# Chain Stay Protector - What too use?



## matsoki (Oct 14, 2009)

Bit of a daft question, but I've seen some bikes that have there chain stay protectors warped, in what looks to be a inner tube or black rubber tape.

What is it?:thumbsup:


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## timberstone (Feb 20, 2009)

You have probably seen both. In reading around here people use both inner tubes and electrical tape.


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## jjange68 (Feb 8, 2007)

I wrap the stay with an inner tube then wrap it again with electrical tape to hold it in place, works great. I don't care about the paint it's the noise I can't stand.


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## wildkyle90 (Oct 8, 2009)

If you want to protect your frame from loosing paint on its chainstay due to chainslap, and you ride over bumps, its necessary

Unless you dont care about your paint.

Look on ebay or almost any bike website will sell them, and their cheap - you dont need expensive lizard skin ones, just the back sided adhesive ones work fine as long as you clean the chainstay before you apply it


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## Dremer03 (Jun 19, 2009)

Lizard Skin, is what I have.


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## tihsepa (May 15, 2009)

I use one that is very strong adhesive backed elk hide. It works great and looks even better.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Inner tube works great , secure with a zip tie or electical tape . You probably already have an inner tube . Pipe wrap also works well , is self adhesve .


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

A piece of old inner tube, spiral wound with a zip tie at each end is cheap, protects the chain stay and quiets down the chain slap.


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## Fix the Spade (Aug 4, 2008)

A strip of 8mm foam rubber and some cable ties. An old inner tube does the job just as well, but isn't quite as effective at silencing the slap noise, which I hate.


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## ae111black (Dec 27, 2008)

Go to a shop that does hydraulic hose assy's and get some hose wrap! It's a black heavy duty version of the stuff they sell for wrapping electrical wires @ the autoparts store. You can usually buy it by the foot and it's really cheap!


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## traffic002 (Dec 16, 2008)

I did the inner tube wrapped in electrical tape method. I killed a brand new tube when I was pumping incorrectly and broke off the valve. So I just cut it up to size and wrapped in electric tape.


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## Carraig042 (Nov 12, 2009)

I have a Lizard Skins. It works great and found it cheap on the bay.

-Brett


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## HEMIjer (Jul 17, 2008)

I have done road tubes because they are thin, then have also gone the lizard skin route, and gone the let it get beat up route, no right or wrong answer. Lizard skin goes on and off quick if for same strange reason you want to wash it. Inner tube I just end up leaving on but it does get gunked upat some point.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

I use ABC gum 

really...
CatEye cotton bar-tape.
Excellent stuff - and cheap! :thumbsup:
(kinda blurry pics)


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## grandsalmon (Oct 24, 2005)

I always have extra bar tape around, so I go that route- especially when at beginning of a build. Looks clean. A tear is simply taped over, but is actually rare.
All ideas above are sound (proof).


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## Kaba Klaus (Jul 20, 2005)

I do a lot of aggressive riding and found that the usual chain stay protectors simply don't work for me. They either tend to move and expose the front part of the chain stay - or simply don't cover the whole chain stay in the first place.

Note: Due to aggressive riding I do get chain slap all the way to the front, very close to the actual chain rings. (Don't tell me my chain is too long. I've checked/corrected that long time ago.)

So I am using the described old inner tube/tape or zip tie method now on all MTBs. And I am wrapping almost the entire chain stay, from bottom bracket to the rear axle.


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

lol Highdelll with his large three pics just to say the protector...nice bike btw! lol

I use an old inner tube. I wrap it in a way that I don't need to use any tape or zip ties.


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## savagemann (Jan 14, 2008)

I use road bar tape and it works good. Innertube is my 2nd choice.
I used leather road bar tape on my newest build. Seems more durable.


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## ireland57 (Sep 11, 2009)

We use Lizardskins. They're easy to remove and replace for bike washing.


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## California L33 (Jul 30, 2005)

ireland57 said:


> We use Lizardskins. They're easy to remove and replace for bike washing.


Bike washing? What's that?


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## savagemann (Jan 14, 2008)

California L33 said:


> Bike washing? What's that?


+2
I actually washed my bike today..........by riding it 12 miles in the rain........LOL


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## louisssss (Jun 24, 2009)

2 layers of electrical tape is a decently effective cheap method for XC riding, with no major jumps and constant slapping

i've personally used that method until i got a regular cannondale chainstay protector from my lbs, i feel this protects equally as the electrical tape as its pretty light and thin, it just looks better. i'd similarly recommend this only for XC riding without constant slapping.

for anything more harsh, i'd recommend something THICK, such as a rubber CP, or a tube, or a layer or 2 of road bar tape($10 online)


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## insanitylevel9 (Sep 23, 2009)

old tube on the chain stay then wrap it in electrical tape works good on my xc bike. on my fs i bought a lizard skin one to see if it was any better and it was not that great.


