Research Project

An analysis of feasibility of growing a sufficient amount of bamboo

for a bicycle frame in Calgary based on recorded weather of 2009

Authors:

Jason Gimeno
Mila Gorobets
Xiaozhen Huang
Richard Magbojos

For:

COMS 363 – L21 Paul Kennett

June 23, 2010

ABSTRACT

Bamboo is a readily available, renewable material with strength comparable to that of steel.
Different bamboo species can be grown in very different environments with complex sets of
conditions. In the recent years, bamboo bicycle frames have become more popular. Building such a
frame requires cured bamboo poles of certain diameter and length. This study was based on
Calgary with an individual in mind. The analysis of the climate data showed that about 3 growing
months were available during the summer, with greatest precipitation, highest average
temperatures and least number of days with frost. Based on the climate data, the research focused
on the Arundinaria amabilis and Phyllostachis nigra species. We analyzed the costs associated with
growing the bamboo outdoors and indoors, as well as simply buying it. All three ways of acquiring
bamboo differ in costs, but can be made roughly the same with certain cutbacks, such as not using a
greenhouse outside. This study concluded that obtaining bamboo for a bicycle frame in Calgary is
entirely possible and the financial impact does not necessarily have to be significant to the owner.
The choice of method of acquiring bamboo and curing it is entirely up to the builder.

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 Growing Bamboo for a Bicycle Frame in Calgary Research Project

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Methods ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Bamboo: Basic information ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Bamboo: Species ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Bamboo: Height-diameter relationships …………………………………………………………………………. 3
Bamboo: Required conditions ………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Materials: Bamboo poles ………………………………………………………………………………………………... 4
Materials: Curing …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Climate: Temperature data …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Climate: Precipitation data …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Climate: Bright sunshine hours .……………………………………………………………………………………… 5
Climate: Number of days with freezing …………………………………………………………………………… 5
Climate: Wind speed data ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5
Cost ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5
Results ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6
Bamboo ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6
Bamboo: Species …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
Bamboo: Height-diameter relationships …………………………………………………………………………. 7
Bamboo: Required conditions ………………………………………………………………………………………... 8
Materials: Bamboo poles ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8
Materials: Curing …………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 8
Climate …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
Climate: Temperature data …………………………………………………………………………………………..... 9
Climate: Precipitation data …………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
Climate: Bright sunshine hours …………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
Climate: Soil ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11
Climate: Sunlight …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11
Climate: Wind ……………….…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
Cost …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
Cost: Importing …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12
Cost: Planting outdoors ….……………………………………………………………………………………………. 13
Cost: Planting indoors …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 14
Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15
Recommendations ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 16
References ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 17
Appendix A: Temperature Data ..……………………………………………………………………………………………… 18

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 Growing Bamboo for a Bicycle Frame in Calgary Research Project

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Figure 1: Bamboo types …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6

Figure 2: Phyllostachys nigra - Black bamboo ………………………………………………………………………….. 7
Figure 3: Arundinaria amabilis - Tonkin cane …………………………………………………………………………… 7
Table 1: Temperature data for Calgary for the year 2009 ………………………………………………………… 10
Table 2: Weather patterns data for Calgary …………………………………………………………………………….. 11
Table 3: Costs for Importing Black and Tonkin Bamboo in Canada …………………………………………… 12
Table 4: Costs for growing Black and Tonkin bamboo in Calgary ……………………………………………… 13

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INTRODUCTION

Bamboo is an environmentally friendly, completely renewable resource, removal of which does not
cause soil erosion. It grows year round in warm climates, but can be grown during the warmer
seasons in countries that experience cold temperatures during the winter.

Recently, there has been an increase in the interest with regards to bamboo products. One of such
products is a bamboo bicycle frame. Bamboo is capable of fulfilling the strength requirements for
the frame and is much lighter than the common alternatives. Naturally, a question arises – how easy
is it to grow bamboo by an individual in order to construct a working frame? This research focused
on answering exactly that with regards to the financial part of the question and was based on
various types of data for Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

We have looked at the climate records for Calgary and discovered that a reliable growing season
can last about three months during the year. During those months, precipitation and number of
bright sunshine hours are also the greatest (this would minimize the cost of watering the plant
artificially). We then used the temperature data collected to pinpoint the species of bamboo that
can be easily grown in Calgary during the three summer months. A great variety of possible species
was found, each with unique characteristics, but this research group decided to focus on two -
Arundinaria amabilis (Tonkin bamboo) and Phyllostachis nigra (Black bamboo). Both species are
capable of withstanding slightly negative temperatures and grow to the dimensions required by the
bicycle frame.

Curing bamboo for such application requires heat for maximum strength, but the negative
environmental impact of the treatment is minimal. Two other approaches to curing were
discovered – wet and dry, both require very little amounts of materials and the cost for those is
quite low.

We took a look at the expenses regarding growing bamboo (both indoors and outdoors) in Calgary
and purchasing bamboo poles. The outcome of this comparison was that it essentially comes down
to the bicycle frame enthusiast to decide – the cost for both methods can potentially be the same,
but depends on the species chosen and the amount ordered. The expenses with regards to growing
outdoors and indoors were different. A lot of the approximated cost, however, for growing bamboo
outdoors came from the price of the greenhouse and the humidifier, both of which can be
eliminated if needed.

