Don't be deflated
We are going to show you that there’s still a lot of life left in those old tubes, even if you now ride tubeless, with MBR’s top ways to recycle that guilt-ridden bag of rubber.
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Whilst none of these uses are particularly revolutionary, they might just save you a little bit of cash and at least you know the tubes have gone to a better place.
1. Tubeless valves
What do you do with your inner tubes once you’ve gone tubeless? You use them to help you go tubeless in the first place of course. The perfect example of re-using rather than refuse.
2. Chainstay protector
It’s all too easy to do rush this one and do it in a slapdash sort of way. Which is fine, it’ll still work for a while at least, but it’s better to watch the tips and technique in the video and do it properly.
3. Mudguard for forks
There was a time in the noughties when everybody ditched their down tube mounted mudguards and did this instead. And it does work. Admittedly it’s not as good as using a proper fork-brace mounted fender but it’s still much better than nothing.
4. Shims
Keep your bar and seat post mounted accessories – such as lights – firmly in place by using sections of inner tube as shims.
5. Crank arm protectors
Carbon cranks and rocks don’t mix. Protect your plastic pedal sticks with some rubber sleeving.
6. Tubeless tyre patch
Normal puncture patches often aren’t up to the job of repairing tubeless tyre slashes and cuts.
7. Seatpost cover
Classic. Don’t forget to clean it out and maybe add a light layer of grease in there.
8. Elastic bands
Like, duh. But, yeah.
9. Tool grips
A good hack for a workshop chain tool handle grip cover is in the video. Bonus tip: you can use a length of inner tube to help gain good purchase for unscrewing the air can on a rear shock.
10. Equipment protection
God bless inner tubes.
Look in the deepest, darkest corner of any mountain bikers shed and there will always be a bag of old inner tubes just waiting to be repaired. We’ve all done it haven’t we? Promised to have a night in front of the fire fixing all that rubber, only for that night never to come. So now that bag just serves as a guilty reminder of all that unwanted rubber.