Cycling UK Forum

Daft question but why isn't wood used for bikes?

I know it has plenty of weaknesses, woodworm, rot etc... But Morgan use it for cars, so why not for bikes?

Bikes are not really like cars you know, but have sometimes been made with wooden frames, like this one:
seen at Eurobike 2007 (but didn't make the Editor's cut).

And a Danish firm makes very nice wooden mudguards etc.

For more highly stressed components wood cannot really compete with the alternatives, when weight and bulk are also limiting factors. You won't find much wood in aeroplanes nowadays either, for similar reasons.

See: http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=woo ... a=N&tab=wi

I'm not advocating it

But where wood excels is in its directional strength. Trees flex about in strong winds.

I imagine it could be lighter in certain circumstances.

gilesjuk wrote:But where wood excels is in its directional strength. Trees flex about in strong winds.

trees that flex are living, wet things. that may be a big difference.

where wood really excels is in its ease of machining, assembly & etc. for the home mechanic and small production runs ie. you & me could make a wood bike, but would find it difficult in other, more conventional materials

good luck

http://www.blids.nl/gallery/Plywood-Rec ... kshop-2003

Where wood would excel is in the area of braze-ons....you'll never be stuck for an extra bottle cage again, just nail a new one on

Si wrote:just nail a new one on

screw it on, you rough devil

i have seen pics of some...like above...but it seems they really expensive built by master craftsmen, and built mainly for their looks...not purpose

Do you count bamboo? Craig Calfee makes some really wonderful-looking bamboo frames. Bonded with hemp fibres and natural resins. They're race proven, too, and supposed to be very comfortable.

They're pretty high on my never-gonna-really-buy-but-would-if-I-won-the-lottery list, along with a new Moulton Speed.

Not a million years ago, wood was used for sprint rims (for tubular racing tyres.)

There was a bloke in Worcester a few years ago who built wooden bikes. Lawrie something.

Last year C+ had a report about a guy in Holland building bikes from wooden laminates.
And of course someone is now trialling the use of hemp fibre as a substitute for some of the carbon fibre in a frame.
Next stop Treefibre?

wanna build your own 'bent?

http://mysite.verizon.net/res88kr1/

Bamboo isn't wood.

It's grass.

Mick F wrote:Bamboo isn't wood.

It's grass.

You're not wrong, Mick, but it's closer to wood than it is to titanium. And the man's work is so lush that it's always worth a link