Velo Otate Bikes

Velo Otate is a company that produces bamboo bicycles in Montreal. The words “otate” means bamboo in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. The chosen name evokes the founder’s Mexican roots.

Emergence

In Quebec, cycling is constantly on the rise. In 2015 there were 4.2 million cyclists, that is, 600,000 more than in 1995. On average, the number of cyclists on the streets of large cities such as Montreal increased strongly during these years. Our founder Emiliano Sánchez is one of these cyclists who also began to reflect on the impact of the large increase in the number of bicycles made of materials that are not eco-friendly and that are a great source of contamination when manufactured and when their useful life is over. .

This is how Velo Otate was born, from the need to offer an eco-responsible option in the field of cycling. We want to reduce the use of materials with a strong impact on the environment with the creation of bamboo bicycles.

What we offer

Our bike frames are designed to have a reduced material footprint by using natural materials: bamboo and eco-friendly plant-based resin. Our bikes have a long service life. Wearing a Velo Otate is a clear and public statement about the importance of eco-friendly materials for our everyday objects since its manufacture.

We are bamboo

Bamboo generates 30% more oxygen than trees, this helps reduce the excess CO2 that exists in the atmosphere. Bamboo is a very light building material, but it is three times stronger than wood.

Properties

The secret of the exceptional properties of bamboo is its microstructure. Natural fibers of different sizes cascade in alternating patterns. These are the same properties that engineers try to create with carbon fiber.

Crecimiento y medio ambiente

Bamboo is one of the most ecological natural materials on the planet. Unlike trees, bamboo can grow up to 3 feet in a single day, they can be harvested every year. It is incredibly abundant. It does not require pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. When it’s time to harvest, you don’t cut it down and kill it like a tree.
You simply cut what is needed and the plant continues to grow. It prevents soil erosion, reversing its soil depletion. It is one of the plants that best absorb carbon dioxide in the world. All plants do, but bamboo has multiple advantages, including its size and rapid growth.

"Con el uso del bambú en vez de destruir la montaña, nosotros plantamos la montaña"

― Velo Otate

Renewable and good for the planet

A bamboo plant is made up of several canes and new shoots will grow naturally from the mother plant each year. In general, 20-25% of the canes from a sustainable bamboo forest or plantation can be harvested each year without decreasing the size of the plantation or the number of canes per hectare. This means that the plant does not die after harvest. On the contrary, regular pruning enhances the yield and quality of the plantation. And at the moment of being discarded, it disintegrates and fertilizes the earth.

Velo Otate is a project by Emiliano Adrián Sánchez Martínez who did university studies in the field of Environment (Bachelor of Environmental Sciences) and Industrial Design. Always fascinated by building things with his own hands, he decided to start a company that united his passions and that was a concrete proposal to improve the environmental footprint of one of his passions: cycling.

Quality over quantity, direct contact with clients and perfection and innovation in technique continue to be his inspiration in the development of his project. He dreams of growing Velo Otate to benefit his community by impacting the economy in an ethical and responsible way, as well as offering an endearing product to his customers.