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## wyatt79m (Mar 3, 2007)

I use the old tube method, secured with electrical tape.


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## insanitylevel9 (Sep 23, 2009)

wyatt79m said:


> I use the old tube method, secured with electrical tape.


i dont think it looks half bad


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

Dictatorsaurus said:


> lol Highdelll with his large three pics just to say the protector....


Well, sorry it's large.
I can't help it - that's the only size I come in


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## Noobi-Wan Kenobi (Dec 24, 2007)

Dictatorsaurus said:


> I use an old inner tube. I wrap it in a way that I don't need to use any tape or zip ties.


Hey Dictasaurus,

That may be a little too lumpy, but how do you do it without tape or zip ties?


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## pagey (Sep 26, 2006)

tennis racket or hockey stick handle wrap works very well


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## ACSN (Dec 10, 2009)

I bought a new cheap tube to use. Don't have an old tube yet so I grabbed the cheapest at Wally world.


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## matsoki (Oct 14, 2009)

Cheers all, 

I've got some self amalgamating (plumbers tape) so I'm going to give that a go first.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

It doesn't just protect the paint.

Aluminum is soft enough that chain slap and strikes from a chain stuck in the crank can actually start chipping the metal itself. Eventually, you could cut away enough of the material to make the chainstay weaker, so it might fail.

Granted, that would take a very long time. But I have one aluminum framed (road) bike that's over twenty years old - it would be a shame to lose a perfectly good frame to chain slap.

On a steel bike, protecting the paint is more important because once the paint's gone, the steel itself can rust. Especially if the rust keeps getting knocked off, eventually it can eat through the chainstay.

Mine's got an inner tube. I wrapped the stay in duct tape first, with the sticky side out, then with the inner tube, and finished with more duct tape. If it gets torn in the middle, pieces shouldn't hang off because of the tape on the inside. E-tape method sounds better, though.


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## Dremer03 (Jun 19, 2009)

pagey said:


> tennis racket or hockey stick handle wrap works very well


Basically the same thing as Bar Tape, so it would probably work well also.


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

The product to use is self amalgamating tape, also sometimes called self fusing tape. It's available in the electrical section of any hardware store. It's a rubber tape which only sticks to itself, and then fuses together to form a single piece of rubber. This means you can follow any concour, and still have a uniform piece of rubber protecting the frame.

You install it by peeling the backing off the tape, and stretching it as you wrap.

I've tried just about everything, and it's by far the best method.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

bad mechanic said:


> The product to use is self amalgamating tape, also sometimes called self fusing tape. It's available in the electrical section of any hardware store. It's a rubber tape which only sticks to itself, and then fuses together to form a single piece of rubber. This means you can follow any concour, and still have a uniform piece of rubber protecting the frame.
> 
> You install it by peeling the backing off the tape, and stretching it as you wrap.
> 
> I've tried just about everything, and it's by far the best method.


Sometimes also called "pipe wrap" .


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## el_chupo_ (Nov 15, 2005)

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=350-040

I use tube + Zip ties.


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

Noobi-Wan Kenobi said:


> Hey Dictasaurus,
> 
> That may be a little too lumpy, but how do you do it without tape or zip ties?


I can make it less lumpy by doing fewer loops without overlapping the previous loop.

I loop going from right to left. The right end of the tube goes underneath the first loop then keep going around the chainstay. The left end of the tube goes underneath the last loop then cut the excess. The tube is held in place by the tension of the rubber and it's friction with the metal. It's almost as good as glue. Have had mine like that since Sept and still perfectly in place.


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## Noobi-Wan Kenobi (Dec 24, 2007)

Dictatorsaurus said:


> I can make it less lumpy by doing fewer loops without overlapping the previous loop.
> 
> I loop going from right to left. The right end of the tube goes underneath the first loop then keep going around the chainstay. The left end of the tube goes underneath the last loop then cut the excess. The tube is held in place by the tension of the rubber and it's friction with the metal. It's almost as good as glue. Have had mine like that since Sept and still perfectly in place.


Kinda like a single knot at both ends. I wouldn't think that would hold, but I guess it does. Thanks.


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## Dictatorsaurus (Sep 11, 2009)

Noobi-Wan Kenobi said:


> Kinda like a single knot at both ends. I wouldn't think that would hold, but I guess it does. Thanks.


I didn't think it would hold either. When I did it the first time I had electrical tape ready to tape both ends. But when I tried to remove it to make some adjustment to the area it was covering, it was very hard to remove so I figured if I can't take it off easily it should hold well on the trails. So far has been holding great.


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

Noobi-Wan Kenobi said:


> Kinda like a single knot at both ends. I wouldn't think that would hold, but I guess it does. Thanks.


