Benchmarking and Resources

Formally Bench-marked Products

• A very innovative, hand-operated wheelchair for mountain terrain.
• http://www.mountaintrike.co.uk/
• A capstone project similar to ours.  This used a bamboo frame.   
• http://www.umaine.edu/met/student_projects/2010/green/index.htm
• A capstone project similar to ours.  This used a metal frame and an operation mechanism similar to ours.  
• http://www.umaine.edu/met/student_projects/2010/orange/index.html
• Lower cost bamboo bikes (supported by Calfee) made in areas that really need jobs, like some in central Africa.  
• http://www.bamboosero.com/bamboosero-news/recent-news/

Other Great Resources

Our Collaborators

• http://www.facebook.com/TruMobility
• A team of masters students who are a great resource.  They have a company that will build and sell you a bamboo (foot powered) bike and use the proceeds to fund the production of a non-profit, hand operated bamboo operating system to wheelchairs.  
• http://www.sustainableltd.org/
• This is Dr. Snyder's website and non-profit company, which found the customer and offered to let us design and build the solution to meet her needs.  He is also the person who delivers the product.  

Suppliers / Companies

• http://leedenwheelchairliftandsport.com/
• A GREAT local resource!  A "must visit" for future capstone students looking to build similar devices.  Basically, this place specializes in selling hand-operated racing bikes to Americans.  The man who runs the place is incredibly helpful and knowledgeable.  We only wish we had found him sooner! 
• http://tempebicycle.com/
• Another great local resource.  Will have any specialty parts you may need (headlights, mirrors, etc.) and has a really smart and helpful mechanic working there.  It's more expensive than discount stores, but you can find whatever you need here brand new.  
• http://www.bikesaviours.org/
• This is another MUST VISIT before getting deeply involved in similar projects near Tempe, AZ.  They have incredible deals on a huge variety of bike necessities/accessories, volunteer staff who are trained in how to build bikes, free classes on how to build bikes, free space to work on your project (and use their tools, greece, etc.), and so much more.  Visit the website, see if you can make any of the free classes, and check it out.  
• http://www.bobsbikespo.com/
• Super nice and helpful resource.  We found out about it from Dr. Snyder and the man who works here donated 2 rubber tires to our cause.  
• http://mcfadaz.com/
• This is another key resource for those near Tempe (though it's located further away in Phoenix).  It's a hardware store (like Lowe's / Home Depot ) that has EVERYTHING.   We got our tie rod parts here.  

General Bamboo Bike Building Information

• http://bamboobike.wordpress.com/42-2/
• http://www.useful-arts.com/sua/instructions/bamboobikekit/
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT-UIWYepR4