What's stopping the bamboo bike from shooting into the mainstream?

Practical and sustainable, it's an ideal material for frames, but bamboo may take a while to become the next big thing

Racing bike made from bamboo by Craig Calfee. Photograph: PR

The panda jokes are now a long way from my mind. I'm standing astride a bike crafted from an armful of bamboo cane, about to push out into rush-hour traffic.

As a material for a bicycle frame, it makes more sense than it sounds. In Asian countries it's often used as scaffolding, and even to reinforce concrete, so it's certainly strong. But the important part is that it's also incredibly springy.

So, why not build bikes from it, rather than more energy-intensive steel or carbon?

Well, people have. In fact, look up English patent number 8274, filed in 1894, and you'll see that it's far from a new idea. It's just never taken off.