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Mountain Biking

18 Ways That Zip Ties Can Rescue a Cyclist’s Ride

Here's why you should never go cycling without a sh*tload of zip ties...

Cycling is great in any shape, size or form, but what isn’t great is when it all goes pear-shaped and your bike gives up on you.

Imagine the scene; you’re out on the trails, hours away from civilization, and there’s not another rider around you to be seen. It’s starting to rain, and you don’t have the tools you need to repair your bike along with you.

What have you got? An egg and cress sandwich, a bottle of water, three crayons and a big bag of zip ties – wait, what? You’ve got zip ties? Then you’re absolutely sorted.

If there’s one DIY trailside fix that has proven itself time and time again, it is without a doubt the zip tie. They may not let you continue to go full force on the road or the trails, but often they could be the difference between a long walk home and a quick ride to comfort.

Here are a few of the problems those little pieces of heaven can fix…

1) Flat Tyre Fix

 

How: If your tube is getting pinched, use any patches or repair kits you’ve got, take two zip ties and sandwich the damaged part of the tyre. Chop the ties to size.

2) Bike Shoe Fix

 

How: Hole in your bike shoe? Zip ties. Broken shoelaces giving you grief? Chuck them away. Use zip ties. Fix it permanently at a later date. Zip ties.

3) Winter Bike Wheel Fix

 

How: Attach zip ties to your bike tyre and cut them all to fit. This will give you extra traction, and that added grip could save you a nasty tumble. God we love zip ties.

4) Broken Bannister Fix

 

How: If you live in an old flat block, there’s a good chance your bannister is a bit wobbly. If your bike is locked to it and the heavy bike lock slips, it’s not hard to snap one of the railings. Luckily, it’s not hard to repair it, either. With zip ties. ZIP TIES.

5) Chainring Bolts Fix

 

How: Simples. Missing chainring bolts? Put some zip ties where they used to be. Cut down to size. Zip ties to the rescue.

6) Broken Bike Light Hold

 

How: Use one, two or three cable ties to secure your bike light to the handlebars, front or back of the bike. Easy enough.

7) Broken Seat Post Fix

 

How: If your clamp bolt breaks, use zip ties to save it, but be careful not to put too much stress or weight on the thing on the way home.

8) Freewheel Fix

 

How: Use cable ties to join the cassette to the spokes. Ride home carefully. Pray to the zip tie gods.

9) Loose Mudguard Fix

 

How: Put zip ties through holes in the mudguard and join to the bracket. Zip ties to the rescue again. Seeing a common theme here?

10) Attaching a GoPro

 

How: You may not be able to make a GoPro sit straight if you zip tie it to your handlebars, but there’s bound to be somewhere to zip tie it. Failing somewhere on your bike, zip tie it to somewhere stable on your rucksack and get some back angles!

11) Broken Spokes Fix

 

How: Ambitiously zip tie the spoke so it’s secure with the wheel and won’t move. Can also zip tie spokes before breaking them, meaning they’ll stay in place when you do ruin the things.

12) Broken Rear Derailleur Cable

 

How: Thread zip tie through cable guide, loop zip tie around and tighten zip tie so derailleur gives you your gear of choice. THESE ZIP TIE THINGS ARE GREAT.

13) Broken Bottle Cage Fix

 

How: Zip. Tie. Seriously. Zip ties. Trust us on this one. Zip tie it to security. Zip tie it more than you’ve ever zip tied anything ever before. With zip ties.

14) Stop Bike Wheels Spinning

 

How: Carrying your bikes old school on the back of your car? If you don’t have all the right gear already and find your bike wheel is spinning non-stop. Use zip ties. Stop it.

15) Annoying Neighbour Fix

 

How: If your neighbour complains about your bike being in the corridor, zip tie their hands to their knocker or a nearby railing to ensure there will be no more hassle.

16) Over-Arrogant Car Driver Fix

 

How: Told to get “back on the pavement”? Show the car driver who’s boss by zip-tying their hands to their car wing mirror.

17) Angry Pedestrian Fix

 

How: If a pedestrian walks out in front of you, take the time to stop, zip tie them to an appropriate post or bollard, and then move on. It’s for their own good.

18) Broken Heart Fix

How: Presumably this has happened from lack of bike riding. Fix bike using zip ties, or more practical measures, and then get riding.

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