Bicycle Mechanics - Where can I get lycra "disc" wheel covers

I'm not interested in them for actually riding on the road. Instead, I want to put one on my rear wheel while using my wind trainer indoors, to prevent my curious cat from sticking her paw or tail into the spinning wheel

I remember these used to be popular 10+ years ago. Where can I get them these days? Used is fine, too.

(bump!)

Anyone? Anyone? Thanks!

Not cheap and not the mylar kind, but: http://www.wheelbuilder.com/closeup.asp?cid=25&pid=185&offset=0

I had a couple from Colorado or Nashbar 11-12 years ago. I'm far away from home else I could have sent them to you. Can't stand the sight of them :)

I'll see if I can find the link when I get home. I recall a site where a guy showed how he made some wheel disks using either corfast or some mylar plastic. You may want to see if anybody over in the 'bents forum has that info handy. I'm thinking along the same lines as you, I really don't want one of my kitties sticking a curious paw into the spokes.

I suspect that you could do it fairly easily, as I recall he had a pretty smooth way of making the clips to attach it onto the wheel itself, but especially if its for a trainer, you could use a cheap wheel and just wiretie / ziplock it into place.

Hope this helps, and I'll check my other 'puters for the bookmark.

Steve W

Mentor58: I've seen the recumbent DIY sites where basically they take a plastic circle and cut a wedge into it to "dish" it, then they get fancy with fiberglass resins and stuff. I may just end up using a sheet of cheap plastic and some zip ties or something, but I guess I was hoping to spend $20 and save a little time.

I had one of the covers you speak of. In case you hadn't seen one up close, here's what I recall from installing one:

They're made of nylon, have a reinforcement at the center hole and a "sleeve" around the outside with a cord running through it. With each disc came a pair of flexible wire "hoops" and a bunch of spoke clips.

Installation involved:
- removing the freewheel/cassette
- putting the disc on (dork disc over top or removed completely)
- replace the cassette
- place the wire hoop around the edge and trimming to size (it came with a little joint to connect the loose ends
- put the fabric around the hoop and tighten the pull cord so it was snug
- "clip" the disc (now with a rigid edge from the wire hoop) into the little spoke clips
- repeat for side 2 (usually you had to test fit and replace each side at least once before finalizing

I found this link of interest: http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/ariail/fabric_wheeldisks.htm

BTW, I DID ride the disc while out and about and on the wind-trainer. If nothing else, it does keep things from getting tangled in your spokes. I'd install one again in a second on my current bike. I'm kind of sorry I let it go with the bike. :\ In the photo you'll see I have the fabric turned "inside out" - the logo is on the inside part of the disc. Don't remember the name... "Aero disc" maybe?

http://www.ncf.ca/~af895/LJ/tachyon.jpg

Hi,

It's plastic, not lycra, but it might be of interest.

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Wheel+Cover&vendorCode=CHAERO&major=1&minor=24

Cheers,
J.

Thanks af895.... that was the link I was looking for. I had one of those old ones once myself. If memory serves me (and nowadays I don't take that for granted) the hoop was made of a very soft alum alloy, and had the bad habit that when it got cold out of shrinking enough to case some problems. I do recall that it seemed like I picked up about an extra gear or so in terms of speed vs. effort with it, so it had some benefits.

Steve W
Who is busy rebuilding his laptop...

Hey Steve! I think you're correct about the hoop being aluminum, however, I don't recall it shrinking in the cold. It may have but I don't remember this being a problem when I was riding during the winter. (I biked right through the winter with that thing... Canadian, -40 weather... :)

I'm sure there's a bike shop somewhere with an unloved Aerodisc sitting on a display shelf right next to an equally unloved Biopace chainring set...if only I could find that shop I'd give both items a loving home. ;)

I had a couple from Colorado or Nashbar 11-12 years ago. I'm far away from home else I could have sent them to you. Can't stand the sight of them :)

Rufvelo: I think between askrom and I, we'd definitely take those discs off your hands. :)
Maybe when you get home? (I'm in no rush)

Yeah, Rufvelo, when you get back home from wherever you're at, drop me a line! Me and af895 will each take one disc! :)

I don't recall it shrinking in the cold.

The rim and spokes are supposed to shrink in the cold too. (Different metals shrink at different rates, but still, i'd think the difference would be unimportant.)

IIRC, it didn't shrink as in "oh, it's going to fall off", it was more that it started to get a little extra slack in the cloth and it sort of made a bit of a whipping noise. (and it is the hoop on the disk that I'm talking about) :)

Steve W.