Improvisation or bin and buy the latest thing?

[Oldhippy]

After seeing the Great improvisation that @GuyBoden has done with the lagging foam I thought, I wonder who just buys new, who jerry rigs stuff, who buys the gadgets that really don't need inventing? I try to find a use for most things if they break and don't replace just because it's old. Inner tubes for luggage ties and save the valves for jewellery projects etc. What do you do?

 

[GuyBoden]

I just posted this, but inserting handlebars into old inner tubes works well and looks nice too.

 

[Cycleops]

I wonder who just buys new, who jerry rigs stuff, who buys the gadgets that really don't need inventing?

You mean like Di2? I think the answer is clear. Big companies who want your money and persuade cyclists they need to 'upgrade'.
This is illustrated very well in a recent thread where a beginner has been persuaded that he needs to upgrade his wheels on a newly purchased bike to a pair of thousand pounds ones.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Isn't part of the answer, who has to buy new, who can't jerry rig, who has no common sense & doesn't know how to repair something.

Before anything is thrown away, it is examined to see if it can be repaired even if it's only kicking the eventual replacement further down the road for a few weeks/months. IMO it's the schools fault, all children these days are taught with the aim of going to university to get a degree, they are not taught to use their hands to make things, repair things like they used to be taught. Ah Sunday rant over.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Improvise if I can, the rear light on my old rack doesn't stay closed anymore so is bodged like this:

 

[tyred]

Repair, bodge and improvise as much possible

Spend money on new parts 😱

 

[Lookrider]

I just posted this, but inserting handlebars into old inner tubes works well and looks nice too.

View attachment 640478

Or use tubes to double wrap on the bars under the expensive final wrap

 

[All uphill]

Our street of 40 houses was built in 1965. Only two houses still have their original garage doors; I've just serviced, repaired, stripped and repainted ours. Should be good for another 57 years!

 

[Oldhippy]

In all honesty I have seen Di2 mentioned and don't actually know what it is. I'm guessing part of gearing as it has only been spoken of in this context. I'm not a real cyclist I'm sorry.

 

[All uphill]

In all honesty I have seen Di2 mentioned and don't actually know what it is. I'm guessing part of gearing as it has only been spoken of in this context. I'm not a real cyclist I'm sorry.

@Oldhippy !

For goodness sake! Stop wasting time riding your bike around, enjoying yourself and taking great photos, and start reading the cycling press about DI2, aero rims and tubeless tyres!

That way you will become a real cyclist!

 

[Salad Dodger]

I am of the "bodge it and carry on" school of cycling.
The rear light on my bike is held together with cable ties, a la Wiggydiggy's post above.
My panniers are held on at the bottom with cable ties as the supplied velcro straps were not very good.

Away from the bike, bits of old inner tube make great "strap locks" on guitars and ukuleles....

 

[Dogtrousers]

Depends. Some gadgets I like the newest. Some things I bodge with duck tape.

 

[I like Skol]

Not so much 'bodge' but I do like to repair things whenever possible and always aim to restore original form, fit and purpose. Tracking down hard to find, or alternative spare parts always feels like a 'win' but I am not averse to 're-engineering' stuff when required (sounds much better than bodging?).

 

[Bollo]

I guess updating the firmware on my derailleurs doesn’t count then?

 

[sleuthey]

I certainly Jerry rig V brake pads. Approx every 3 months I remove them and file down the lip and re-fit. Once done the difference in smoothness is very noticeable.

I’m the complete opposite when it comes to rear mech cables. Rather than strip back the sheathing and clean/lube I reach into my pile of new ones. I have entry level kit so a new cable makes indexing more precise.