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Analysis was performed of the data found and several conclusions were drawn regarding obtaining
bamboo – there was no significant cost difference between the three methods. However, this is
further described within the body of this paper. The curing methods were analyzed, but overall we
concluded that the process should not pose any problem.

The main goal of this research was to analyze the feasibility of an individual growing bamboo in
Calgary. This paper presents an analysis of the weather patterns, costs, necessary bamboo care and
alternatives to growing bamboo.

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METHODS

Bamboo

Basic information

Information regarding the family bamboo belongs to was acquired from Wikipedia (2010). The
general information on types of bamboo was obtained from Little Acre Farm (2004).

Species

The choice of species was partially based on known climate patterns in Calgary and partially on
what has been recommended by blogs (such as Building a Bamboo Bike (2010)) or online guides
(such as Ayasbek (2010)). We analyzed the weather data gathered (the methods for this are
described in the Climate subsection) and chose species that fit the requirements the best. The
requirements were that the species had to grow quickly, be able to reach desired height and
diameter and not get damaged if the temperatures dipped slightly below freezing mark.

Height-diameter relationships

To obtain the maximum height and diameter of the two bamboo species that we decided to focus
on, information on Bamboo Sourcery (2010) and Bamboo Garden (2007) was utilized for
Arundinaria amabilis (Tonkin bamboo) and Phyllostachis nigra (Black bamboo) respectively.

Required conditions

Online resources were contacted for information on how to care for both species of bamboo. For
the Arundinaria amabilis (Tonkin bamboo/cane), we used the planting tips on Dave’s Garden
(2010). For the Phyllostachis nigra (Black bamboo), information on Bamboo Garden (2007) was
used.

More general care information, such as soil pH or watering, was acquired from Beaulieu (n.d.) and
Bamboo World (2010).

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Materials

Bamboo poles

In the recent years, there has been increased interest in constructing bicycle frames out of bamboo.
Because of that, several sources have become available online that describe the process in detail. To
obtain information on the size of poles required for a bamboo frame, we contacted Building a
Bamboo Bike (2010) and Bike Bamboo (2010) for recommendations.

Curing

We started the hunt for information on how to cure bamboo at T&T Supermarket. We felt that this
was an appropriate place to start since they had a sub-store that specialized in herbs and teas, but
also sold cured bamboo. From speaking and questioning the shop owner, we learned that there are
two common ways to cure bamboo. After deciding that the information and details acquired from
the shop owner at the T&T Asian Supermarket was incomplete, we gained some additional
information online (from sources such as Wendt (n.d.) and Building a Bamboo Bike (2010)).

Climate

Temperature data

Temperature data for 2009 was obtained from The Weather Network (2010). The data from
every day of 2009 was acquired separately. Daily highs and lows were then added to a series of
spreadsheets sorted by the month. All of the daily highs were then added and divided by the
number of days in a month to obtain an average; same was done for the daily lows. For every
month, maximum and minimum temperatures were found. The values are presented in Table 1.

Precipitation data

We acquired the 2009 precipitation data for Calgary from Environment Canada (2010). An
inquiry was made into the database for every month of the year, the value corresponding to
Calgary and column titled “P” was read and recorded in a table. This gave us the values of total
precipitation for separate months of 2009.

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Bright sunshine hours

The values of bright sunshine hours were obtained from Environment Canada (2010). This was
done by simply reading the row corresponding to the data required and recording values for
every month of the year. This data was a collection of averages from a 29-year range (from 1971
to 2000). This provided us with information that was not available from other climate data
sources.

Number of days with freezing

Since temperatures in the negatives are capable of quite easily killing bamboo plants, the
statistics for number of days with temperatures below 0 oC were acquired. The Environment
Canada (2010) website was used to obtain such data. The values were read from the
corresponding row in a table for every month of the year and recorded in a table for further
comparison. The data was a collection of averages from a 29-year range (from 1971 to 2000) and
was used as a substitute for the data that we couldn’t acquire elsewhere.

Wind speed data

Wind can damage bamboo by uprooting it, thus we decided to take a look at the average wind
speed for every month of the year in Calgary. Data was gathered by consulting the tables on the
Environment Canada (2010) website. The values were read, recorded and are presented in Table
[NUMBER]. The data was a collection of wind speed data for a 29-year range (from 1971 to 2000)
and was used as a substitute for the 2009 data that was not available.

