Utility Cycling - Tennis balls for bar-end protection?

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tdister
10-04-08, 10:15 PM
Well, not exactly bar ends...

Will tennis balls stuck onto a hazardous 1/2" OD pieces (sticking up about 2inches) of pipe likely prove reasonably safe in an impact?

This is an option i am looking at for a kiddie to cargo trailer conversion in the works. I would rather not cut them or fabricate new pieces.

Wanderer
10-04-08, 10:23 PM
How about some big heavy chair rubber feet? They would protect just about anything, and are available in multiple sizes at most major hardware stores. Crutch tips, cane tips, walker tips, also an option.
HandsomeRyan
10-05-08, 08:56 AM
You can get bar end plugs for cheap (or sometimes free) at your LBS.

When I was working on prototyping this (http://www.instructables.com/id/Automatic-Bicycle-Handlebar-End-Lights/) my LBS gave me about 4 pairs of plugs for free.

Nightshade
10-05-08, 09:41 AM
How about some big heavy chair rubber feet? They would protect just about anything, and are available in multiple sizes at most major hardware stores. Crutch tips, cane tips, walker tips, also an option.

Yes, this is a more practical soulution by far. "Crutch tips, cane tips, walker tips" also have a metal
disk inside that prevents the "shaft" of the "Crutch tips, cane tips, walker tips" from cutting through
the rubber part of the tip.
tdister
10-05-08, 11:04 AM
Hmm, I looked for the rubber feet and couldn't find any the right size. The tubing is actually 1/2" ID FWIW.

The tennis ball idea actually came from thinking about the rubber feet on walkers and how people use tennis balls over them (though for completely different reasons than me, I'm sure).

For now anyway, it's tennis balls. They seem like they will do a pretty good job, though I might add the rubber feet too later if I find them. They actually make the trailer a tiny bit more noticeable too. It is mostly dark blue and black after stripping it down, so anything helps.