There are some little tricks which help you optimize your equipment without spending too much money on expensive gadgets. We have compiled nine clever ideas with big effects that make your everyday cycling a lot easier.
1️⃣ Clean backside thanks to an old PET-bottle
When you’re out and about on your road bike or single speed in winter, you’ve certainly arrived home and found your backside to be full of dirt once or twice. An old plastic bottle can easily be transformed into a mudguard. Cut off the top and bottom and cut the bottle open lengthwise. Tie it below your saddle using a cable tie to protect yourself from wetness and dirt.
2️⃣ DIY spikes for safe snow cycling
Your tires’ profile is too shallow for cycling on snow? Cable ties on your tires will give you a better grip. Fasten the ends of the cable ties so that the thick side alternates left and right on one spoke. Shorten the cable tie and enjoy the ride. Note: For disk brakes only! ❗️
3️⃣ Never lose your drinking bottle again
Have you lost your drinking bottle on a speedy descent on your mountain bike once? Never again! Wrap sand paper around your bottle and you’ll never have to backtrack to collect you bottle. Fixate the sand paper with tape and the bottle stays put.
4️⃣ Frame protection with old tires
In winter, the streets are often full of small stones which can damage your bike’s frame. Take an old tire and cut it so that it perfectly fits on your down tube and covers the spots that are endangered by chippings. Fixate the tube with cable ties and you’ve got yourself the best frame protection there is.
5️⃣ Chain cleaning with toothbrushes
When dirt and moisture make your chain dirty, you can simply clean it using two toothbrushes. Tie the toothbrushes together using tape and make sure that the bristles face each other. Wedge the chain in between the bristles and pull it through them to clean it.
6️⃣ No more cold feet with tinfoil
Cycling in frosty temperatures means one thing: cold toes. Help yourself to some tinfoil and wrap a bit of it around your socks. Slip into your bike shoes and your toes will stay toasty warm – cheap and efficient!
7️⃣ Clean rims and sprocket with a toilet brush
You can easily clean dirty sprockets and rims with a toilet brush, which costs only a few euros and lets you clean every nook and cranny. Use warm water and the toilet brush to clean your bike after coming home from a ride and your bike will look brand-new in no time.
8️⃣ Safe travels with chain and rim protection
If you’re packing your bike in a case or box for a vacation, it’s recommended to fixate the chain to the sprocket using cable ties. This prevents the chain from coming off and damaging the frame, furthermore, the sprocket is also well-protected.
9️⃣ Old road bike tubes as rubber rings
Before getting rid of your old, broken race bike’s tube, cut off little pieces of it to make them into rubber rings. Use them to tie your new spare tube together or to hang something from the handlebars.
Do you know more amazing bike hacks? ⚙
Let us know in the comments! 💡
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