Cost

Several possible ways of obtaining bamboo were explored, each of which varied slightly depending
on the species of bamboo being used. The types of bamboo will depend on the desired strength for
the bicycle, and also other characteristics such as growing conditions and growing time. However,
research concentrated on two types of bamboo: Arundinaria amabilis (Tonkin bamboo) and
Phyllostachis nigra (Black bamboo). Reasons for using these specific types of bamboo were mainly
based on strength and durability. Articles regarding these types of bamboo gave insight into the
conditions required for growth. The growing of Tonkin and Black bamboo was categorized into two

5
possibilities: cultivation indoors or outdoors. Each method was analyzed by considering the type of
equipment needed to satisfy the conditions required by the bamboo in order to grow. The
approximate costs of the overall methods were then calculated. These figures were then compared
to the amount of money required to simply import the desired types of bamboo. The cost of
importing Tonkin and Black bamboo was found by exploring online sources which represented
distributors in North America, such as Bamboo World (2010) or Lewis Bamboo (n.d.). Finally, all
methods are compared in order to arrive at the one that would most likely be preferred by the
average Calgarian.

RESULTS

Bamboo

Bamboos constitute a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family Poaceae
(Wikipedia, 2010). There are many types of bamboo available, each with varying properties, such as
the growth rate, the height to radius relationship, and the ability to grow in different climates.
When building or designing a bicycle, strength and durability have to be taken into account,
resulting in one type of bamboo being a more attractive choice than the others. Bamboo can be
separated into two main types: the clumping (non-spreading) bamboo and the running bamboo.
(Little Acre Farm, 2004)

The rhizomes of running bamboo always grow

underground at a relatively small depth and can
spread to heavily cover nearby areas of land.
These rhizomes also can further expand their
underground space from the standing culms.
Running bamboo is usually used to produce
people’s hedges or screens, although how
aggressive their growth is would be dependent
upon the specific species. Many approaches can

FIGURE 1 Bamboo types (Little Acre Farm, be used to make sure that their growth focuses
2004) on a certain area. While people expect to build
a hedge, they should divert the rhizomes of these running bamboos so they grow along in the

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direction to produce such hedge. The rhizomes of clumping bamboo always run similar to inverted
umbrellas and generate new shoots every year. As clumping bamboos mature, the circumference
grows slightly bigger annually. (Little Acre Farm, 2004)

Species

We decided to choose clumping bamboo as the target type because it does not present a risk of
spreading uncontrollably. The type of clumping bamboo would be hardy, but would grow quickly in
Calgary. Certain clumping bamboo species, such as Black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) or the
Tonkin cane (Arundinaria amabilis) only get affected by cold for temperatures lower than -12 oC
(Bamboo Sourcery, 2010) and thus appear to be a safe choice for growing in Calgary. We chose to
base our research around these two species.

FIGURE 2 Phyllostachys nigra - Black bamboo FIGURE 3 Arundinaria amabilis - Tonkin cane
(Noah Bell, 2007) (FYFURNITURE, 2008)

Height-diameter relationships

Arundinaria amabilis grows to be 50 feet (15.2 meters) with a radius of about 2 ½” at such height
(Bamboo Sourcery, 2010). The Phyllostachys nigra grows to about 35 feet (10.7 meters) with a
maximum radius of 2 ¼” (Bamboo Garden, 2007). The growth rate for both species largely
depends on the nutrients, water, light, and temperature (MrBamboo, 2010).

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Required conditions

Just like any other plant, bamboo will thrive in specific conditions. One must try to maintain such
conditions when growing bamboo for a bicycle in order to provide enough material in a reasonable
amount of time. Clumping bamboo is a very adaptable bamboo, which can suit various
environments (Gardening Site, 2007). The size and growth rate of clumping bamboo will vary in
different conditions (MrBamboo, 2010).

Bamboos in general require regular watering to keep the soil around their roots moist (but not
wet). If the planting location is windy, the plant will need to be watered more frequently. Most
species grow the best in direct sunlight, but nonetheless can thrive in partial shade. (Beaulieu
(n.d.))

The Arundinaria amabilis can withstand temperatures as low as -12.2 oC or 10F (Bamboo Sourcery,
2010). The Phyllostachys nigra only gets affected by the cold once temperatures dip below -15.0 oC
or 5F (Bamboo Garden, 2007). At those temperatures, the leaves get damaged and the plant will
need significant time to recover if the onset of cold is not lasting. In the case of lasting low
temperatures, bamboo plants will most likely not survive, although mulch can be applied in an
attempt to keep the root system alive. (Complete Bamboo, 2008)

Materials

Bamboo poles

According to Building a Bamboo Bike (2010), it is recommended to get at least three 1”-1 ¼”
diameter and three 1 ½” diameter poles, each 8 feet long. Although the maximum piece length
does not exceed 3 feet and growing shorter bamboo might seem acceptable, bamboo is quite soft
when young and only gains its strength as it matures (Young, n.d.).

Curing bamboo

There are two common ways to cure bamboo. The two ways to cure bamboo is the dry method, and
the wet method. The dry method involves leaning the bamboo against the wall in a well ventilated

8
area. When leaning the bamboo, it is important that you rest the base on something that will protect
it against moisture. If you’re leaning the bamboo on a dirt surface, concrete blocks or stones should
be used for the base of the bamboo to rest on. (Sweeny, n.d.) An alternate to this method is to tie
the individual pieces of bamboo together and hang them in a tree for about 6-8 months. There is no
cost for this method.

