A move to Asia might also hamper Calfee's role within the industry as an innovator and custom designer. At his California factory, Calfee creates off-the-beaten-path models such as a collapsible carbon tandem and a triple tandem. Many of his frame orders come in with custom specifications. He is also the only carbon maker who will perform repairs to carbon frames from any manufacturer—a service that has boosted his company's income by 15 percent.
Riding a Renewable Resource
Calfee's latest innovation, however, has nothing to do with carbon fiber. In 1996, as a publicity stunt, Calfee crafted a bike frame from bamboo. By 2005, his work with the renewable resource had progressed enough to begin manufacturing bamboo bikes on a small scale. These days, Calfee Designs pumps out around 100 bike frames a year, made with industrial-grade smoked bamboo he imports from South Asia.
"At first we didn't think it was something we could sell because of liability," Calfee said. "But it's green and it's bamboo. People want to ride the product."
Calfee's bamboo tubes are bonded together with resin-soaked hemp or carbon thread, then pressed, dried and allowed to harden. His company produces a bamboo road racing model, a bamboo tandem and even a bamboo mountain model. For 2008, the Organic Athlete elite team will race on his bamboo road model.
Calfee is grateful for the racing endorsement, however, he admits his company is not taking any steps to jump headfirst into the world of major team sponsorship. He prefers to keep his company, production and staff at a manageable size. His original carbon frame still adorns the wall next to his office.
Should bamboo catch on as the next carbon fiber, it's a safe bet that Craig Calfee will continue to make his high-end bikes at his warehouse overlooking the ocean in La Selva Beach. Perhaps one of these days he'll even join in that lunchtime soccer game.