General Cycling Discussion - Are inner tubes recyclable?

Seems a shame to just throw them away. I doubt they biodegrade very quickly.

Seems a shame to just throw them away. I doubt they biodegrade very quickly.

Yup. Pedros has a deal going. They recycle old inner tubes to make their blow out under saddle bags.

Thin road bike tubes make excellent bungee cords for bike racks. Cut one in half near the valve, cut out the valve so you won't scratch anything and tie one end to the rack. Just stretch it around the bikes after they are on. I have a four bike rack and one tube will hold all four bikes still.
Mountain Bike tubes make good mud flaps for fenders. Any tube makes a good rubber shim or pad to attach something to your bike without scratching it. If you have a small enough chain or a big enough tube you can put it around your bike locking chain to prevent scratches.

I've cut them in half and used them as rim strips.

Bar tape. Tres sexy.

You can patch and re-use them.

Or turn them into tire liners if you're not zealous about weight.

You can get a LOT of rubber bands out of one too.

i use old mtb tubes cut into rubber bands to hold my flashing led front light onto the front of my road bike h/bars

I think that they must biodegrade very quickly. Whenever I change out a tube after a flat I leave the discarded tube it at the side of the road and it usually disappears after a few days.

Hmmm...you have mentioned doing this before...

Yeah, I make it a point to pick up those discarded tubes.

They don't biodegrade after a couple of days.

Please, carry your blown tubes home and dispose of them correctly.

Hmmm...you have mentioned doing this before...

Yeah, I make it a point to pick up those discarded tubes.

They don't biodegrade after a couple of days.

Please, carry your blown tubes home and dispose of them correctly.
Yeah, that really sucks.

Can't you just cut them into small patches and use them as tube patches? I remember my dad doing that when I was a kid.

Do you have a sling shot?

joe

Instant bungees. Just cut out the valve.

I think the tubes re-use much easier than they re-cycle, but the Pedro's deal sounds like a good one (if it wasn't a joke...), anyone got a link?

I got a sweet bracelet given to me the other day made out of an inner tube, a bunch of bike chain links, and a hyperglide cog all woven together with more tube. Its 100% recycled bike! The guy who gave it to me told me proudly that he had killed, skinned, and cleaned the bike all by himself.

They also can be made into cool belts!

peace,
sam

There are just so many uses for small pieces of rubber... I keep waiting for my front tire to go flat again so I have an old tube :). Of course my bike came with slime tubes so the first one that went flat was no good (slime = huge mess).

I think that they must biodegrade very quickly. Whenever I change out a tube after a flat I leave the discarded tube it at the side of the road and it usually disappears after a few days.

Bicycle tires and tubes are made of synthetic rubber. They are not biodegradable.

Seems a shame to just throw them away. I doubt they biodegrade very quickly.

You can cut figures/symbols/letters etc. from the rubber and then glue the things to a block of wood and then you can print stuff/pictures with the blocks.

Where did I see pictures of clothing made from stitched-together innertubes? A rubber fetishist's dream. . .

My husband cuts the tubes in short lengths and then uses the short lengths to slip over his in-frame bicycle pumps, so as to keep the pump from scratching the paint on his bike.

Cut strips and wrap them around you lower chainstays to prevent damage from chain slap. For that matter, wrap strips around your braided hair to protect the hair while riding.

Small strips make great plant ties. Or rubberbands for a "Y" sling shot.

us that grew up poor also used old tubes as patches

Cut up old tubes and put your tools in them .That way they do not rattle around in your seat bag.

You can get a LOT of rubber bands out of one too.


Or one big one. :D

ok, I'm going to jump across the "appropriate line here... appologies in advance...






use them to tie up your significant other.

:eek:

http://www.lasplash.com/StyleAndFashion/Gaelyn_and_Cianfarani.php

http://www.gaelyn.com/


These nice folks make some very cool clothes and accessories out of old tubes.

Flip flops from bike tubes and tires
http://www.splaff.com/
Belts,wallets,etc that are made with a bike tube and other stuff.
http://www.environgentle.com/store.php?action=show_categ&categ=50

I hacked one up into several small bands for a lady at work to tie her hair up. No pesky metal crimp to pull hair out.

"Keepers" for messenger bag straps.

I hacked one up into several small bands for a lady at work to tie her hair up. No pesky metal crimp to pull hair out.
I was going to suggest cutting them up for rubber bands, but that's quite inventive

Any suggestions for a bike shoppe that is looking to recycle its tubes/tires? I've read a lot of good suggestions for turning one or two tubes into useful items, but I've got a huge box full of tubes that I've been saving to send to Pedros. The problem, however, is that the environmental impact of sending the tubes across the U.S. might outweigh the good I do by not throwing them away. Any thoughts?

ok, I'm going to jump across the "appropriate line here... appologies in advance...






use them to tie up your significant other.

:eek:
Like this?

Any suggestions for a bike shoppe that is looking to recycle its tubes/tires? I've read a lot of good suggestions for turning one or two tubes into useful items, but I've got a huge box full of tubes that I've been saving to send to Pedros. The problem, however, is that the environmental impact of sending the tubes across the U.S. might outweigh the good I do by not throwing them away. Any thoughts?
Souns like the equivalent of driving across town to drop yesteray's newspaper in the recycle bin.