The wet method involves saturating the bamboo in salt water, and leaving them in the sun to dry.
For this process, a big cauldron is needed with a salt to water ratio of ½ a cup of salt per gallon of
water. Let the bamboo sit in the water for about 90 days at the bottom of the cauldron, then leave it
out in the sun for about 4-6 hours a day until it is thoroughly dry. (Sweeny, n.d.)

The bamboo should be a light tan/yellow color when it is cured. (Sweeny, n.d.) The cost of this
method only includes the cauldron in which the bamboo will sit in, and the salt used for the
solution.

Another way to cure bamboo is by heating it. A propane torch is usually used. The bamboo is
treated while it is still green and the color change is observed immediately. The pole is treated by
being heated with the torch until it is of a desired color. (Building a Bamboo Bike, 2010)

This method is commonly used for bicycle frames, because it makes the poles significantly stronger
than when they are untreated. (Building a Bamboo Bike, 2010) The cost of this method would be
the cost of the torch, which can start at about $30.

Climate

Growing bamboo outside in Calgary is possible as there are a lot of sunny days and the temperature
is at a suitable level. Thus, using a greenhouse would only prolong the growing season. At the same
time it would require more maintenance and resources.

Temperature

Based on the weather data collected from the Weather Network (2010) and Government of
Canada (2010), we can conclude that precipitation in 2009 was highest during the months of
March, June, July and August. The average temperatures are shown in Table 1 and are out of the

9
negatives during the months of May, June, July, August and September. This would allow the
possible outdoor bamboo growing season to be from the beginning of June to the end of August,
giving a total of 3 months. However, based on the 2009 data temperatures during these three
months can still drop to as low as -0.5o C (during the month of June). Based on the historical data
from 1971 to 2000, on average there are 0.27 days in June with temperatures below freezing
point, no days with temperatures below freezing point in July and 0.17 days in August. From this,
growing bamboo in Calgary during the months of June, July and August does not present a
potential risk, although such always exists.

TABLE 1 Temperature data for Calgary for the year 2009 (WeatherNetwork, 2010)

Month Average daily Average daily Maximum Minimum

high (oC) low (oC) temperature (oC) temperature (oC)
January 0.33 -12.6 14.2 -29.7
February -1.2 -12.6 14.0 -23.5
March 0.07 -10.3 12.8 -26.2
April 9.3 -2.6 21.4 -8.5
May 16.4 2.8 27.5 -2.0
June 19.8 6.7 26.5 -0.5
July 22.9 10.9 30.6 5.1
August 22.1 9.7 31.7 5.7
September 23.4 6.6 33.2 1.1
October 5.7 -2.8 17.8 -16.3
November 8.1 -4.6 19.9 -10.6
December -6.8 -18.1 8.2 -32.4
Source data for this table can be found in Appendix A of the report

Precipitation

The rain does not fall on a regular basis in Calgary, with 60.0% of days in June, 38.7% of days in
July, and 64.5% of days in August not receiving any precipitation in 2009. Historically from 1971
to 2000, 55.3% of days in June, 58.1% of the days in July and 35.5% of the days in August did not
see precipitation. These irregularities would require use of artificial watering of the bamboo
plants. Precipitation data for Calgary is presented in Table 2.

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TABLE 2 Weather patterns data for Calgary (Environment Canada, 2010)

Month Average Bright Average number Average wind speed*

total sunshine of days with (km/h)
precipitation hours* temperatures
(mm) below freezing*
January 7.40 117.4 30.3 14.8
February 12.2 141.4 26.9 14.6
March 41.0 177.6 29.2 15.0
April 11.4 218.8 21.1 16.5
May 14.2 253.7 5.60 16.6
June 42.6 280.3 0.27 15.6
July 70.6 314.9 0.00 14.0
August 62.2 281.9 0.17 13.2
September 2.20 207.7 4.70 14.1
October 30.8 180.5 19.3 14.6
November 5.40 123.9 28.4 13.7
December 28.0 107.4 29.9 14.9
*Data was not available for the year 2009 alone. Historical data from 1971-2000 was thus utilized to obtain
these values.

Soil

Bamboo plants thrive in slightly acidic (pH of about 6), loamy soil with an abundance of mulch.
Mulch can be provided from a home-made compost pile, commercially available compost or
simply grass. (Bamboo Garden, 2007) The soil in Calgary is generally alkaline (pH is greater than
7) (The Compost Gardener, 2009), thus lime will need to be applied to the soil to make it suitable
for bamboo. Loamy soil can be purchased from a gardening center. Lawn fertilizer that is high in
nitrogen can also be to promote faster growth. (Bamboo Garden, 2007)

Sunlight

Most species of bamboo grow the fastest in direct sunlight (Beaulieu, (n.d.)). In Calgary in June an
average of 280.3 hours of sunshine are available per month (about 9.34 hours per day); an
average of 314.9 hours (10.16 hours per day) are available in July; an average of 281.9 hours (9.1
hours per day) of sunshine are available in August. The abundance of sunshine in Calgary will
allow the bamboo plants to photosynthesize and grow more quickly.

