would confuse him into thinking he could ride like he used to…. Solution? make an alternative bike out of bamboo. Bamboo has a high tensile strength, and way different qualities than chromoly, so he would basically have to be real careful, in order to enjoy the ride…

These are a few pics from one of my favorite, and most inspiring pioneers of free thinking and awesomeness, Mat Hoffman. Below Is Mat shredding the ramp at his home in Oklahoma, and A Doctor Seuss inspired Poem about his Bike, that he wrote for his children, and shared with me…."

Thanks Mat…

- Steve Crandall
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,333
1,576
Central Florida
Did they shred the bamboo and mix the fibers to make a composite or something? Curious as to what exactly is bamboo.

I'm not sure if the best way to deal with an injury is to ride a weaker bike. If (when) it breaks, he's going down on that shoulder again.

I like to see weird bikes though.
 

w00dy

In heaven there is no beer
Jun 18, 2004
3,417
51
that's why we drink it here
He's held the world record for shoulder surgeries for at least a decade. His knees have been done, and I'm pretty sure he had to have his tailbone removed too.

I hadn't heard about the car accident either. Sad news. Good to see it isn't stopping him.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
more than one way to skin a cat. looks like laminated bamboo built up and sanded into bike shape. matt's biograghy pretty good read, real legend!
I believe it has an internal skeleton made from "regular" bamboo. Then, for the cover, it has bamboo strips mixed up with polyesther resine, Craig Calfee has the word when it comes to bamboo bikes: www.calfeedesign.com
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
- Are Matt Hoffman anecdotes going to replace Chuck Norriss quotes one day?
Hoffman FTW!!!! He is a real Hero, not as the bearded poser!

Now seriously, how many people do you know who will endure a knee surgery WITHOUT any anesthesia? Matt has my complete respect, and not just because of this. He has always kept a positive attitude, even when going through the worst situations, when most of us would just break.