Look on the bright side: none of us like punctures do we? But, if we get one, you can use the tube for something else, part of our "biscuit tin" of spares which might include other strips of rubber that come in useful as spacers for accessories that we attach to our bike. Of course, you could repair the inner tube with a repair kit instead and reuse it as an inner tube. But the one and only time I tried this, the time and effort needed to find the puncture, stick the patch and rubber glue only to find that it didn't work and I still had a puncture made me decide that I would use a new tube given the choice. Of course, this could get expensive if it happens too often...
The rubber being very thin, can be used one layer or more at a time depending on the gaps to be filled, there's quite a bit of it so you can cut it to size/shape, build or fold it up in layers or just wrap it around the handlebars/frame. Keep in place with electric tape or friction if the attachment goes round it.
First of all, I cut the tube in half and clamped it in the jaws (? - think that's what they're called) of the workmate in an attempt to cut along the edge straight - didn't quite work out that straight, though not bad. Then turn it around and do the other edge.
So I've got two long thin strips
The other half I just cut one side so I've got a wider strip.
You can even use new inner tubes especially if they're the cheap ones at the local general store if you haven't had any punctures. They start from just over 3 quid where I live.
So, to illustrate what I mean, I've used this rubber for the two baskets at the back of the Kettler Spirit.
You can fit the baskets just as they are and they're likely to stay put but they'll make a load of noise clattering about as you're riding which gets annoying after oooh, say, 2 minutes:
So at first, I found some attachments from my Kettler pannier kit and used some rubber spacer bits from my spares box to come up with a solution that worked, but looked a bit untidy and the spacers would sometimes fall off and get lost:
And then I thought of a good use for old inner tubes...like the ones in that spate of punctures earlier this year - use them for spacers to grip and protect. Attach with electrical tape - so I did:
Say so myself - I think they look pretty good!* :-)
Next, fit the baskets for a nice snug & quiet clatterfree fit and add some zipties at the side so someone cannot just help themselves and stick them on their bike:
And after all that, I've still got all this left to use for something else:
Pretty neat huh?*
*Only joking, well kinda being semi-serious/humourous ;-), just in case the humourless get indignant and start tut-tutting about big-headedness...:-)
You can fit the baskets just as they are and they're likely to stay put but they'll make a load of noise clattering about as you're riding which gets annoying after oooh, say, 2 minutes:
So at first, I found some attachments from my Kettler pannier kit and used some rubber spacer bits from my spares box to come up with a solution that worked, but looked a bit untidy and the spacers would sometimes fall off and get lost:
And then I thought of a good use for old inner tubes...like the ones in that spate of punctures earlier this year - use them for spacers to grip and protect. Attach with electrical tape - so I did:
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| this could appear on Blue Peter... |
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| oh look - it's me! |
Next, fit the baskets for a nice snug & quiet clatterfree fit and add some zipties at the side so someone cannot just help themselves and stick them on their bike:
And after all that, I've still got all this left to use for something else:
Pretty neat huh?*
*Only joking, well kinda being semi-serious/humourous ;-), just in case the humourless get indignant and start tut-tutting about big-headedness...:-)
