26
votes
How to tell when it's time to give up on tires?
For reference - tire parts names.
The "Anti-puncture strip" and "bead protection tape" are not found on most tires.
Bead, casing, sidewall, and tread are the most common ...
- 24.4k
19
votes
Uses for leftover or used handlebar tape?
At the risk of sounding like a total nerd, I have used leftover padded handlebar tape to create a makeshift thumbrest for my mouse. I have a Logitech G Pro Wireless and the side buttons are super ...
- 291
16
votes
Accepted
How to tell when it's time to give up on tires?
This is a great question and there are actually some good ways of approaching it.
Inconveniently, you need to see the tire installed and inflated to have high certainty that it's good for reuse. Until ...
- 88.2k
11
votes
Uses for leftover or used handlebar tape?
If it’s long enough you could use it to wrap/repair the handles of hiking poles, ice axes and other tools. Though I think people usually prefer racquet tape because it’s thinner.
Shorter scraps can be ...
- 29.4k
10
votes
Uses for leftover or used handlebar tape?
You could use it as a chain stay protector instead of the classic old inner tube. You would most likely do this with old handlebar tape since the length would be more suitable.
Here is an original ...
- 4,169
9
votes
Uses for leftover or used handlebar tape?
Rewrap your bars with a little more overlap - this gives you slightly more cushioning.
Or use the same bartape to double-wrap your main contact point again for added thickness.
I even use bartape on ...
- 131k
7
votes
Accepted
What's special about spoke nipple washers?
This is a really short answer:
I use brass washers in this type of scenario which deform to the rim shape and the nipple. This was the recommended type of washer in one of the books I read when ...
- 16k
7
votes
Uses for leftover or used handlebar tape?
If you use aero bars, you can wrap them to make them more comfortable and warmer (at least if aluminium) to hold. That doesn't take much.
- 62.6k
6
votes
Uses for leftover or used handlebar tape?
I use it for the "handlebar" of my lawn mower. It's a cheap lawn mower with a bare metal handle. The tape makes it feel like an expensive mower.
- 161
6
votes
Uses for leftover or used handlebar tape?
Not at all bike-related: I've used scrap pieces around the house to dampen impacts, e.g. on door frames, on furniture if a door might hit it, on the backside of drawer fronts and cabinet doors to ...
- 161
5
votes
What's special about spoke nipple washers?
The washers need to fit the rim. If the part of your rim where the spoke holes are, i.e. where the washers will sit, is not flat, your washers will sit on two points rather than on a flat face. As a ...
- 1,797
5
votes
How to tell when it's time to give up on tires?
This is tough to answer as it'll be different for different types of tires.
For my riding styles, a tire is shot when the side walls won't stop weeping (all bikes), when the knobs stop hooking up (MTB)...
- 4,670
4
votes
Uses for leftover or used handlebar tape?
When I have to carry bicycle up or down the stairs I use to grab it at the base of the saddle tube. That point is well balanced, so you can easily hold the bike with one hand. But if it is rainy it is ...
- 664
3
votes
Accepted
What is the correct combination of number and length of the spokes to go bowfishing?
Notice how in the video he removes all the spokes with an angle grinder and we never see them again. then he chops up the rim into four pieces, which has the effect of making it come apart a bit. On ...
- 13k
2
votes
Reusing headset cups on semi-integrated headset
I went into the bike store with my frame in tow. I can in fact reuse the cups. It was cheaper to buy an entire ZS44/ZS56 headset than the rest of the parts without cups.
It was unclear, but apparently ...
- 976
2
votes
What's special about spoke nipple washers?
The best way is not to use washers at all, save your money for a threading tool, it's about the same price. Perhaps from an online hobby shop where they make very small bolts. It may be difficult to ...
- 493
1
vote
What's special about spoke nipple washers?
#1: Do not use a die on spokes. They are rolled...Spoke rollers are not cheap, but it's the only way to make spokes that last.
#2: Washers, especially varying amounts of washers between spokes is not ...
- 909
1
vote
How to tell when it's time to give up on tires?
Short answer - if you wouldn't feel safe riding on the tyre yourself on a high-speed descent, then it is for the bin.
Add a mental safety-factor/margin of error of 20% and don't be hesitant to say &...
- 131k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible