Bamboo bike… a symbol of diplomatic rapprochement between Indonesia and Australia

The bamboo bike has become a symbol of diplomatic rapprochement between Indonesia and Australia since the recent meeting between the leaders of the two countries and drew attention to its Indonesian manufacturer. When Indonesian President Joko Widodo welcomed new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to the presidential palace last month, he gifted him this eco-friendly bike. Its designer, Sengeh Susilo Kartono, announced yesterday that the leaders of the two countries would ride a Spidage bicycle, a model of which he made in a small village on the island of Java. Albanese tucked his pants under his socks as the two men removed their jackets and donned helmets before biking to the gardens of the presidential palace in Bogor, south of the Jakarta capital. The 54-year-old designer told AFP that the scene was a “special magic moment” after years of working to create these high-quality eco-friendly bikes. The bamboo sticks that grow in the area are cut and processed for conservation before they are assembled with other parts to form the bike frame.