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Wind

Strong winds will uproot bamboos and damage them (Wendt, n.d.). In Calgary, the wind speeds in
June, July and August are around 14 km/h or 4 m/s (refer to Table 2). There are times when the
wind gusts reach extreme speeds of 30 m/s or higher (Environment Canada, 2010), in which case
the bamboo plants might get damaged. To prevent this from happening, mulch should be used not
only as a fertilizer, but also as a stabilizer around the base of the plant. It might also be beneficial
to grow the bamboo beside taller plants that can act as a wind shield, yet don’t block too much
light out.

Cost

Although the difference in price regarding growing or importing might be intimidating, it must be
kept in mind that both options can easily be justified depending on the level of effort the user
intends to input.

Importing

Importing the bamboo is with no doubt the most convenient option. However, it is also required to
estimate how much bamboo is required to avoid multiple orders which could easily cost the buyer
twice or three times the original total. Although it is known that a bamboo bike requires around 6-7
poles, other possibilities should be considered. Poles for repairing a failed frame should also be
considered; this could mean purchasing another 6-7 poles. If one decides to purchase 12 poles, an
amount which is sufficient to build and maintain a bamboo bicycle, the total cost would be $180-
$240 depending on the type of bamboo ordered. It suddenly becomes clear that importing or
growing the bamboo required might only depend on personal preference, and not the price of the
product. Sample breakdown of costs is presented in Table 3 for both bamboo species.

TABLE 3 Costs for Importing Black and Tonkin Bamboo in Canada

Price (per stick) Shipping Cost Total
Tonkin Cane $5 $20-$501 $25-$55
Black Bamboo $10 $20-$501 $30-$60
1– Price will depend on how many poles are purchased and on handling costs.
Please note that these numbers are gathered from Canadian distributors only.

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Planting outdoors

Growing bamboo in general is quite simple; healthy soil, water, and an average amount of sunlight
is all that is required to grow a healthy bamboo plant. However, the average Calgarian only has
about 2.5-3 months to grow bamboo before the winter weather becomes too much for the plant.
Although this amount of time is sufficient to grow the number of stalks with widths that are
adequate for bike building, another factor that a consumer should take into consideration is the
quality of growth. Bamboo does grow quite quickly, but along with only a 3 month growing period
comes a potential for a much weaker product. (Young, n.d.) This could become an issue when
comparing a homegrown bamboo cane with a professionally grown and harvested product. Caring
and then treating the harvested bamboo also calls for labour intensive work which the average
Calgarian might not desire. However, there are some who would prefer a method in which the
bamboo is personally grown and cared for.

TABLE 4 Costs for growing Black and Tonkin bamboo in Calgary

Greenhouse Heater Humidifier Soil Misc. Total
Outdoors $1500- $85-$1201 $30-$1001 2 $35-$50 ~$50 $85-$2300
$20001
Indoors N/A N/A N/A $35-$50 ~$50 $85-$100
1– Only applicable if one decides to buy a greenhouse.
2 – Only applicable based on grower’s preferences. Humidifier not necessarily required; however, it is
recommended.

The choice of growing bamboo indoors or outdoors is completely dependent on a person’s

preference. Growing Black or Tonkin bamboo outdoors does not necessarily mean a much more
expensive venture. A greenhouse is not required to grow bamboo, although it is recommended
because of the potential for erratic Calgary weather. If one chooses to grow the bamboo during
the middle of summer, it is quite reasonable to neglect all unnecessary utilities. Indoor care is also
a viable option because of shelter provided for the bamboo plant. However, one should also take
into consideration that although only about 8 feet of bamboo is required, it should be grown
much further to assure that the strength of the bamboo stalk being harvested is at its highest. The
cost of water in Calgary is $1.30/m3. Assuming no reliance on natural precipitation, a bamboo
plant that is watered twice a week – ½ a gallon each time – will cost the equivalent of $0.12 to
water for a period of 12 weeks. 10 plants, therefore, will cost $1.20.

For comparison, the costs are presented in Table 3.

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Planting indoors

Bamboo can be grown inside a home. The dimensions of the Bamboo grower’s provide restraints
for growing bamboo indoors because mature bamboo is quite tall. The favorable conditions for
bamboo are about room temperature, but cannot survive in an environment with a temperature
below -12 oC (Bamboo Sourcery, 2010). Room temperature is about 23 oC enabling bamboo to be
grown indoors. Bamboo also needs an environment that is somewhat humid, so there must be a
humidifier in the house.
Thus, growing bamboo indoors is entirely possible, given that the owner would be willing to
sacrifice space in their house for the plants. Approximate costs for an indoor setup are presented in
Table 4.

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CONCLUSION

It is evidently possible to grow bamboo outdoors and it will reach required height during the
allotted time of three months. The growing season could be further expanded by the gardener into
September if the weather presents the opportunity. Growing bamboo indoors might seem like an
attractive alternative to the outdoors, because the plant can then grow year-round, but an average
house has limited space. This would require pruning the top once it reaches 8 feet or so to prevent
further vertical growth and aid maturation instead.