It does. I did one bike that way and it is still good 4 years later.


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## jonw9 (Jun 29, 2009)

It was a new bike, and I didn't have any old tubes around, so I used an old section of rubber hose. I wrapped that in orange electrical tape, and then secured the ends with zip ties.


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## insanitylevel9 (Sep 23, 2009)

that looks pretty cool with the silver


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## cirruslk (Aug 26, 2013)

*Basic Innertube*

Just a regular innertube job with zap straps securing it.


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## whco (Aug 20, 2012)

Thanks for the help, guys. Used the tube method-sliced in half. Not sure about the zip ties. I might do electrical tape instead at the ends.


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## offroadcmpr (Apr 21, 2012)

I use the old tube trick. I did not cut my tube in half, so it is pretty thick. I think next time I may cut it in half, if only just to save some weight. 

I put mine on around a year go, and I have never had to touch it since.


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## hey_poolboy (Jul 16, 2012)

Mine is an old tube that I cut to length. As I wrapped it I put a little super glue on the overlapping sections. Zip tied both ends and started having quiet rides.


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## A DuB (Jul 9, 2013)

I have a lizard skin on mine. Inexpensive and works great


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## Geralt (Jul 11, 2012)

This stuff. I buy it at Lowe's.


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## hey_poolboy (Jul 16, 2012)

Here's a pic of my current setup.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4


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## ricky916 (Jun 7, 2011)

I use cotton friction tape (like hockey tape) its cheap and effective. 

Sent from my HTC EVO LTE


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## firebike7 (Aug 21, 2008)

Made my own out of Kydex. Snaps in place so it is easy to remove and clean and is bullet proof. Personally I hate the way tape and such looks.


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## Trikester (May 28, 2013)

I tried inner tubes, they split where my heel touches them. I wound up with a super cheap neoprene guard, it would walk back and forth on the chainstay. So I have an inner tube with the neoprene over it, it works perfect. Maybe overkill, but I hat simple stuff like this that don't work right.


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## bcbailey25 (Jul 17, 2013)

I used heat shrink tubing off the predator drone.  when you heat it up it gets sticky inside and adheres to the frame and will remove without taking paint with it. I'm sure you can find it at auto stores.

Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 4


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

Shelter Bike Protection tape


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## TheGoat31 (Feb 3, 2009)

firebike7 said:


> Made my own out of Kydex. Snaps in place so it is easy to remove and clean and is bullet proof. Personally I hate the way tape and such looks.


What thickness of Kydex did you use? Also did you make your design before or after you shaped the material?


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## smoothie7 (May 18, 2011)

I just ordered a Lizard Skin on the bay this morning  Looking forward to seeing how it fits and looks.


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## skewe (Sep 30, 2010)

I have used this for 3 years and I love it

Helicopter tape and it is transparent


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## nowaysj (Aug 28, 2013)

Dictatorsaurus said:


> I can make it less lumpy by doing fewer loops without overlapping the previous loop.
> 
> I loop going from right to left. The right end of the tube goes underneath the first loop then keep going around the chainstay. The left end of the tube goes underneath the last loop then cut the excess. The tube is held in place by the tension of the rubber and it's friction with the metal. It's almost as good as glue. Have had mine like that since Sept and still perfectly in place.


Here is a vid:






Mountain Bike Tips - Chainstay Protector


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## smoothie7 (May 18, 2011)

Received my lizard skin today and it looks awesome


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## 4STRING (Oct 20, 2015)

pagey said:


> tennis racket or hockey stick handle wrap works very well


That's what I was thinking. I feel I used to see that a lot back in the day.


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## andrewkissam (Jan 3, 2014)

Inner tube chainstay protector FTW! Good way to recycle old tubes and cost effective.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

I have read/seen the Scotch tape shown above - that is what I would do if I needed one.


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## 779334 (Oct 10, 2014)

I use this

http://www.amazon.com/X-Treme-Tape-...Self+Fusing+Tape,+1"+x+10',+Triangular,+Clear


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## 4STRING (Oct 20, 2015)

I just made this video tonight of me using a road bike tube cut down the middle. I didn't want to remove the tire tonight but I'm going to this weekend for other reasons so I'm going to wrap the electrical tape in full circles for security. It's still supper strong though right now.

I started to do it the other way but I felt this looked cleaner, plus it was easier to wrap.

Take care all.


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## morepower (May 14, 2012)

I made mine from Carbon fibre.. I wrapped the chain stay with two layers of electrical tape first then wrapped two layers of Pre-preg carbon over that. It would let me cut the carbon off if I needed too. I will get some photos of it tomorrow.. It works really well and has lasted over 2 years without a mark on it..


