# A Useful clever way to protect your Chainstays



## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

pS: Sorry for the lammeSupremo ingles.

PsII: I don't know if this is the best forum to post this trick, but since we are working on the bikes, may as well, protect them too..

I'm being using this technic since pretty much the day "mister tuffy" came in to the market since they kind of "Suck" to prevent flats, but they for sure Rule to protect bike frames.

I always get them for free, from my friends at bike shops since the usually end up at the trash can anyway, so don't buy them new, just ask your friendly mechanic at the shop near you for some of them.

I'm going to use as a example my last purchase, but I will also post pictures of other bikes I wrap in the past.

Here is my first wrapping job on my new Empella.









It was fine and dandy but to be sincere the red color and the black look somehow out of place.

So i got lucky and I found a really wide (~40mm) tube protector what was also translucent.









I start this one from the back side (on the typical MTB, the granny rings need all the space you can give them) and made two small holes on the rubber to tread a ziptie so the wrapping did skip and unwrap, i usually just use a piece of tape if the wrapping is not translucent, but this time require a ziptie so the tape did not show up.









The rear derreileur cable stop is always being a issue on frame routed using the chainstay, but this time since the wrap is so wide I just cut a hole on it and fit it.









The way I see it is cheap insurance, one ChainSuck on a thinwall aluminum tube can become a structural compromise.









I finish the wrapping next to the bottom bracket (since i don't have a granny ring), using two zipties and then self vulcanizing tape (what you see is some electric tape that i use until the rubber catalizes.









Hell you can even see the logos and the grafics.









I end up with a small amount of the material so i decide to make a little protector for when the bars touch the frame in anger.









two zipties hold the whole thing









but is not so easy i cut four small holes and tread the zipties so they will never come off.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

A few other examples.








































































Self vulcanize tape, totally bulletproof and very slim.


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## Sir Stuey (Apr 15, 2007)

Nice examples.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

Sir Stuey said:


> Nice examples.


So how do you guys and gals do it...

Show me, show us, maybe we have something new to learn...


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

You guy are not Fun, Nobody wants to Play.....:madman:

Here are some other uses for Recycle bike parts.

This is useful for pretty much anybody with a Park workstand (and a few others)

I have see so many bicycle seat getting damage do to a lazzy "mechanic" that just hangs to bike from the seat on the stand.









The Fix is very easy, a old mountain bike tire (since they are wider) and some zipties.









Yes you can not make the Mechanic any less lazzy but at least the front of the seat does not suffer as much.









Again it cost you nothing and it only takes a few seconds.









The K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle apply here as usual.









One tire is sufficient for about Nine bike stands.


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## wyrm (Jan 19, 2004)

Oh.. I have to agree... there are so many victimized bikes due to seat hanging. 

Having worked at a high volume shop for a few year I have yet to see one break... not to say that it has never happened. If you go to any of the pits at any race you will see all the bike being stored that way. Even the 50lbs DH bikes. I even saw Greg Minnaar's Honda bike hung that way.... say priceless bike done wrong.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

wyrm said:


> Oh.. I have to agree... there are so many victimized bikes due to seat hanging.
> 
> Having worked at a high volume shop for a few year I have yet to see one break... not to say that it has never happened.


well I got two Flite SLRs from craiglist really cheap (plus other seats at swap meets) since the leather was cut down there near the rails.

This SLR on my Nicolai is one of them, a Little E-6000 silicone and is all good, well kind of.











> If you go to any of the pits at any race you will see all the bike being stored that way. Even the 50lbs DH bikes. I even saw Greg Minnaar's Honda bike hung that way.... say priceless bike done wrong.


The way I see it, you can do whatever you want with your own bike (or a pro bike) in the case of a downhill bike the least of you worrys is a scared seat.

On the other hand a "Costumers bike" need to be treated with the outmost respect and be protected as much as possible even if the bike is already a piece of crap (I work on really high end shops for about 12 years) since in a way you are a "Bike doctor"

In the case of the chainstay just brouse the for sell adds, E-bay whatever and I bet you at least 50% of the bikes for sale mension scratches on the chain stays as the only damage to the frame.

