The Ghetto Gear Thread
 

Okay this a thread similar to DIY but very diff at the same time. It's for folks who are either creative and want to express it with something that is functional or for those on a budget or for those who just dont want to spend $ and decide to make/do something themselves when, what they make can be bought.

I "made" a paint job for my ride. I wrapped my frame in electric tape to keep look of the bike concealed since it was bright, neon type orange and i didn't it to catch a thiefs eye too quickly. The tape also made the bike look sexier(to me) with the contrasting colors and it keeps stratches away too.
Before:
Attachment 36907
After:
Attachment 36908
Attachment 36909

Next is my fake fender made of water bottle plastic and electric/duck tape. Didn't feel like spending and wanted to be creative. Plus it ugly and can also be somewhat theft deterent.
Attachment 36910
Attachment 36911

double strap holder (duck tape)
Attachment 36915

Top tube protector made of bar wrap and duck tape
Attachment 36912

Innertube bar wrap (keep those extra flat tubes, they can be useful later on)
Attachment 36913

But my fav of all is my custom designed bag made from water bottle plastic and safety pins to hold it up.
Attachment 36914
Attachment 36916

Ghetto on folks

huh. your "custom designed bag made from water bottle plastic and safety pins" looks an awful lot like a chrome bag. everything else just looks awful.

i didn't say it would be pretty just something that you make yourself. For the bag of course i mean what is on it, hence the word "designed". duh

you're a tool. this is exactly like the diy thread but just crappier.

Wow... just wow! Your bike and your bag are awfully... busy!

I am all for DYI projects and not spending money just for the sake of spending money. BUT if you are going to go through the trouble of making DYI stuff at least make it as nice as you can. That's my .02¢

Ahh. Ghetto Gear, my bread and butter.

I have a pile of welded up fixed gear wheels/hubs, most with bent axles.

Homemade chainwhip = crobar + old bmx chain.
Bench grinder + 9/16" wrench = Schwinn pedal wrench (make it slimmer).
Old can of spraypaint + grips = easy install + adhesive that will last forever.
Old Schwinn seatpost too short? Stick the seat (male) end of one into the bottom end (female) of another, weld it together, hit it with the grinder and whalla extended seatpost that is pretty damn strong.
My old headlight was stolen, but the theif forgot my battery (really nice water bottle one), wired it up to a $10 bell headlight and it lasts forver on one charge.

+1

Do it yourself isn't anymore "DIY" if you spend less. You still "did it yourself".

I have to disagree to a point. If you perfect everything that you do, you are never going to have time for any fun. Example: my tallbike, just made sure it was mechanically sound, sanded for 10 minutes, slapped some spraypaint on it and called it good. I could have spent weeks hand-filing every weld and then stripped the whole thing down to the bare metal, primered, then applied a nice basecoat/clearcoat finish, but was happy with it the way it was.

I think the difference is that you mention the trouble of DIY, but for some of us, this is the best part. The trouble is finding a new project :)

It's called ****ing ducT tape. For taping ducTS.

It is not a waterfowl-specific adhesive.

haha

There is also a point though when it becomes obvious that someone is *trying* to be as "ghetto DIY" as possible, defeating the whole purpose of what it's about. For instance, using 100 safety pins to hold **** to your bag is stupid for a million reasons. Using old tubes to wrap your bars is rediculous.. if you're that desperate, I'm sure you could get some used bar wrap from another bike, or even the LBS. When doing DIY things as ghetto as possible, when you have other/better options, turns into a gimmick, it's not cool anymore.

i think your bike would look 150x better (and wiegh a couple pounds less) if you just took some spray paint to it. or just leave it nice...

why take a nice bike and intentionally make it look crappy? that happens on it's own fast enough.

The best theft deterrent is proper locking technique. Any thief that is trying to steal your bike for the looks is smart enough to know under all that bull**** there is probably a decent bike. I mean, why else cover your bike in ****?

I kind of like using old tubes in the winter- the cork tape soaks up water, makes your hands cold, and rips really easily. Old tubes have good grip, and stand up well to wet conditions.

Actually you are completely wrong. Look up the history of duct tape instead of using your ignorant brain.

It was made for air ducts initially but didn't work. They named it duct tape because it works for anything but air ducts. Once forced air gets on the glue side it just air drys it out in no time.

Basically I'm telling you to think before you go off the handle...moron.

[****ing ducT tape]...dork

old tubes make for nice grips, especially if you have a smaller diameter bar. Plus one wrap of tube + a wrap or two of electrical tape makes for a nice little top tube protector.

Thanks Derek, that is exactly what I was trying to get at in my original post. I am a firm believer if you are going to do something give it 110%. Don't half-a$$ something in an attempt to be one step ahead of everyone else.

uhm....http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog/ducktape.JPG


is 'e 'avin a laff?

Duck is a brand, like Bandaid or Kleenex.
Unless he spent the extra money on the brand name, then he is wrong.
And after looking at how ghetto he wants everything to be, he probably saved himself the extra dollar.

But I could be wrong, and really don't care about the duck/duct arguement.

There are other things out there besides cork.

What difference does bar diameter have to do with what wrap you use?

I'm just saying that along with the other things, it just seems like he's "trying" to be ghetto... like those "anarcho punks" that live in rich neighborhoods, and get dropped off at shows by their parents in their benz SUV. If you can spend 350 bucks on a new bike, you should have been able to put some clamp on fenders on your old bike.

pawn of the trademark industry.

So it's duct tape not duck tape?

ducks are way ghetto

Duct tape is a category of tape. "Duck Tape" is a brand.