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## 4STRING (Oct 20, 2015)

morepower said:


> I made mine from Carbon fibre.. I wrapped the chain stay with two layers of electrical tape first then wrapped two layers of Pre-preg carbon over that. It would let me cut the carbon off if I needed too. I will get some photos of it tomorrow.. It works really well and has lasted over 2 years without a mark on it..


Geeez you just tryin to show me up?


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## 4STRING (Oct 20, 2015)

smoothie7 said:


> Received my lizard skin today and it looks awesome


I bought that same one in jumbo, still was too small for my giant talon 1. Wtf sizing is lame.


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## morepower (May 14, 2012)

4STRING said:


> Geeez you just tryin to show me up?


Haha... Nah..... 
Its is easy for me to do little things like this for me.... I use Carbon everyday... 









Most of the stuff I do looks like this though.... 

















But to do what I did is easy. All you need is a bit of pre-preg carbon (you can buy small amounts from a number of suppliers) Electrical tape, release film (again if they sell carbon you may get some release film too), a hair dryer and some bubble wrap.

Wrap 2 layers of electrical tape on the chain stay. Apply 2 or 3 layers of pre-preg carbon (easy to so as the carbon has resin applied and it will stick like a sticker (decal)) onto the chain stay, wrap some release film over the top of the carbon neatly then wrap the whole thing tightly with more electrical tape (about 3 or 4 layers as tight as you can. Then make a tent with the bubble wrap over the carbon and blow the hair dryer into the tent over night then its done. Remove the tape and release film and its done... I have run this one for well over 2 years so its a bit battered... lol


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## 4STRING (Oct 20, 2015)

morepower said:


> Haha... Nah.....
> Its is easy for me to do little things like this for me.... I use Carbon everyday...
> 
> 
> ...


Crazy man, every thing looks killer. The only thing I wonder about on the chain stay is noise dampening. Very cool stuf though and it's cool you have the drive to do it. I'm inspired.


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## morepower (May 14, 2012)

4STRING said:


> Crazy man, every thing looks killer. The only thing I wonder about on the chain stay is* noise dampening*. Very cool stuf though and it's cool you have the drive to do it. I'm inspired.


As there is a layer or two of electrical tape on the stay it is not noisy.. Yes you can hear it but then all I care about is protecting the stay..

I had to start making carbon parts when a guy let me down big time. He promised so make top quality parts for my motorcycle and made stuff a 5 year old could have made. So I had to learn and taught myself as much as possible. I went from the cheap to produce wet lay parts to full aerospace/ F1 pre-preg carbon and now do it for a living.. Been a hard journey and one which has been a challenge.. But wrapping parts like that is quite easy....

This was actually one of the first pre-preg parts I had to make, and was one of the things the guy let me down with...


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## swampboy62 (Feb 10, 2009)

Piece o' innertube, sewed on with dental floss. Check instructables.com for how-to.

Steve Z


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## VeniVidiVici (Oct 10, 2015)

I used a piece of 5/8" rubber hose. Cut a slice down the length slipped it down onto the frame zip tied it. Easy clean and free I already had some rubber hose. The hose is 1/8 thick so its durable.


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## Jernas (Oct 2, 2011)

I am reading this and laughing. After I upgraded to the clutch equipped Shimano SLX rear derailleur at the start of the season I have no need for chainstay protectors of any sort. It really does work at the moment however the derailleur itself must be under a lot of stress so I hope the clutch mechanism doesn't brake on me as I heard this tends to happen on Shimanos.


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## Metamorphic (Apr 29, 2011)

Geralt said:


> This stuff. I buy it at Lowe's.


This stuff is great. Cut to length and shape, stick it ofn. Done. Looks professional.


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## tony92231 (Oct 13, 2015)

Neoprene Mountain Bike MTB Frame Chainstay Protector Velcro Chain Stay Cover 5g | eBay

cheap easy work great


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## saltnpepper11 (Nov 12, 2015)

I use some tennis racket handle bar grip tape + electrical tape to seal each end haven't had a problem yet.


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## White7 (Feb 9, 2015)

I go all out and spend the $10 for an actual chainstay protector


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

The mastic tape shown above is actually harder to wrap than I thought. V. tough and durable though. I did this on my CX bike and it turned out well.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## Geralt (Jul 11, 2012)

TiGeo said:


> The mastic tape shown above is actually harder to wrap than I thought. V. tough and durable though. I did this on my CX bike and it turned out well.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


You can wrap it or you can just cut it and apply it lengthwise along the chain stay.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

I am a dumbass....I should have just done the lengthwise job..so much easier! Headsmack.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Ok...did the lengthwise method...holy cow that looks #pro!


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## Geralt (Jul 11, 2012)

TiGeo said:


> Ok...did the lengthwise method...holy cow that looks #pro!


Yep, it works and looks good. I doubt I'll ever use anything else.


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