Graeme Simpson: Steel or bamboo?

Bamboo bike frame by Freddy Salgado; artwork by J T Nepia. Photo/Supplied

Steel or Bamboo? Or both?

Two unique hand crafted frames from a couple of Kiwi bike builders will be prizes at the Singlespeed World Championships in Rotorua on Saturday November 18.

Jeff Anderson has been building bicycles for over 30 years and will be contributing a one-off steel frame.

"I love building in steel," says Jeff. "It's like an art to me."

When he started building bikes he didn't think it'd be a career.

"It was my second job and I thought 'this will do for a while'," he continues from the Jeffson Bikes workshop overlooking Lake Rotorua.

It was the start of a life-long passion.
"It's addictive and great to share with others," he enthuses.

I was lucky enough to be one of those, helping Jeff build my very own Jeffson during the winter of 2014. It was a hugely satisfying process, creating a bike that is both beautiful and practical.

Freddy Salgado shares the same sort of exuberant enthusiasm for his craft while building in a very different, more organic type of material - bamboo.

The Kiwi-Puerto Rican has lived in New Zealand since 2004 and is based in Gisborne. Born in Chicago, he represented his country of birth (USA) and his parent's Puerto Rican heritage at the 2010 Singlespeed World Championships in Rotorua.

Freddy's worked at bike shops most of my life. He was inspired to experiment with bamboo by legendary Californian bike designer Craig Calfee.

Calfee was the first to build bikes in carbon fibre and continues to innovate with materials like hemp and bamboo.

"I was inspired by Craig's efforts in Africa with the Bamboosero bicycle frame building programme he created to help provide work in developing countries," says Salgado from Bikeys, his shop in Gisborne.

"After doing extensive research on the material and building a few bikes of my own I was hooked."

For the next two years Salgado bombarded Calfee with questions.

Eventually, he was rewarded with an invitation to bamboo bike training camp in the Philippines in July 2009.

"Bamboo is difficult to work with but awesome for building bikes," says Salgado with characteristic enthusiasm.

"It dampens road vibration better than carbon fibre and is much more crash resistant than other materials."

Bamboo is also one of the most sustainable materials you can build a bike with.

"There's a lot of bamboo in Gisborne, which certainly helps having a good source of free material to work with," adds Salgado, with a grin.

Salgado works closely with Gisborne artist, J T Nepia, who provides all the graphic designs and distinctive motifs on his frames.

Both Jeff and Freddy are enjoying being part of another Singlespeed Worlds - both will be riding in the event - and are big supporters of the cause it is benefiting.

"Lifeline Aotearoa offer help to those in real need when things get too dark to bear," says Jeff. "Anything I can do to support that is a good day at the office."

Freddy agrees: "Giving a helping hand to those that need it most, whenever possible, is a great source of inspiration."

To be into win one of these frames enter the Singlespeed World Championships: www.rotoruasinglespeed.com

Photo: Bamboo bike frame by Freddy Salgado; artwork by J T Nepia.