Comments on: How can I reuse or recycle bike inner tubes?

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:23:28 +0000

Cute..and..umm.. do you have experience with this? :)

By: john henry

john henry — Sun, 01 May 2011 05:43:53 +0000

if you use a large chain to lock your bike up (which you probably do if you live in a city) you can thread the chain through inner tube cut to the same size as the chain to protect the paint job on your bike. most bike chains bought in stores already have cloth over them for this purpose but you can buy the same thickness chain in a hardware store for a quarter of the price and then reuse the inner tube from the last flat! saving money and saving waste!

By: Alice

Alice — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:37:00 +0000

There’s a great thread going on the CTC (cycling Club) forums here http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30756

These people get through a LOT of inner tubes :-)

By: alexander

alexander — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 07:52:19 +0000

stretch them tight from two points, and use it as a bookshelf (http://inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2010/05/Bike-Tire-Shelving-System-1.jpg)

By: Bertie

Bertie — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:37:32 +0000

I use whole ones as bungies on my car roof rack. They can also be used anywhere you would use a bungy such as camping. How about using one as a kind of bullworker for building muscles?

By: The elder statesman

The elder statesman — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:45:59 +0000

You can stitch them together to make clothing, use studs to attach buckles or D-rings, or you can punch and lace for seams.

As has been said, wallets and notebooks work.
Or for those with a kink, effective soft but stingy floggers work, all sorts of harnesses, blindfolds, or restraints, because they can be tight, but with flex.

Contact adhesive works better than rubber cement too. Sticks permanently. For cleaning cut the pieces as you would want, then wash in normal soap and water and allow to dry to get the talc and dirt off them.

By: Brooklyn Silver

Brooklyn Silver — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 10:43:36 +0000

Just starting to use them in my jewelry & cleaning is a bit tricky. Any advice would be appreciated.

By: craig

craig — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:21:45 +0000

You can make elastic bands out of them. Either cut straight into them for small ones, or cut diagonally for longer ones. The thinner they are the more stretchy they are. They work as good as bands you buy. Two inner tubes should be enough bands to last you years!

By: Palepink

Palepink — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:45:25 +0000

I make notebooks. You can see them here.
http://www.palepink.etsy.com

By: Trash Kitty

Trash Kitty — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:36:23 +0000

I used to make jewellery, bags and sometimes clothing out of recycled rubber inner tubes. The problem I had was getting the dirt off without damaging the rubber. Also It’s too thick to glue so I used to punch tiny holes and thread them together with rubber lacing for seams.

By: Alice

Alice — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:11:40 +0000

They’re, um, good for gently tying people up…..

By: Casey Guber

Casey Guber — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:12:02 +0000

Similar to Flex’s comments, IT-Clips is a developed solution to create tie down straps out of old inner tubes. Currently we have a clip and hook solution that are not only affordable but extremely practical. They work great in truck beds, ski-racks, dollies, etc. Check out the website and help us all go green!!!!!!

By: flex

flex — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:12:57 +0000

use them for tiying thins down in trailers, bike racks, roof racks etc. They are good for this because a simple not can hold something very securly because of the friction.

You can also use them for any sort of padding. They are very usefull for opening jars and bottles that are hard to open

By: Pat

Pat — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:05:54 +0000

My uncle used to make sling-shots from them, he cut a Y-shaped piece from a tree branch and used a strip of intertube for the sling.

By: Gary

Gary — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:13:19 +0000

I just introduced a new product, IT Clips and IT Hooks. IT Clips are a unique system (Patent Pending) to re-use bicycle inner tubes as tie-downs or bungee cords. Each set of IT Clips/IT Hooks come with two clips (available in 4 colors) and two metal hooks. All components are made in the Denver/Boulder area. Both clips and both hooks are exactly the same. There are no male/female pieces. The clips can be used independently of the hooks, the hooks can be used independently of the clips, and the clips and hooks can be used together. The tie downs are more flexible than standard bungee cords as they are completely adjustable. They are can also be securely linked together to make a tie-down strap of any length. The resulting tie-down straps have as many uses in biking as they do in camping, skiing, golfing, and other recreational activities. Other features that users often mention is that they are lighter than standard tie-down straps, they tend not to scratch the surface/remove paint from the item being tied down, and that the clip only mechanism is easy to use and tends not to tear clothing like standard bungee hooks can. Check out http://www.it-clips.com for more information.

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:40:00 +0000

Try IT Clips: They are specially designed (Patent Pending) to transform old inner tubes in to tie-downs. Check out the web site http://www.it-clips.com to see pictures and find retailers.

By: PainChaud

PainChaud — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:32:07 +0000

I guess you could use them as grip under stuff like carpets or chairs and such

By: Bad Monkey

Bad Monkey — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:37:30 +0000

You can cut them up to make new patches for puncture repairs, or use larger sections as non-grip handles on suitable items, roll or slide them over the handles,or use the elastic to make large catapults between two trees :-)

By: Gulia

Gulia — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:07:16 +0000

Make a dripping hose.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:14:59 +0000

Found this, looks cool.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_8&listing_id=13607346

By: bel biv

bel biv — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:40:55 +0000

They also make great weather seals for windows and doors. Cut them open to make a flat piece of rubber and nail or tack to the bottom edge of the window to make a tight seal. It’s a great way to save energy.

By: Nani-Ka

Nani-Ka — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:49:45 +0000

My dad told me once to use them instead of clamps when you’re making a box – because they’re stretchy it holds the box securely all the way around.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Wed, 28 May 2008 00:33:49 +0000

I know someone who sews them together and makes bags, backpacks and diaper bags out of them.

By: Bexxx

Bexxx — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:56:09 +0000

I once saw at a craft fair someone used them to make really funky wallets.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:40:08 +0000

We currently recycle old inner tubes from our local bike shop and transform them into trouser clips which we sell via the website http://www.ecoutlet.co.uk

The stretchy nature of the material is perfect for the job and the trouser clips seem to be going down well with customers so far. If anyone has any inner tubes they would like to donate please feel free to send them in and we’ll happily send a pair of trouser clips in return.

By: diana

diana — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:59:01 +0000

i use tire tubes to tie young trees to stakes.

By: Brent

Brent — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:19:53 +0000

I forgot to put the website on there.
http://www.bikefurniture.com/pagesSeating/modtype2a.htm Sorry.

By: Brent

Brent — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:19:24 +0000

I’ve seen them used for making tables and chairs along with the rims. Here’s a website that sells them. I made a table and used them to make a pad on the bottom of the legs. I tried to make patches from old tubes but the glue becoming tacky again was a problem. Water balloon launchers are popular at my college.

By: merrick

merrick — Sat, 03 May 2008 01:07:13 +0000

I know someone who made it into sheets of rubber for a miniskirt, boobtube and choker set that she wore to a fetish night. The valve was left in to use as a sort of fastener.

Thing is, once it got warm the glue went sticky and the whole thing came apart. Whilst this was appreciated by numerous observers, it wasn’t the desired effect.

Still, with a better glue I reckon she’d be on to a winner.

By: twinks

twinks — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:51:49 +0000

Cut them up in small arch sections, when placed side by side they make a scalloped edge for a garden (attach to wire or sticks to make a decorative low fence)
Or attach pieces to the sides/end of your garage where your vehicle (hopefully hybrid or less) doors may bang against walls or other objects.
Cut out a wood dog leaping (check cartoon dogs in Google images) and hang da puppy from the centre of the reinforced tube as a piece of yard art.