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

i

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

1

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

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FIGURE 1 Bamboo types (Little Acre Farm,

2004)

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

be used to make sure that their growth focuses

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

7

FIGURE 2 Phyllostachys nigra - Black bamboo

(Noah Bell, 2007)

FIGURE 3 Arundinaria amabilis - Tonkin cane

(FYFURNITURE, 2008)

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.

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

9

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

10

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 high (oC)

Average daily low (oC)

Maximum temperature (oC)

Minimum 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

total

precipitation

(mm)

Bright

sunshine

hours*

Average number

of days with

temperatures

below freezing*

Average wind speed*

(km/h)

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

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.

Price (per stick) Shipping Cost Total

Tonkin Cane $5 $20-$501 $25-$55

Black Bamboo $10 $20-$501 $30-$60

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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

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.

Greenhouse Heater Humidifier Soil Misc. Total

Outdoors $1500-

$20001

$85-$1201 $30-$1001 2 $35-$50 ~$50 $85-$2300

Indoors N/A N/A N/A $35-$50 ~$50 $85-$100

14

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.

15

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.

17

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&StationName=&SearchType=&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&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

18

Appendix A: Temperature Data

Temperature values for January 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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 2009Daily 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