Growing bamboo could be seen as a more desirable option if one wants to keep sustainability in
mind. Being able to grow the bamboo required for building and maintaining a bicycle frame is much
more environmentally friendly. It could also possibly be economically friendly because a constant
import of poles would not be required. Growing your own bamboo might be the choice for an
individual who has much more than just building a bicycle in mind. However, importing may be a
better choice if a person requires a quick and easy method for building a bamboo bicycle. Using
distributors within Canada minimizes the cost of shipping and handling while also reducing the
amount work done by the individual. The bamboo ordered will have the strength required for
building a bike, and will also be prepared for building as soon as it arrives. This option might be
better for a Calgarian that simply wants to opt for a cheaper and greener bicycle.

If growing is chosen, both Black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) and the Tonkin cane (Arundinaria
amabilis) are attractive choices as they are hardy and grow quickly. If the weather pattern in a
given year matches that of 2009 during the three growing months, it is possible to grow large
bamboo poles of required radius in Calgary.

Whichever way the bamboo is acquired, curing it should not pose any sort of problem – using a
propane torch to heat it is not a significant financial impact to the builder. One of the other two
methods – dry or wet – can also be used.

Overall, we concluded that growing bamboo in Calgary is a possible feat that will not necessarily be
a large financial investment. It will, on the other hand, provide a greener alternative to the common
bicycle. It might also be a more popular choice amongst cyclists as the frame would be lighter, just
as strong as commonly used metals, and simply more original. Promoting this idea could have
positive impact on the general public, as building a bamboo bicycle frame will also enhance people’s
understanding of renewable resources and allow them to seek opportunities to seek such resources
in their daily lives.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Due to the time constraints of this research project, certain issues were only investigated on the
surface and no testing was done.

Further research would need to be done with regards to growing bamboo outside for 3 months
during the summer. While the poles might reach the necessary height, they might not be mature or
strong enough for a bicycle frame. This could potentially have negative effects on the popularity of a
bamboo bicycle frame.

Secondly, more research and quite possibly testing should be done for the curing methods
described. Both the wet and the dry method, while quite easy to carry out, might not result in a
strong enough material.

More species could be looked at to find one that could withstand cold better than the two species
chosen for this study. This would result in possible prolongation of the growing season and perhaps
better quality final product.

Based on this research along, we recommend that the above points are addressed prior to
promoting the growing of bamboo on one’s private property. However, general information about
making a bamboo bicycle frame should be made available. This could potentially promote further
research and testing that this research project was not able to complete during the allotted time
period.

16
REFERENCES
Ayasbek. (2008, March 16). How to Build a Bamboo Bicycle. Retrieved from
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Bamboo-Bicycle/
Bamboo Garden. (2007). Phyllostachys Nygra. Retrieved from http://www.bamboogarden.com/
Phyllostachys%20nigra.htm
Bamboo Sourcery. (2010). Arundinaria. Retrieved from http://bamboosourcery.com/cat_frame.cf
m?sec=2&row=1&part=2
Bamboo Wholesale. (2010). Bamboo Selection. Retrieved from http://www.bamboowholesale .com
.au/html/selection.html
BC Greenhouse Builders Limited. (2007). Greenhouses. Retrieved from
http://www.bcgreenhouses.com/
Beaulieu, D. (n.d.). How to Grow Bamboo. Retrieved from
http://landscaping.about.com/od/tropicalplants/f/how_grow_bamboo.htm
Bike Bamboo. (2010). Bamboo Bike Frame Sizing. Retrieved from
http://www.bikebamboo.com/bamboo_geometries.php
Building a Bamboo Bike. (2010, March 17). Bamboo Info [Web log message]. Retrieved June 1,
2010, from http://bamboobike.wordpress.com/getting-started/
Complete Bamboo. (2008). Bamboo Maintenance. Retrieved from
http://www.completebamboo.com/bamboo_maintenance.html
Dave’s Garden. (2010). PlantFiles: Tonkin Cane. Retrieved from http://davesgarden.com/guides
/pf/go/144786/
Environment Canada. (2010). Climate Summaries. Retrieved from
http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca /prods_servs/cdn_climate_summary_e.html
Environment Canada. (2010, March 18). Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000. Retrieved from
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALTA&St
ationName=&SearchType=&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&Statio
nNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&L
ongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=2205&
Gardening Site. (2007, October 26). Clump Bamboo in Gardening. Retrieved from
http://www.gardeningsite.com/bamboo/clump-bamboo-in-gardening/
Lewis Bamboo. (n.d.). Bamboo Plants. Retrieved from http://www.lewisbamboo.com/bamboo.html
Little Acre Farm. (2004). Bamboo Features. Retrieved from http://www.littleacrefarm.com/bam
boo.htm
LivinginCanada. (2010). The Climate and Weather of Calgary, Alberta. Retrieved from
http://www.livingin-canada.com/climate-calgary.html
MrBamboo. (2010). Black bamboo. Retrieved from http://mrbamboo.com.au/species/2-running-
bamboo/9-black-bamboo
Sweeny, S. (n.d.) How to Cure Bamboo. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_4812295_cure-
bamboo.html
The Compost Gardener. (2009). Soil pH. Retrieved from http://www.the-compost-
gardener.com/soil-ph.html
The Weather Network. (2010). Historical Weather. Retrieved from http://www.theweather
network .com /index .php?product=historical&placecode=caab0049
Wendt, M. (n.d.). How to Plant Cloned Bamboo. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how 573
3085_plant-cloned-bamboo.html
Wikipedia. (2010). Bamboo. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo
Young, G. (n.d.). Bamboo and Composites. Retrieved from http://www.bamboosurfboardshawaii
.com/composites.html

