Bamboo bikes have been around for a while, and with good reason, the frames are great for absorbing shock and they have an even lower CO2 footprint than regular bikes. Despite those benefits most people still prefer the metallic alternative. However Singapore company Bamboobee are asking people to reconsider. They're about to launch a Kickstarter to fund a Build It Yourself Bike Kit that contains everything you need, from bicycle cable bamboo holders to reinforced metal wire, to build your own bike frame. It also includes a recyclable jig to assemble it all on.

A worryingly high number of us struggle to simply change a tire or reattach our chains, let alone knowing how to build an entire bike frame. So what makes the Bike Kit interesting, is how it, (like an increasing number of other products we've seen), is encouraging people to join the maker movement, and master the skills to be more self sufficient. It's bringing back engagement with design and technology and encouraging learning through doing, and in turn, making us creator’s not just consumers.

Another recent example of the maker movement in action is Otto, a build-it-yourself camera that snaps GIF’s on the go.