Vo Tan Muoi, a 72-year-old artisan based in Hoi An, is producing bamboo bicycles to attract more tourists and make the town more eco-friendly.
The bicycle frame and handles are made from a type of bamboo that is quite rare in Vietnam because it is so difficult to harvest due to its natural thorns. However, Muoi says that this type of thorny bamboo is solid and durable, so it is good for making bicycle frames.
The chosen bamboo must go through heat treatment and insect protection before being made into bicycle components. From connecting the joints to oiling the frame, most of the bicycles are hand-made. According to Muoi, it takes at least VND5 million (USD238) and nearly a month to make a high-quality bamboo bicycle.
Duong Anh, a tourist from Quang Binh Province, said, “This bike is unique. It’s the first time I’ve ridden a bamboo bicycle. It’s a great product.”
Muoi also successfully created bicycle frames for foreign tourists, but he made them larger to fit their bodies, Muoi needed to calculate height and weight-bearing more carefully for overseas markets. Muoi is a well-known artisan in Hoi An for his works with bamboo furniture. He has used his mechanical knowledge in bamboo to made track bikes and has had two prototypes exported to Netherlands.
Muoi’s track bikes are usually sold for VND25 million, much cheaper than the VND60 million usually paid for them overseas. Muoi’s wife said that a Dutch business-owner made a large order for bicycle touring. The news has greatly encouraged Muoi to invest in exporting.
Muoi’s bamboo bicycle is also in sync with the local authorities’ goal. Last month, Nguyen Van Dung, Vice Chairman of the Hoi An Town People’s Committee, announced that all state officers in Hoi An would start going to work by bicycle on March 25 to make the town become more eco-friendly.
