Tire tube wrapped around frame

[cutman]

When I was in New York City, I noticed most of the bikes I saw chained up had their frames almost completely covered in tire tubing. Is this some kind of security precaution? I can't figure it out!

[Subtle Trouble]

Could have also been electrical tape. Folks use it to disguise high-end frames and/or protect the frame from nicks caused by locking the bike against various objects.

[nocoins]

When I was in New York City, I noticed most of the bikes I saw chained up had their frames almost completely covered in tire tubing. Is this some kind of security precaution? I can't figure it out!

most of us that live in cities deal with always having to worry about our bikes being ripped off at any moment. Its a good idea to "sh1tify your bike" by wrapping it in tire tubes, electrical tape, anything. This also helps to keep the paint job in decent shape. My paint is all types of messed up due to locking up my bike to parking meters, polls, railings, anything my lock will fit around. I keep my nice fixie wrapped in blue painters tape, this both protects the paint (which i dont care about, I just dont want those scratches to end up rusting) and also it personalizes my bike so it will be less likely to be stolen because someone may recognize it as "hey, isnt that kevins bike with the bright blue tape covering it"

anyway, there is a method to the madness.

[Tom Fritts]

So does the tape come off without damaging the underlying paint or decals? I mucked up the Reynolds 531 decal on an old PX-10 with electrical tape trying to downplay its attraction to theft, but have regretted the act ever since. I still use electrical tape to afix computer wires, but not on top of decals. I'd be interested in thinking about the blue masking tape on my similarly blue Ellsworth, but don't want to trash the lettering.

[iceratt]

Wow, what a great idea to wrap a bike up with bike tubing! It could give the old bike that organic look that I find so appealing. Only thing is I won't be able to be called the King of Ding, if I try it. And my kids might make fun of me. More than they already do.

[cutman]

thanks for the responses, they all totally make sense

[nocoins]

no problem! have fun making your bike look like crap! hahahahaha


but at least you will have it to ride another day!

.... and thats really all that matters.

[H23]

Covering a frame with inner tube, tape, etc...

Its unsightly. There should be an ordinance against that.

Some people even cover their forks and frame joints, tsk, tsk. Not being able to check a frame for cracks periodically may lead to a painful lesson in the future.

[jeff williams]

no problem! have fun making your bike look like crap! hahahahaha


but at least you will have it to ride another day!

.... and thats really all that matters.

Ummm, ya.

Some of us crap mtb'ers wrap the lower front tri with a tube so gravel\ rocks will not chip the paint and it makes the offroad ride quieter.

You can buy a guard for $?, or just cut a blown tube and zap-strap it.

[Balance]

I wrapped some old inner tubing to the seat tube of my heavy winter folding bike, to help with carrying it up the stairs. The tubing added grip and kept my hands from freezing to the cold steel. Worked really well.