My self I wrap the chain stay (Protect the frame with 3M tape from cable rub, etc) the minute I get the bike (take every bike apart to bare bones anyway), if is new I leave it along, if is used & steel I sand the damage area and then aply anti corrosives to the expose metal and then wrap, it if is aluminum i try to even out the surface scars to prevent stress riser points even if is very little you can do after a scar is already there in terms of structural integrity (thanks to the Duffus ex owner that did not prevent damage)

Ps: Sometimes I'm concern, wraping the work stands can actually bring a sense of extra safety and make matter even worst, but then again that is not the fault of the wrap but the person using the stand.


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## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

I tried recycling some oury grips last time...

















I didn't really like dust getting underneath though (not wrapped quite tight enough).
Now I use electrical tape, about 3 long strips along the chainstay, it's thin but works like a charm as I don't seem to get much chain slap - and if I see too many marks appearing I'll just rip it off & replace with fresh stuff. As a bonus there is heaps of colours to choose from!


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

Lets review all the different systems that I have used for the last twenty years that have proven to be long lasting and problem free.

CATEYE Cloth Handlebar tape, way before any of this cushy handlebar tapes, bars use to be tape on a Cloth tape about one inch wide and at least in the pass used to come in a few colors.

Amazingly strong and resilient but it does get dirty, oilly and greasy.

I'm being using it to wrap chainstays since the 80'









"Marine" Self vulcanizing tape...

Great, water proof, self gluing to the point it forms a homogeneous material, is used on the nautical industry to seal and finish the ends of cables and rigging.

Pretty expensive ($20 per roll for the good stuff) and somehow weak.

The also sell a cheaper version at hardware stores but is not as water proof or seal as well.









Thermoplastic carbon fiber (Not thermoset resin/cloth carbon) Almost impossible to find, made by "Trevira" (a aircraft supply company and only self in full 4"x8" plys)

Very complicated to achieve complex curvatures or even simpler one if you don't have much skill, plus since you need a heat gun (no hair dryer will not work) you can get burn in no time. 









okay the fender idea sucks









I used on my Nicolai since your shoes tend to rub on the seat stays of the super wide rear subframe.









Thermoset resin/cloth mix A.K.A. "Fiber glass/carbon fiber whatever you like to call it..

I never found the need to use it in any of my bicycles, but I have used extensible for my motorcycles..

Messy, smelly and expensive plus if are not careful the resin can get glued into the piece you are covering and is no way you are going to get it out, at least with out damaging the finish.









The great part is that you don't need to "Wrap it" around, you can use silicone glue or even double sided tape to hold it in place.









Please do not come with the typical "Somehow has to much time in his hands" to me that phrase is just a sorry excuse to Live a mediocre life and also a great way to detect lame bike mechanics.









Now for a Mistake..

I have this pretty Red Ritchey WCS tyre that I like very much, but she was to worn to be used so I decide to wrap around one of my downhill bikes.









But since I have 2.030 meter of tire, I keep going.









And Going..









The problem is that the "Shoelaces" accumulate mud, grind and moisture and is almost impossible to get it out.

A zipper and some neoprene can solve it but I never really got around doing it, specially since the "Mister Tuffy" work so well.


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## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

I tired the tire on the chainstay idea as well, the grip idea worked better for me though, tire was just too knobbly (sidewall failure so had plenty of tread left). However now I've gone back to the good old electrical tape! Easy to put on & easy to replace, stays relatively clean too & won't let dirt underneath.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

ducktape said:


> I tired the tire on the chainstay idea as well, the grip idea worked better for me though, tire was just too knobbly (sidewall failure so had plenty of tread left). However now I've gone back to the good old electrical tape! Easy to put on & easy to replace, stays relatively clean too & won't let dirt underneath.


Yeah but is much to weak...

Have you ever see what happen with Electric tape when you get chainsuck..!?!?

It will fall apart like a cheap watch.:madman:

If anything you can use old fashion Duct tape.


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