Questions tagged [diy]
D.I.Y. is an acronym for "Do It Yourself". Questions here are resources for enthusiastic amateurs working on their own bicycles.
77
questions
24
votes
5
answers
35k
views
Should or can I (car) wax my frame?
Having spent the whole summer taking a bike apart, painting it and now in the process of building it again, I was thinking about waxing it. I want the finish to last as long as possible, after all, I'...
- 605
22
votes
8
answers
97k
views
Removing a stuck pedal
I'm sure this question must have already been answered somewhere here, but it doesn't show up in any search results I make...
I'm changing the pedals on a 40 year old bike. Pretty sure the pedals are ...
- 1,930
21
votes
8
answers
14k
views
One vs. Two wheeled bike trailers
I am considering making or buying a bike trailer.
It seems to me that the most important desision I need to make is whether to have a one wheeled bike trailer like the Bob or a two wheeled bike ...
- 8,526
19
votes
9
answers
20k
views
Trailer hitch between a bike and trailer?
I want to make a bike cargo trailer. It seems to me that making the hitch will be one of the most difficult parts so I opened a separate question for this.
How would you attach the trailer to the ...
- 8,526
18
votes
7
answers
37k
views
DIY wooden bike rack -- looking for plans
I'm planning to build a bike rack to store several bikes on the floor of my garage. Does anyone have plans for such a rack? We have a circular saw and a drill and the usual hand tools, but no router, ...
- 17.9k
12
votes
5
answers
16k
views
How to bend handlebar to customize it?
Here in my country is kind of difficult to get certain types of handlebars, but it is easy to get flat and riser mountain type handlebars and standard types of road drop bars.
So I'm investigating ...
- 12.5k
12
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Should amateurs install their own headsets?
Building a bike from scratch sounded like a fun challenge, but a frame builder firmly told me to get the headset installed professionally. Videos online make it look easy even if you don't have the ...
- 739
12
votes
7
answers
8k
views
How to make a cargo trailer?
This page is for a general answer and it consists of at least two main parts: personal experience and technical part. The technical parts are perhaps the two hardest parts.
Has anyone attempted to ...
12
votes
6
answers
4k
views
How can I get started building a bicycle?
Now that I've been riding a while, I'm interested in building my own bike. In this case, it will be a bike for commuting and getting around town. It will probably be a flipflop fixie/single gear, ...
- 231
12
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Luggage rack attachments for laptops?
So, while out riding my bike, I really dislike having a backpack on. I have a trek luggage rack on my bicycle and would love to find something that could attach to it, capable of holding a 17" laptop,...
- 221
11
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Alternatives to rim tape
After repeated punctures, I concluded that the rim tape needs replacing. I'm travelling in remote Yucatán, Amazon charges too much and takes too long to ship this basic item.
What are alternatives? ...
- 387
11
votes
3
answers
14k
views
Does it matter what way the tires go if no directional arrow?
As the title suggests, I have just put on two new tires but now I'm not sure if I put them on in the right direction.
No directional arrows so I presume anyway is fine, however me being me it made ...
- 1,098
11
votes
2
answers
9k
views
Equipment needed for Frame-building?
Since misunderstood question here, a new question with narrow scope. So what are equipments need for frame-building?
user652
10
votes
7
answers
2k
views
Recumbent, diamond-frame or trailer to move heavy things?
Heavy things can be a lot of books, full beer cans, construction woods and other misc in a place where I cannot use a car and the trip is long and suitable for riding. So which one would you favor? ...
user652
10
votes
2
answers
14k
views
Checking spoke tension without specialized tools
I have laced and trued my first wheel (YAY!) at home, while in the fork. It is fairly true (to the point I used to pay money for), but I am not sure if the spokes are tensioned properly (I guess it is ...
9
votes
7
answers
9k
views
How can I make a glow bike?
How I can make my bicycle glow? As seen in this Blackberry commercial (with screen capture image below).
- 5,304
9
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How can I build my own open-source cyclometer? [closed]
I am interested to build a bike but I would also like to have free software/hardware. How can I build a cyclometer with open-source software? Would it be possible to find reflashable hardware or open ...
user652
8
votes
8
answers
4k
views
Are there limitations to how much you can upgrade a cheap bike?
