I saw this innovative use for old inner tubes and wonder if anyone has any more uses.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Stuff
Uses for a dead inner tubes
(23 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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It may be innovative but I'm not sure about stylish! And they smell too.
I once used one to replace the rubber strip in my wheel when one broke apart. Not very innovative at all really..
Posted 13 years ago # -
I use small strips of inner tube between handlebar and mounting brackets for lights, computers, GPS and so on. Use longer strips for thicker spacers.
I cut 'rubber bands' from both small and large inner tubes - great for doubling or tripling to keep pannier and bag straps under control, for keeping puncture repair kit lids shut, for wrapping tools or keys together to stop them rattling, and to attach my little Cateye EL135 to my handlebar, in Dinotte style.
I used a length of big inner tube, taped shut at each end, to replace the ancient inflexible vinyl of my chain padlock that I keep for emergency use.
I once used a couple of inner tubes tied together as strapping for a rolled up Lexan fairing.
It's also fun to take a shredded inner tube, tie it off at each end, and inflate it to bursting point with a foot pump. They expand more than you might expect!
Posted 13 years ago # -
Scuba divers use old inner tubes of various sizes from car downwards, what you do is cut slices of tube to give you small rubber loops, the common nickname is "snoopy loops", no idea why! They can be used, depending on the size, to keep hoses, straps etc tidy and to stow things about your kit. I'm sure they could work for attaching awkward things to pannier racks/frames/whatever, best bit is they're free and waterproof ;-)
Posted 13 years ago # -
Used one to tie a bamboo tree to the climbing frame while I waited for a the bed to be ready for planting it.
Posted 13 years ago # -
How many patches would you consider as max before moving on to new tube?, I found one still inflatable tube in my collection with seven repairs (obviously this was pre my use of Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres). Some 40mm tubes might make a rubber ring for swimming in the river? Don't think they'd let you in a swimming pool with one?
Posted 13 years ago # -
Another use for old inner tubes by kaputniq, on FlickrPosted 13 years ago # -
They make great chainstay protectors, wrapped around a few times and secured with a couple of zip-ties. Much more effective than the "bought" ones and they don't end up with grit and dampness underneath.
I'm afraid it's one of those times when I make a crap salesman. If folk come into the shop and ask for a chainstay protector I end up giving them an old inner tube.....
Posted 13 years ago # -
Some nice ideas there. I like the handle bar tape replacement idea.
I'm a diver and I've used snoopy loops to secure regulator hoses to my spare cylinder. I don't know why they're calle Snoopy loops but I've asked on a Dive forum.
I've also used them to make small rubber bands to hold stuff down which rattle when I'm on my bike, like my knees, and my tiny brain in my head.Posted 13 years ago # -
According to wikipedia "The exact origin was unknown and was subject to much speculation.[4] An improbable explanation told of Norbert Casteret, an early French caver, having his dog Snoupi castrated by the local vet using a bicycle inner tube as a tourniquet. In reality Snoopy Loops were named by Dave Morris, a Cave Diving Group caver who noticed how they 'snooped' around boulders. It was considered a ridiculous name at the time. [5]"
Posted 13 years ago # -
Ray Mears uses them to start fires (as I recall). Even when wet, they catch.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Just to elaborate, I'm using it as well as bar tape, not instead of - as you don't get yellow inner choobs! Hoping it will provide a little bit more padding / vibration damping.
Like Alex Moulton and his rubber block suspension.
Posted 13 years ago # -
@Maiggy_magic, Ray Mears rubs them together to make fires?
Posted 13 years ago # -
That would explain my tyre spontaneously combusting last week...
Posted 13 years ago # -
@DC, not quite :-) He lights them with a lighter or whatever and it helps fuel a fire in damp conditions as the rubber burns steadily.
Posted 13 years ago # -
how unnecessary (and smelly).
Posted 13 years ago # -
We had a spectacular blow out on the west linton moor road this morning. Such that the tyre which had clearly seen better days was badly ripped and torn. We manage to saw the valve off the old inner tube with a Yale type key and used the rubber as a lining inside the destroyed tyre then added new tube. Got our tallest rider home (he is part Dutch, part wookie).
Posted 6 years ago # -
I have in the past used them as above for spacers on light brackets to stop them slipping but my most recent different use was for my skateboarding shoes.
Skateboarding shoes used to have patches of rubber on the leading side of the shoes to stop the skateboard abrasion making holes in the side of the shoe. They since stopped this either out of fashion or targeted use life. I used a shaped cut of inner tube glued to the sides on my shoes to re-create this and make my shoes last a bit longer....
worked as well although in future, I'll need to roughen up the glued surface as it did come away earlier than I needed.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Madame IWRATS shreds and knits them. True fact.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Waterproof jumpers?
Posted 6 years ago # -
I used to walk around Edinburgh and Glasgow in a huge rubber raincoat that belonged to a Lighthouse Keeper
If you wert in the cauld blast in kept you dry.
Eventually said lighthouse keeper spotted me wearing his coat (he never wore it) and asked for it back
Rubber jumpers though like Endura's version of The Gabba are very niche
Madame IWRATs knits more than juimpers. Try whole solar systems for small aliens
Posted 6 years ago # -
One size fits all waterproof jumpers. Heavy, slightly fishy smelling but very practical.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I have a belt made from an old tyre. Even that is a bit sweaty and still smells after a few years.
Posted 6 years ago #
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