17
Appendix A: Temperature Data

18
Temperature values for January 2009
Daily high Daily low
-6.4 -22.7 Max temp 14.2
-21.7 -27.5 Min temp -29.7
-7.9 -29.7
-4 -12.1 Average high 0.325806
1.4 -9 Average low -12.5968
-0.4 -11.2
-8.1 -13
-11.6 -16
2.6 -17.6
4.2 -5.7
5.6 -5.9
7.7 -9.7
7.5 -9.7
-0.7 -12
8.3 -9.2
10.3 -2.5
11 -6.1
14.2 -1.2
11.7 -6.6
7 -7.3
7.4 -8.6
-1.7 -21.2
-20.5 -23.8
-20.2 -25.3
-9 -22.8
-7 -23.5
2.4 -12.7
2.4 -7.6
8.1 -7.2
10.2 5
7.3 -8.1

10.1 -390.5
Temperature values for February 2009
Daily high Daily low
1.4 -11.7 Max temp 14
8.6 -4.3 Min temp -23.5
8.8 -1.8
14 -1.5 Average high -1.16786
13 -3 Average low -12.5893
-0.8 -6.1
7.7 -9.4
9.5 -3
4.8 -1.6
1.3 -13.3
-4.6 -16.6
-6.8 -14
-10.5 -15.2
-12.4 -15.2
-11.1 -19.9
10.3 -21.1
-1 -17.7
1.5 -9.4
0.1 -9.4
1.6 -13.7
2.6 -11.2
-2.3 -13.4
-7.6 -10.3
-10.2 -18.5
-18.5 -22.6
-19.5 -23.5
-3.6 -22.2
-9 -22.9

-32.7 -352.5
Temperature values for March 2009
Daily high Daily low
2.3 -13.2 Max temp 12.8
12.4 -9 Min temp -26.2
5.5 -1.5
7.2 -5.5 Average high 0.074194
2.2 -15.6 Average low -10.2806
-4.4 -18.5
3.8 -8.7
-7.2 -20.7
-20.6 -25.7
-21.4 -26.2
-9.5 -26
6 -16.5
10.9 2
9.2 -2.1
6.8 -8.8
-3.9 -8.2
-1.8 -8.8
6.5 -12.6
12.4 -0.9
12.8 -1.6
10.5 -3
-2.5 -5
-0.9 -7.6
-1.9 -9.6
-5.1 -11.9
-0.8 -16.3
5.2 -7
0.5 -3.6
-0.8 -10.3
5 -12.5
5.8 -3.8

44.2 -318.7
Temperature values for April 2009
Daily high Daily low
1.4 -4.9 Max temp 21.4
2 -8.5 Min temp -8.5
-0.6 -4.9
3.3 -5.5 Average high 9.286667
9.6 -6.6 Average low -2.60333
12.8 0.2
11.6 -1.8
11.5 -2.7
16.8 -1.4
14.8 3
15.5 0
14.2 0.5
11.3 -2.4
3 -0.7
7.2 -1.3
10.7 -3.5
15.7 -3.1
13.8 3.1
14.8 -2.1
20.4 4.9
21.4 3.3
11.6 -3.3
-0.7 -7.8
4.4 -7.1
6.6 -2.8
6 -3.9
2.2 -3.7
3.4 -5.6
5.6 -5.6
8.3 -3.9

278.6 -78.1
Temperature values for May 2009
Daily high Daily low
14 -1.7 Max temp 27.5
16.7 -1.8 Min temp -2
19.5 1.8
16.4 6.3 Average high 16.41613
16.5 2.9 Average low 2.790323
16 2.5
9.5 3.7
11.6 2.7
14 2.9
16 0.4
17.7 1.7
10.6 0.3
11.1 -2
8 1.1
12.4 -0.3
20.4 3
24.7 8.4
2.6 -0.2
11.7 -0.4
7.5 0.9
14.1 -1.4
15.7 -0.6
21.5 0.9
21.8 5.4
20.4 8.9
21.7 5.4
20.7 3.7
22 6.2
27.5 6.2
25 12
21.6 7.6

508.9 86.5
Temperature values for June 2009
Daily high Daily low
12.9 5.5 Max temp 26.5
18.9 0.1 Min temp -0.5
23.1 3.9
21.5 7.7 Average high 19.84333
10.6 1.1 Average low 6.73
8.1 0.2
11.1 0
12 -0.5
14.7 2.4
18.8 2
23 5.7
23.1 9.3
26.5 7.9
25.2 10.6
25.6 13.1
21.5 10.9
22.4 8.6
19.7 9.6
21.8 6.6
22.1 8.3
16.1 10.4
17.3 8.8
20.1 10.3
24.1 6.1
24.7 10.6
21.5 8.6
23.5 4.4
24.5 12.5
22.5 9.7
18.4 7.5