I’m hoping to buy a used bike for ideally 200 Euros and make it a hobby project to keep investing in the bike piece by piece to make it a nice bike, upgrading one component at a time when I can afford ...
- 181
8
votes
4
answers
1k
views
What type of bottom bracket does my bike have?
I found this old fixed gear conversion on CL for next to nothing. It's been really fun but I've noticed play in what I thought were the crank arms, but it turns out the spindle inside the BB has play. ...
- 183
8
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Child seat: how to protect my child's face from rain and wind?
I edited this question more than any of my questions before, please feel free to view old versions. The overhaul of the question was approved in principle by a moderator. I did also add an answer with ...
- 2,314
8
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Laws applying to Homemade Tricycles
I am a freshman in high school who is planning to build his own recumbent tricycle. However, I would be very disappointed if my creation was illegal to ride on bike paths and sidewalks. I have ...
- 191
8
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Cup and cone bearings: better a little tight or a little loose?
A bike is commonly full of cup and cone bearings: pedals, hubs, bottom bracket, headset etc... The component change but the logic still the same the bearing is in between an axle, a pair of cones and ...
- 480
7
votes
5
answers
2k
views
A small bolt/nut came off my mtn bike while washing it, can someone help me identify it?
I was washing my’12 specialized stumpjumper. When shaking it/drying it off, a screw/bolt came off and I can’t find where it belongs and don’t know what it is. It has threads inside and fits a 3mm ...
- 209
7
votes
2
answers
50k
views
Building my own full suspension MTB: How to I select a frame?
I've recently gotten back into mountain biking. I took my 5 year old Iron Horse full suspension out to the mountain with some friends that had recently purchased new bikes. I haven't ridden for a ...
- 235
7
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Making panniers out of canvas map bags -- how to seal after the build?
I'm planning to make my own panniers out of a set of army map bags -- these are small bags, about as large as a small front pannier, with a rigid back.
The hooks I'm planning to use attach to the ...
- 17.9k
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
I have accidentally removed a front suspension fork - what now?
I have accidentally removed the suspension fork from my bicycle (Trek Remedy 8). I was trying to take off just the handlebar, but was distracted for a moment and unscrewed the wrong bolt.
How safe ...
- 1,264
6
votes
1
answer
116
views
Is it strong enough to braze stainless steel tubings with silver?
I was told that you could not braze stainless steel tubing with brass as you would with non-stainless ones. And you should use 56% silver instead? Isn't silver too weak to braze tubes together? I know ...
- 191
6
votes
4
answers
11k
views
DIY: what material to use as DIY shim seat post?
Seat tube shim adapters are quite expensive, what kind of material do you recommend as a shim?
I have seen in a thread some guys talking about home made shim:
paper tape
alloy drink can as a shim (...
- 171
5
votes
3
answers
4k
views
How to clean out the inside threads of a braze-on?
I'm installing a basket on my cruiser, and getting some of the allen screws into the fork braze-ons is rough going. It feels like there's dirt or grease inside the threads of the braze-ons. Forcing ...
- 17.9k
5
votes
4
answers
2k
views
What can I get for panniers to commute with my 17" laptop?
I have looked for a pannier that can hold my 17" laptop for a couple of years. No such thing exists. I tried contacting a couple of places to make one, but they never replied. So, now I'm trying to ...
- 53
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What's the best way to fix carbon to titanium?
I'm building (experimenting if you wish) something out of the old bike parts and I need to fix two parts together one titanium and carbon.
Basically the parts are two tubes one made of carbon of a ...
- 531
5
votes
1
answer
204
views
How do I securely fix a string of LED lights to a power source?
My context is that I have a cargo trike (Babboe Curve). Especially in the winter dark, some car drivers mis-identify it as a bicycle and pass it too close. My solution to this was to fit a string of ...
- 151
4
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Brake post broke off the boss. How do I replace it?
A brake post has been broken off the boss on an old BSO (bike shaped object). I'm exploring my options for reinstalling a brake.
There is a hole where the post was, some 6 mm in diameter. I bought an ...
- 2,314
4
votes
6
answers
664
views
Tools required for trailbuilding?
Shovel,
Saw,
Roulette (very long, perhaps even geodetic roulette),
Ax.
The trail will be built in a forest. So there's no rocks, just dirt, small stones and a lot of roots. What else will I need to ...
