Cyclocross - Wrapping the bike's frame

Friend of mine recently wrapped the frame of his 2004 Binanchi Axis bike with a used bike tubes, and he recommended me to do so. He believes that it both protects the frame, specially during winter commute and also disguises it from savvy thieves.
Do you guys think it’s an effective way to extend the bike life span, or in long run it will hurt the frame.
Thanks
Ric

Friend of mine recently wrapped the frame of his 2004 Binanchi Axis bike with a used bike tubes, and he recommended me to do so. He believes that it both protects the frame, specially during winter commute and also disguises it from savvy thieves.
Do you guys think it’s an effective way to extend the bike life span, or in long run it will hurt the frame.
Thanks
Ric

I had my 2000 Axis wrapped up with old tubes for years to help discourage theft and nicks from commuting. when I took the tubes off a few years later to make the bike lighter to race, the frame looked great- very well protected.

marc

Thank you for help, I will definetly try too.
Ric

I do my downtube on my mtb to stop gravel nicks and make the bike trail quieter.

I use a mtb tube split lenghtwise and 4 zapstraps.

I (because it's steel, wet part of the world) run a cable housing down the tube under the rubber then zapstrap it. This makes a water channel as the straps leave space on either side of the cable.

I pull the cable out a bit on the lower, tuck on the top.

Wow Jeff that looks really tight I thought wrapping the frame would look ugly but thats a nice protective looking wrap. What kind of ties are those and where do you get them? Is the tire tube wrapped around the frame tube and back onto itself such that it overlaps?

It's a innertube from a 2.1 mtb tire, it doesn't quite go around the tube -which is fine for I use a bottle cage.
Zapstraps -Nylon wire ties -you've never? Best thingers around, I keep a few in my bag for tying off damaged components if on a long mountain ride (Thanks again Maelstrom).

Get longer ones, pull tight, snip. Get them at hardware, electrical stores. Probably RadioShack (where I got the pic).

They are great for bundling wires also -no more mess behind the entertainment centre!

This is such a good idea. I'd never thought of that stuff before to protect my frame. Once I get my bike repainted, I'm going to do this too.

Koffee

Chainstay too if you don't have a little guard for chain-slap.

I don't do it for paint (my bikes flat black stove paint now, a scratch gets masked off and pssssssst -no more scratch and the flat blends perfect)
-mostly I do it for noise.
I run trails alot and hate the gravel 'ping' and I jump curbs, roots so I need a chainstay one for the chainslap.

We also strapped a small piece of a grip over the knucle of the rear derailler to stop the noise of it hitting the frame on bigger drops. (for me 3 feets big, no suspension.)

I also kinda XC so I wrap my toptube with medical bandage tape, it makes a super nice grippy tube for carrying the bike -and can be unwrapped to use on my mangled self after wiping out >my ripped T-shirt and tape bandage system.

Now that the bikes black, it looks fine. Well ..until I start wrapping the toptube with med tape again.

Jeff
You did a wonderful job on your bike, it looks very good, specially using the zap straps, It is a brilliant idea to keep it neat and tight.
Thanks for help again
Ric

Thank you for help, I will definetly try too.
Ric

I just wrapped the tubes like bar tape and secured the ends with electrical tape.

it was sort of cool looking, sort of ugly. but I wanted it to look less attractive to thieves when i left it at a bike rack, so ugly was a good thing.

-marc

You could also do that with clear plastic.
I think I'll keep an eye out for something suitable.
I wonder if that stuff you use on maps would work.