After years of building Eker Bikes into a recognizable name with a strong identity and loyal following, we’re now offering the rare opportunity to own the entire brand — from design and manufacturing to sales!

Eker Bicycles AB is a forward-thinking small-scale manufacturer of premium bicycles with frames constructed from bamboo. By combining sustainable production in Uganda with assembly in Sweden, the company has established itself as a pioneer in environmentally conscious transport solutions.

Why we’re selling

We’ve taken Eker as far as we can—and now it’s time for a new rider to take the lead. This isn’t a shutdown. This is a hand-off of the baton to someone who shares the passion, energy, and vision to scale this brand to the next level.

What is Eker?

Eker Bicycles AB – in short Eker Bikes – builds high-performance bicycle frames, handmade from bamboo and other sustainably sourced materials. We are driven to develop performance bicycles while helping people out of poverty and reducing carbon emissions. Our bamboo frames are complemented by top components from the world’s leading manufacturers. Our Eker Stark, Eker Grus and Eker Varv bicycle models have received top ratings from cyclists and magazines across Europe, and Eker Grus won the German Design Council’s Design Award 2022. Eker Bicycles AB is based out of Sweden. The frames are built by hand in our own workshop in Kampala, Uganda, and final assembly is in Härnösand, Sweden.

Mission

Our mission is to improve the cycling experience while helping people out of poverty and reducing carbon emissions.

How did it all start?

We, the founders Stefan and Johan, got to know each other while living together with our respective families in Uganda for a few years. We saw a locally produced bamboo bicycle and both felt that there was great potential in the material. If we could develop a bicycle that meets international standards in terms of performance and durability, we would not only do good for the environment but also help create jobs in Uganda. It took us four years to develop the Eker Stark, and our bicycle models have received top marks from cyclists and magazines around Europe.

Why bamboo?

Bamboo is a material that is both strong and flexible. It also has a positive effect on the environment. We have managed to develop ways of building bicycles that really capitalise on bamboo’s combination of being a strong and durable, yet flexible material. It has taken time, but we now have several bicycle models that offer a smooth ride, yet are strong and responsive.

Is bamboo better than carbon fibre or aluminium?

Bamboo has many advantages over other materials. Weight is often talked about in the cycling world and building a bicycle frame from bamboo, that weighs as little as the lightest carbon fibre frames may prove a challenge. On the other hand, bamboo has a higher impact resistance than carbon fibre, for example, and has been shown in tests to have higher strength than steel. Both cyclists and laboratory tests give our bikes high marks, and the environmental effects are unbeatable. An Eker frame emits only 1.9 kg CO2e, which is 93% less CO2 than a comparable aluminium frame.

More on the environment

The results from a recent environmental study on the Eker bike frames have been compared to a generic model of an aluminium bicycle frame of similar dimensions. The comparison shows a 56 % reduction in global warming potential by fossil sources (GWP – Fossil) from cradle to gate when choosing an Eker Bicycle frame instead of the aluminium alternative. For GWP – Total, the reduction is 93 %. This reduction is partly caused by the lower use of aluminium components, but also by the bamboo’s ability to store carbon in soil and the frame itself.

When considering the carbon stored in the bamboo and fibre cloth, as well as carbon stored in soil as these plants grow, the total global warming potential is significantly reduced. The use of these materials leads to approximately 9,1 kg of stored carbon dioxide. By adding these “negative emissions” to the emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels and land use change, the total global warming potential is significantly reduced. In comparison, a traditional aluminium bicycle frame accounts for 28,6 kgCO2e emissions.

A life cycle analysis of bicycle frames was made by the National Composite Centre NCC in Bristol, UK, comparing the environmental impact of the manufacture of bike frames made from steel, thermoplastic carbon composite and epoxy carbon composite. A bicycle frame made from Korean carbon fibre releases 51,7 CO2e in the manufacturing process, and a frame made from Japanese carbon fibres releases 34,2 kg CO2e. Note that this is only taking the manufacturing into account, and not shipping. Access that report here.

