Entrepreneur boosts hometown economy with bamboo bicycles

A bamboo bicycle is displayed at Tan Jiangyong's company in Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In a makeshift workshop he built on the rooftop of his house, he embarked on the path of bamboo bicycle manufacturing.

Tan spent the next year experimenting with bamboo of various strengths and toughness until he found the best type.

He completed his first rideable bamboo bicycle in 2015 and began to gain attention after posting pictures of the bike online. A Swedish customer bought the bicycle for 4,500 yuan ($630.5).