What is the best, non perminant way of making new look old

[gb155]

Friend has a new mtb that he will be using for commuting. Wants to make it look old and haggard but not in a perminant sand paper way

What's his best way?

 

[potsy]

Friend has a new mtb that he will be using for commuting. Wants to make it look old and haggard but not in a perminant sand paper way

What's his best way?

Lend it to me for a week

 

[ianrauk]

If it's to make it less attractive to thieves. Then I don't think it's worth it.
Thieves will have anything away if it's not locked down properly.

 

[fossyant]

I find the obviously covered up bikes stand out anyway. Good locks and in a secure area.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Beebo]

park it next to a better bike.

Short of giving the bike a DIY paint job, the other trick is to take off any decals, (if you can), that way the theif doesnt know what bike he's nicking so cant sell it on Ebay very easily.

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

Go off road, get it covered in mud and leave it on to dry, stay out of any serious showers,

Erm....which might be quite difficult at the present.

 

[gb155]

He's suggested insulation tape the wacko lol

 

[Rob3rt]

My colleague covered the decals on his black bike with black insulation tape, it blends in quite well especially after some use and some dirt has accumulated, it looks just like a de branded bike and doesn't make it look bad at all, but it does remove that little bit of flash which could otherwise catch an impulsive theif's eye.

 

[HLaB]

I've seen insulation tape used before but I don't know how easy it'll be to remove and clean up after?

 

[Electric_Andy]

Go to a site that sells GPS trackers, but just buy the replacement stickers, then the thief will think that you actaully have a GPS tracker fitted.

 

[Rob3rt]

I've seen insulation tape used before but I don't know how easy it'll be to remove and clean up after?

Quite easy, especially if the decals you are covering have been lacquered. Electricians insulation tape isnt excessively adhesive and any adhesive left behind can be wiped away quite easily without need for chemical cleaners.

 

[I like Skol]

If it's to make it less attractive to thieves. Then I don't think it's worth it.
Thieves will have anything away if it's not locked down properly.

the other trick is to take off any decals, (if you can), that way the theif doesnt know what bike he's nicking so cant sell it on Ebay very easily.

As Ian said, thieves will nick anything if they can easily do so and worry about what they have nicked afterwards. Taking all (and I mean all, including the brand and any groupset/component identifiers) stickers off might help as the parts/bike become very difficult to sell if the thief/seller can't prove what they are but most professional bike thieves will be able to spot a quality bike regardless of markings. The downside to de-stickering is that it is kind of permanent and everyone will think you are trying to hide something and are riding a stolen bike or a mega exotic/expensive bike and have removed the stickers to try and hide the fact.

The old fashioned beater bike is hard to....... well, beat if you have concerns about security.

 

[Moodyman]

Get a hack bike for commuting and use the nice bike for leisure rides.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Cover it in dog poo! Or human poo, any will doo.

 

[potsy]

Put a Halfords sticker on it