Boo SL-R Road Bike
Starting At
custom fit speed machine
The SL-R is our top-of-the-line road frame designed to exceed your expectations of how stiff, smooth, and confident a road bike can feel, all while fitting you better than your favorite bibs.
How does the SL-R do this? By combining space-age technology with Eocene-era technology: hand-wrapped carbon fiber binds together precision-shaped Tam Vong bamboo tubing into a custom-geometry frame built just for you.
stiff climber, confident handler
When out of the saddle on a climb or sprint, the SL-R’s bamboo tubing is as stiff as carbon fiber and transfers power efficiently through the frame to the drivetrain.
The SL-R sports 12x142mm QR thru-axle carbon dropouts for a stiff rear end and near-effortless removal of the rear wheel. A generous 28mm of tire clearance allows for wider road meats should the need, or desire, arise.
Unlike some other performance road bikes, which can feel twitchy and unforgiving in the corners, the SL-R boasts confident and responsive handling. This is also thanks to the material properties of the bamboo, which has a small amount of torsional (twisting) compliance.
When the bike turns, the top and down tubes can flex slightly in a twisting direction. This affords the SL-R a forgiving and planted feel through the curves, as it follows the line you set and deflects the rest.
smooth for the long ride
Bamboo soaks up vibration much better than other frame materials, meaning you can stay in the saddle longer and more comfortably on the SL-R. The bumps, noise, and chatter of the road surface are quieted by the vibration-damping abilities of the bamboo.
In every tube there is a density gradient from mature, densely packed fibers to less-dense fibers in the middle surrounded by more of the bamboo’s insulating lignin. These different layers soak up and soften the impact of bumps and vibrations coming from the road surface, rather than transferring that impact to your body and further fatiguing your muscles.
SL-R: built to fit and last
Down to the smallest detail, we’ve designed the SL-R to be an investment bike that performs and lasts for the long-run. This tube-to-tube construction frame is built using a BikeCAD designed from an included Retül fit, which gives us your exact measurements and specifications so your frame fits you perfectly.
A 41×86.5 press fit 86 bottom bracket, oversize 49.6mm head tube, and internal routing for hoses and wires gives the SL-R compatibility with a wide range of components and a clean, low-profile aesthetic.
As with all of our SL Series, the top and down tubes receive a special interior S-2 glass coating for additional reinforcement. Our Tam Vong bamboo is stronger by weight than steel and, should something happen, all of our frames are supported by our Boo Warranty and our satisfaction guarantee.
Where can the SL-R take you?
FRAME ONLY: $4895
COMPLETE BUILDS: $7,000-10,000+
Steve Stiesmeyer –
I’ve had my SL-R Custom Boo road bike for over a year now. I’ve ridden Titus (Titanium/Carbon) and multiple high end carbon frames and this bike just blows them away. Hard to describe other than the Boo corners like a Porsche but has the smooth feel of a Lexus. What is crazy is the Boo climbs better than my high end Trek Domane, yet weighs ½ pound more than carbon.
Usually I look to get a new bike every couple of years. Now, I don’t even look and don’t plan to let this bike out of my hands. I can ride 60-80 miles and have zero back pain and no soreness. With all the chip seal we seem to have, this Boo just glides over the rough patches and absorbs the vibration. Some may consider bamboo bike a novelty, I consider it the best bike I have ever owned.
Boo Bikes absolutely rock!
Kevin F. –
I wanted to let you know that I LOVE my new SL-R. It really is a work of art the way it’s put together. The fit is very good.
I know you had said this would not be the lightest bike in the world and it certainly is not. But I got over that and just got on it and started a ride. I noticed the comfort right away. It’s smooth.
But a few miles in I did not want to get too excited as I had steep hills to climb and about 30 miles to go. It’s flat-out quick and although I certainly have no idea about flex or anything like that, what I did notice was that the power seems to go right to the wheels.
The feeling seems to be that the more you push, the faster it goes. That always seems to make sense, but on most bikes I have had, the speed seemed to max out quicker and the bike did not want to keep rolling. This bike is different. It wanted to keep rolling and keep rolling faster.
And I had the exact same wheels and tires on the bike I just got off. So I can legitimately feel the difference. This is a heavier bike but it’s faster than the Felt FC I was riding. And the climbing is better. You set me up with a 34/50 chain ring and a 25 tooth cassette. On my felt i had a 36/46 with a 26 top gear on the cassette. On many climbs I needed to be in the 26 to be most efficient on the climb. So it was a 34/26 combination. Again, same wheels and tires.
On the new Boo, i can do the same climbs in the 34 (OK 2 tooth difference) but I only need the 23 and many times I look down and see I am in the 21. As you know, that makes a big difference in speed going up a tough hill. And the bike just wants to keep on moving up.
Then when I can go up to the 50 and crank it up without the worry of side streets, cars, bad roads, etc, I can go to the 50 and be in the 13 or 12 on a flat and I look and see its moving along at an easy 24 or 25 mph and I am not killing myself to do it.
I just shake my head and enjoy the comfort that is coming along with the increased speed. Then I get back and park it next to my old bike. I try not to do it……but I pick up the old Felt. Yes, that one is still lighter by what seems to be a couple of pounds. I shake my head again and just think what a great ride that just was on the new Boo.
Then I go out the next day. I pick up the Boo. Damn, it’s a little heavy. But then I start the ride and forget about the weight, as it’s so smooth and comfortable and fast as hell. I do another ride with tougher climbs and it performs (or I perform) even better. It does soak up bad roads very well.
I have ridden it every day since I received it (now 10 rides) at an average of 30 miles per ride. All of the rides include some tough climbs and it’s excellent. It is heavier than my previous bike but it is faster and rides far better. I am extremely happy that I did not go by weight only to choose my next bike.
And I am happy I did not go with another carbon or even titanium, which is where I was leaning before I did more research on you guys.
I would highly recommend someone investing in one of your bikes. You were honest and truthful and so far its been exactly what you said it would be. So far, nobody has really asked me about it or has said “what is that?” or “is that a bamboo bike?” but I can’t wait until they do so I can tell someone all about it, and why they should be riding one. Thanks again. I love it.