The production of one Eker bicycle frame generates approximately 13,3 kg of CO2e deriving from fossil fuels. However, when accounting for the carbon dioxide stored in the natural materials and soil, the net emissions are 1,9 kg of CO2e.

The complete life cycle analysis of an Eker bicycle can be viewed here.

Material selection

Bamboo

We use different kinds of bamboo for different parts of the bicycle. All bamboo is harvested by hand from select and approved bamboo plantations in Uganda. Bamboo has a higher tensile strength than steel and can effectively dampen and reduce vibration.

Wrapping fibre

The bamboo is joined together using thin strips of bark cloth and high quality resin. When wrapped properly, the fibre creates a very strong bond. The bark of the ficus natalensis – or Mutuba – tree is harvested by hand, providing a versatile and environmentally friendly option to other fibres. The bark can be harvested annually for up to 40 years without harming the tree itself.

Aluminium

We manufacture our own aluminium parts at a high-precision workshop in Sweden. We use high grade EN AW-6082 aluminium.

Components

We mainly use components from DT Swiss, RockShox, SRAM, Zipp, XLC but are able to build also using other brands, depending on specific needs by the customer.

Social sustainability

We started Eker to contribute to a positive development for environment and society. Eker provides employees in Uganda a benefit package which includes pension, paid vacation, health care for the employee and family, domestic water purifying solutions, food, accommodation, loan opportunities and more.

All employees are trained on the job, assume responsibility for their own work and are encouraged to involve and contribute to develop the business as a whole.

Award winning

The initiator and organiser of the ABC Awards 2022 is the German Design Council. The award honours globally renowned players in the mobility industry, the transport sector and its suppliers, leading design and brand agencies, but also the planners and developers of innovative micromobility and Mobility 4.0 – from e-scooters to air taxis.

Eker Grus was the winner in the Transportation Category.

Durability

Bamboo is a very strong material and has high impact resistance while being flexible. Our bicycle frames are handmade from carefully selected bamboo tubes grown in Uganda. The bamboo we use is strong and lightweight with a high ability to resist wear. We process the bamboo and in combination with our proprietary aluminium fittings, we’ve created bikes that dampen and reduce vibration, while maintaining a responsive ride that ensures that the rider’s power and momentum end up where it should: on the trail. Each frame undergoes testing to screen out any weaknesses. All our frames are sold with a five-year warranty. Read more about this at: https://ekerbikes.com/terms-conditions/

Our frames undergo testing according to the ISO 4210 standard. The Eker stark has passed all requirements according to the standard, as tested by SMP Svensk Maskinprovning AB in Umeå.

 

International from the start

The Eker brand shows a promising international potential for further expansion.

Our bikes are currently available in 8 stores in London, Stockholm, Göteborg, Lund, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Köln.

We have sold bicycles to customers in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Luxembourg, Austria, France, Belgium and Switzerland. 

 

In 2024 Eker Bikes participated for the second consecutive year in the Velo Berlin bike show in Berlin, the first ever Bikeday 2024 in Gothenburg, and our bikes were brought to several other events around Europe by our brand collaborators Thule.

Collaborations and riders

Eker collaborates with global brand Thule since 2020, at times featuring in the product catalogues or displaying their products around the world.

People like pro-surfer Garrett ”GMac” McNamara rides an Eker Stark, as does pro-snowboarders Maria Kuzma and Roland Morley-Brown. 

Swedish skier Anja Pärson rode an Eker Grus when training for the Swedish TV Show ”Mästarnas Mästare” in 2023. And guess what? She won the show. 😉

The Eker Stark at display in the Thule Concept Store in Stockholm.

Reviews

The Eker bikes receive great reviews, whether in professional tests or by the riders themselves. See and read more here. 

Image from the 2021 Thule USA product catalogue, where the Eker Stark showcases the new Thule bike carrier.

Interested?

If you are interested or want to find out more, contact us directly at contact@ekerbikes.com or +46(0)70 582 74 26.