I'm building up a new ti bike and want to protect the downtube from flying rocks etc.

Don't want to fit an old tyre cos it'll look rubbish. A few layers of heli tape will help but still not quite tough enough for the rocks in the Lakes I suspect. I thought maybe adding some cable ties with their heads cut off between the layers of tape, just to reinforce it…. Should still look minimal and okay.

Any other options?

Leave it in the garage in an air tight container?

Its ti, it will be fine surely. Have you thought about the fact that you may end up crashing it?

those carbon tube protector things? or something to take the force out like rubber over helitape… dont know, thats why i dont have a ti bike in the lakes!

carbon sheet?

Get an alloy frame put around it. Sorted.

Get a big peice of lead plate cut neatly to shape and pop rivet it on. If you wire wool it, it will be a similiar match tonally as well.

Get a big peice of lead plate cut neatly to shape and pop rivet it on. If you wire wool it, it will be a similiar match tonally as well.

eh????
i have ridden the hummer everywhere and crashed loads but never dented it

Its a Ti frame, just stick one layer of helitape on it and go thrash it, it will be fine.

I have used "Bike Shield" tape on carbon frames for years, and it has been great… Adhesive velcro is also superb for high impact areas like chainstays.

cheers all

A varied set of responses, as you would expect of STW 8)

I am being overprotective of course, but I've had golf ball-sized dings in downtubes in the past and just don't fancy one in my ti frame…. As for crashing – sure I'll crash the thing but I can't prevent that kind of damage.

I like the carbon sheet idea. I'll explore that.

I made one like a belly guard for my Mojo out of the Pace carbon A4 sheet. Easy job make a paper template, cut carbon sheet place in oven as per instructions to soften the glue.

Fit to bike looks like it came with it. I then went a little further to ensure
that it wouldn't lift at the edges over time with washing etc etc.

But you may think me excessive !

Cheers

aren't dings much more likely in thin walled wide tubed aluminium frames? Kleins were very susceptible i seem to recall.

Titanium should be fine shouldn' it??

Bit puzzled about people using carbon to protect things from knocks (downtubes, helmets), but then saying carbon frames aren't tough enough.

Ti downtube = very tough.

These are very good, I have one on all my bikes including my Moots

A tightly wrapped old innertube will look better than a tyre.

That's what kids had at Luchon and Ax Les Thermes in july.

Nick

I've bought some thin carbon sheet off ebay so we'll see how that goes.

But I agree, all my big dings were on alu bikes, not ti.

The carbon sheet won't stop dings but will probably stop chips.

Nick

I do inner tubes all good.