I’ve seen some novel ideas for what to do with old innertubes including homemade rockets, whoopie cushions for car exhausts and even seat post shims (yes really).
But I was lucky enough to meet Beerbabe (aka Judy) at the Cannock Classic last month. She was sponsoring the single speed & fat bike category and exhibiting her homemade goodies made from recycled innertubes and bike parts, she even made the trophies for the category out of old chain rings!
Anyway, I stopped for a chat whilst I looked at her wallets, phone/camera cases & iPad covers and map cases all made from innertubes. But what I really needed was a chainstay protector, and when I mentioned this she just said “leave it with me”.
And sure enough a week later I received my new chainstay protector in the post. I think it’s awesome…….
Mods I hope you don’t mind me posting this, I just thought Judy’s recycling business is a great idea and i wanted to help a small business to get a bit of well deserved exposure.
Umm, I don’t want to p*ss on anyone parade here, but we’ve been using old tubes as chainstay protectors for around the last 20 years.
Cut a long strip of old inner tube about 20 to 25mm wide and then just wrap it, bar tape style, from the dropout to the crank. Secure it with a couple of cable ties, trim it off, job done.
They last a couple of years before the rubber starts to split, due to weather, water, mud and the constant beating of a chain.
Roy and Judy are both really nice, known them for a number of years, they’ve done a lot of racing in 24s too. I think their stuff is really neat, I’ve been carrying a couple of knackered chains and cassettes in my kit bag as donations when I come across them at a race!
It always strikes me as odd how people spend thousands on bikes then take the mick with people spending pocket money on something “you can make yourself”. Personally I like a nice chainstay protector and the one posted up there looks a bit different and well made. Nice one!
that chainstay protector looks far nicer than a wrap of inner tube.
admittedly its not something you couldn’t do your self but its far nicer than just wrapping it round from one end to the other. one looks like an old inner tube wrapped around – the other looks like a proper pukka chainstay protector.
Stuff looks cool, but I don’t get the first line of the site intro. Beer and bicycles, 2 things that don’t normally go together.
I think she’s missing something, the 2 are like hand in glove – I don’t think I’ve ever had a day on the bike with mates that’s not involved beer at some point!
The’re the things people who use tubless tyres have to carry round incase their tyres don’t seal one day
Everyone I know that still uses tubes (well, only 2 of them now) carry spare tube/s too. It reduces the amount of them we can spend mocking them when they get yet another flat.. )
That stay protector’s neat. Wrapped tubes work ok, but do look awful.