What do you use old innertubes for ?

[defy-one]

oooh kinky.... but i like the idea!

 

[Chris S]

I use them to patch other innertubes.

 

[FreeFlow Bikes]

I patch them up and put them back into the saddle bag as a spare to a brand new tube.

 

[lulubel]

I use them to carpet my bike shed, along with old tyres, cardboard, bubblewrap, paper packaging ....

Not usually. Life's been a bit manic lately.

Generally, I just put them in a box because I'm sure they'll come in handy one day - like the day when I can't afford new inner tubes and have to repair the damn things, I suppose.

 

[Blue Hills]

must admit if the other half allowed bike things in the house we could use them as bondage straps.......... but until then dream on !

Strange you should mention that - I seem to remember hearing that in the 70s I think in maybe Sheffield some bike mag/fanzine used to feature models tied in old tubes. Then times changed and this was considered unacceptable. Did I imagine this or is there any truth in it?

On a more prosaic note, I use them for shimms for lights etc, helping zip ties to grip, recently when jubilee clipping a third water bottle to my hybrid cum casual tourer.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I've bodged up improvised rim tape using old tubes. Works fine and it's not a million miles away from its original use.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I currently have 2 strips of inner tube holding closed the boot solenoid on my car which had decided to fail... after failing to remove it and the replacement also being faulty, I decided to prise it open and it unstuck itself at that point. After replacing all the grease which has missing completely, the 2 straps are now holding the cover on the solenoid whilst I see if the "fix" is more permanent that the para cord which is also tied to the lock to allow us to open it from the rear passenger seats.

 

[Rob3rt]

I use them to fill the bin!

 

[ColinJ]

I've bodged up improvised rim tape using old tubes. Works fine and it's not a million miles away from its original use.

I went for a scenic sunny ride with @Calum a couple of years ago and all was lovely until he suddenly started getting puncture after puncture. It turned out that his wheel didn't have proper rim tape, just adhesive insulating tape which was falling apart. He spent over an hour trying to improvise rim tape patches out of old crisp packets etc. before finally giving up and catching the train home.

I rode back alone and had just walked in the door when it struck me - d'oh - we could have ripped the valve out of one of the old tubes and used that as rim tape!

 

[Blue Hills]

What sort of pressure will tubes take as rim tape?

 

[ColinJ]

What sort of pressure will tubes take as rim tape?

I wouldn't use them as anything other than emergency tape because a tube weighs a lot more than a proper tape and isn't designed to do the job. I would treat it as a get-you-home bodge so I'd put the minimum pressure in that I thought I could get away with (say 80 PSI or so), not go crazy on fast descents (just in case) and I'd replace with new rim tape ASAP.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

What sort of pressure will tubes take as rim tape?

I can't give an exact answer but the rim tape's job is to smooth out the chamber of air and cover up the sharp spoky bits. I don't think I took it over about 60psi but I reckon it would safely have taken a higher pressure.

EDIT: what Colin said!