595.3 201.9
Temperature values for July 2009
Daily high Daily low
19.4 5.1 Max temp 30.6
20.5 6.4 Min temp 5.1
20.3 8.9
25.2 11.4 Average high 22.92581
21.5 11.3 Average low 10.91935
18.3 11.4
19.7 9.2
18.1 5.5
16 8.9
22.6 9.3
20.3 11.5
25.2 9.8
17.9 12.4
14.5 9.6
20.5 9.9
26.6 10.5
26.5 12.1
29.8 13.3
21.1 11.9
22.5 11.5
25.8 9.8
30.6 12.7
26.8 14.9
29.5 15.7
29.6 12.3
24.2 16.4
25.8 11.7
20.5 12.9
21.4 11.7
26.1 9.2
23.9 11.3

710.7 338.5
Temperature values for August 2009
Daily high Daily low
31.7 12.4 Max temp 31.7
28.1 16.2 Min temp 5.7
18.6 8.2
11.9 9.4 Average high 22.13226
12.3 9.1 Average low 9.703226
16 10.2
19.3 6.3
22.9 7.7
24.2 12.3
25.2 11.3
19.7 12.7
22.2 7.2
13.4 8.5
11.4 8.3
13.8 7.3
17.8 9.1
24.1 9
25 14
21.7 12
22.9 11.4
30.9 11
23.1 12.6
23.4 10
22.2 5.7
27 6.6
22.1 11.5
25 8.7
27.8 7.9
26.7 8.3
26.3 7.7
29.4 8.2

686.1 300.8
Temperature values for September 2009
Daily high Daily low
28.6 11.8 Max temp 33.2
29.6 11.5 Min temp 1.1
30.2 9.5
24.1 8.8 Average high 23.35
23.2 6.6 Average low 6.58
22 6.6
18.1 3.9
19.3 6.2
21.8 6.4
19.1 8.6
23.8 2.7
26.6 5.8
23.5 5.2
22.7 4
26.5 7.5
30.7 9.2
20.7 7.9
24 6.2
28.1 9.2
15.8 5.9
21.8 1.8
28.8 9.4
33.2 11.2
30.4 9.8
23.8 4
22.4 6.4
13.1 3
16.2 2.3
21.6 4.9
10.8 1.1

700.5 197.4
Temperature values for October 2009
Daily high Daily low
13.1 -4.7 Max temp 17.8
12.4 -3 Min temp -16.3
4.7 0.3
2.2 0 Average high 5.667742
6.4 0.1 Average low -2.79032
17.8 1
3.2 -1.8
1.9 -10
-6.1 -11.6
-5 -8.7
-5.8 -12.9
-5.1 -16.3
-3.6 -7.7
-0.3 -4.3
7.1 -3.3
11.1 -4.4
15.6 1.1
7.2 1
4.4 3.2
5.7 2.1
8.8 0.7
12.2 1.5
12 0.1
6.4 -1.6
7.3 -4.3
6.2 2.4
3 -0.3
3.8 -1.8
6.7 -5
8.3 0.4
14.1 1.3

175.7 -86.5
Temperature values for November 2009
Daily high Daily low
7.7 -1.5 Max temp 19.9
11.8 -3.5 Min temp -10.6
9.3 -1.5
3 -6 Average high 8.106667
19.9 -3.6 Average low -4.56333
11 1.8
8.5 -3.4
6.9 -4.2
3.8 -6
9.2 -1.8
8.6 -7.7
3.5 -9.6
5.9 -7
1.9 -6.5
10.5 -3.4
15.3 -2.8
12.2 -0.9
6.6 -6.5
11 -5.2
12 -5.2
5.5 -3.8
3.6 -6.6
7.6 -7.1
6.9 -3.4
14.9 -5.8
12.9 0.6
1.6 -8
3.4 -10.6
9.2 -1.4
-1 -6.3

243.2 -136.9
Temperature values for December 2009
Daily high Daily low
-3.9 -14 Max temp 8.2
-6.5 -15.7 Min temp -32.4
-4.8 -18.3
1.1 -7 Average high -6.84839
-5.8 -14.2 Average low -18.1032
-14.1 -21.1
-17.7 -27.6
-14.1 -26.4
-8.9 -16.3
-8.8 -13.6
-6.6 -14.9
-13.9 -30.1
-26.3 -30.2
-20 -32.4
-1.1 -29.4
5.8 -11.6
6.5 -6.5
8.2 -13.2
4.5 -11.5
-4.7 -12.3
-11.6 -13
-13 -17.1
-13.4 -22
-4.5 -22.8
-4 -17.6
-0.1 -16.5
-0.4 -12.5
-2.2 -14.8
-2.2 -16.5
-11.9 -18
-17.9 -24.1

-212.3 -561.2