Reuse of used tires
Do you have any creative ideas on how to reuse old tires? I have some at the end of their life and I think that throwing them away would result in them not being recycled anyway. Any ideas for inner tubes is welcome too
Edit: Thank you everyone for the answers. For those who want a summary, the suggestions are chain stay protection, edge bumper, water insulation, rubber bands, hanger for repair, elastic fasteners and fenders (or throw them in the fire place)
9 replies
I made a fender from a section of the tire and attached it behind the seatpost to prevent my rear tire tossing mud on my heels.
Cutting up tubes make for durable rubber bands.
Eventually the plasticisers will break down and the tire will start falling apart leaving plastic dust every where; best for that to happen in a landfill imo.
Tires can't really be recycled and usually end up being burned for energy, releasing toxins and CO^2^ into the atmosphere, much like how most plastics aren't actually recycled either. In my province (BC), they have recycling programs but those also release toxins, just at a slower rate while in the close proximity of children (rubber surfaces in playgrounds).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025002890
Thank you for the link and informations, I wasn't aware of the use in playgrounds
If you have a bike storage/workshop/garage, you could hang the inner tubes from a nail in the ceiling rafters and use them to hang the bike when doing repairs.
Another thing to make is those elastic fasterners, by sewing a hook on each end of a part of tube.
I used old inner tubes on chain stay to prevent chainslap on my mtb.
I used old inner tubes to prevent water leakage in several hoses at home and for covering a lock from the elements
Would like to know too, I have a good stack of tires too! Inner tubes have lots of uses but I think tires probably need to go to some specialist recycling
Burn it your fireplace to keep warm in the winter! /s