ZamBikes

Like a bus load of kids in a candy shop, 20 or so riders and crew piled into the back of a flatbed for what was to be the best TDA field trip yet.  Outside of the city limits, past the smaller villages where many of workers live, we made our way to the ZAMbikes factory.  On the way out Dustin had passed around one of their finished bamboo frames for all to drool over.

Holding this bamboo frame felt like sitting in a hand built cob home.  Passing all the tests of performance and function, all the while adding a world of aesthetic beauty and sustainable design.  It’s beautiful.  ZAM’s  bamboo bicycles are one-of-a-kind pieces of handcrafted art, with the strength/weight performance of carbon fibre, and style beyond any.

Beautiful bamboo frames are not all that the ZAM brothers are up to, they also build steel bikes and trailers for a variety of local uses.  My personal favourite; the ZAMbulance.  A bicycle powered ambulance.  Whilst visiting the factory, a few of us were encouraged to take one out for high speed test rides round and around the factory.  With the gear ratio’s set up as they were,  it was actually quite alright to pedal, however even more alright was playing patient.

With invitations to show their bikes all over the world including the North American Hand Made Bicycle Show, the ZAM love is spreading.   It doesn’t take a wizard to realize what you really get when purchasing a ZAM, a custom fit, high performance, piece of artwork that supports a non-profit bicycle movement in Zambia… hrmmm can someone please bring me order form.

http://www.new.zambikes.org/

    — Adele Woodyard