- 601
4
votes
1
answer
212
views
CNC'ing Strong Hub Shell (Kindernay Swap Cage)
The Kindernay Swap Cage is a removeable hub shell that is a bit delicate for loaded touring. The HD (Heavy Duty) Swap Cage never made it to market.
I'd like to make one that's near indestructable. It ...
- 739
4
votes
1
answer
256
views
What kind of load should I put on in simulation if I were to design a stem in CAD?
I am planning to build a steel bike myself and want to pair it with a custom stem. I came across someone selling 3d printed stems in my area. So I decided to design myself a stem that is compatible ...
- 191
4
votes
2
answers
698
views
Bottom bracket conversion with rare cups
I'm asking this question as I'm interested in the community opinion in the idea of "am I taking the right path" or "is there a better way".
tl;drl; - scroll to the bottom, please.
Namely, almost ...
- 4,341
4
votes
1
answer
5k
views
What can I use for interior helmet padding?
My bike helmet needs more padding on the inside.
Any suggestions of what to use?
I"m thinking double sided tape and some sort of neoprene or other cushiony material.
- 1,085
4
votes
1
answer
248
views
DIY cargo bikes and recumbent bikes seem to use rod end bearings with an axial load. Is that ok?
I have been looking into possibly building my own cargo bike (inspired by the xyz cargo bike). That said, I am interested in possibly modifying the design - including how the steerable wheels are ...
- 143
4
votes
1
answer
203
views
Is it possible to make DIY foam tire inserts for gravel bikes?
I saw a video of the British cyclocross racers putting foam from a hardware store into their tires. This foam is used in construction to fill joints before caulking. All those joints on the concrete ...
- 947
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Anyone tried to brush mud/snow in rear-wheel while on ride?
I ride my bike in the snow. And I think my bike can be a lot cleaner if I had a snow catcher in my rear-wheel.
There is possibility because the rear wheel fork comes with extra holes in it. I think ...
- 131
3
votes
2
answers
6k
views
How much tolerance is acceptable on the chainline of a fixed gear conversion?
When converting a geared bike to fg/ss, at some point there will be adjustments to be made regarding chainline. Without getting into details about what could be made to make it better (bb axle width, ...
3
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How can I tilt up a stem of my bike's handlebar which is held by two bolts?
I bought a second hand hybrid bike and would like to adjust the stem of the handlebars such that I can ride it in a more upright position.
The following photo shows a side view of the stem with an ...
- 2,291
3
votes
1
answer
198
views
Abus Folding Lock: Adding Damping to Joints
I want to add damping to the joints on an Abus Folding Lock, such that it maintains its shape if I stick it through a hole or something.
I received some brief feedback that I could use rubber bands ...
- 133
3
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Installing downtube shifters with no clamp
I am trying to convert my Schwinn Mountain bike into a road bike. I bought a set of Shimano SL-SY20A 3 (2) x 7 Speed Down-Tube Shifters. they have a clamp attached but my downtube is very wide and the ...
3
votes
4
answers
25k
views
How to attach and mount wheels onto a cargo trailer?
I am planning a bike to move heavy things, separate question here, and sixtyfootersdude is doing a cargo trailer that converges to some extent with my goal to move cargo here. I am not sure whether ...
user652
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Would like to custom-build a bike but I'm not sure on what parts to buy
Currently I have a 2011 Trek 3700 (no disc brakes) and just this year have gotten into riding mountain bike trails and would like to have a bike better suited for doing that.
I'd like to keep the ...
- 31
3
votes
1
answer
368
views
Are there any recommended internal cable routing systems?
I'm planning to build a steel frame myself and want it to be fully internally routed (from the head tube). I'll machine a head tube to fit a system. I think the most popular one is the FSA ACR, but I ...
- 191
3
votes
1
answer
134
views
DIY colouring components
I find silver, black and occasionally red are quite dull colour choices. Granted there are some components out there in more interesting colours, but the engineer in me won't let me choose the "wrong" ...
- 6,635
2
votes
2
answers
395
views
Easily misaligned handlebars when using stem raiser
I use a Delta Stem Raiser (maybe also called a stem extender, handlebar riser, steerer tube extender) to make my handlebars "taller" (higher up than they could typically go) on my bike's ...
- 555