10 More Bike Hacks for MTB, BMX, and Road
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- čas přidán 14. 12. 2016
- Last time we took a look at 10 bike hacks for mountain bikers and beyond, but we’re not finished. Today, we’ll be doing ten more hacks that mountain bikers, BMXer, and even road cyclists can enjoy. Let’s get started.
Until you get good at it, working on a bike chain can be frustrating. Your derailleur can snap back and flick the chain into oblivion. For people like me with poor dexterity, a paper clip or hair pin can serve as a third set of hands. Hook this to your chain before you start working on it, and it’ll behave a little more predictably. By the way, to set a master link back in place, just position it above the chainstay and crank forwards abruptly.
Working on your bike can get messy, and we all know that dish soap doesn’t quite do the trick. There will always be spots that you just can’t get clean. Use an abrasive like seal salt or even sand to scrub the dirt off of your hands.
A 2x4 is only a few bucks, and it’s more than enough to make a bike stand. Just cut two pieces about 22 inches long, and use two 12 inch pieces as cross bars. Fasten them together with screws, and flip it over. This needs to be made to the width of your tire, but it’ll usually work with slightly different sizes. You could build a rack with really long cross bars and multiple tire notches to keep your whole fleet parked. You can even paint it, and there’s no precision carpentry required.
There are various ways to get BMX grips off, but did you know that you could just use water? Just pour a little around the base of the grip and twist it until it comes loose. The grip should come off very easily, and the water should evaporate like it never happened.
To get the grip back on, make sure it and the handlebars are really dry. Then put some zip ties inside the grip and position them around the handlebar. The plastic will reduce the traction of the grip, and make it much easier to get on the handlebar. Once your grip is installed, just pull the zip ties out one by one. I used hairspray to install grips when I was a kid, and I must admit this is a lot cleaner.
Adjusting a road bike saddle can be pretty involved if you’re a serious rider, but a good starting point is to get it level. To do this, you can use-a level. Set the bike on a flat surface and then put the level on the nose of the saddle and on one of the butt pads. Then adjust the tilt until it’s level. From there, you have a starting point to get it just right.
When locking up your bike, it’s a good idea to secure your frame with a u-lock and your wheels with a cable. If you don’t have enough cable, you can lock the rear wheel on the inside of the frame. This secures the frame and the rear wheel. It takes some time to wrap your head around, but stare at it for a little bit and think about it. You’d need to saw the rear wheel in half to steal the rest of the bike.
Another great way to secure your wheels is with security skewers. These, unlike quick release skewers, require a key to get off your bike. They’re also lighter, better looking, and less bulky than quick release skewers. With the key, they come off easy. Note that no security measure will truly keep your bike safe, but anything that makes it a bigger pain in the ass to steal will at least buy you some time.
Your floor pump is arguably the most important tool you have, but after a while it may start squeaking and acting up. You may need to oil it, and it comes as no surprise that chain oil works great for this. Just apply some oil, clean off the excess, and usually it’ll make the pump work as good as new.
Scuffs on your bike’s paint can be pretty hard to clean off, but WD-40, surprisingly, does the job well. Apply it to a rag or paper towel and work the scuff out until you can’t see it. WD-40 won’t damage your paint, and it’s especially good for cleaning the scuffs that shoes leave on mountain bike seat stays.
Let’s be honest, we don’t all have precision braking setups on our mountain bikes. If you’re having trouble aligning your disc calipers you can use two business cards to get the spacing just right. Loosen the mounting bolts, put business cards between the pads and the rotor, and clamp it down hard with the brake lever. Then tighten the bolts while holding the lever. Release the lever and pull the business cards out. Now, your brakes mean business.
So there you have it, ten more bike hacks, or 11 or something. Even if you don’t use any of these I hope you found them entertaining. Click the scraggly head to subscribe to my channel, for more hacks, riding tips, repair tutorials, and shenanigans. Thanks for riding with me today, and I’ll see you next time.
Security Skewers: amzn.to/2hMet43
Support me on Patreon: / sethsbikehacks
"A Lil Somethin' Somethin'" by The Good Lawdz (thegoodlawdz.bandcamp.com/) - Jak na to + styl
“A 2x4 is only a couple of bucks.” That aged well.
I thought the exact same thing
Lots of building sites throwing them left over pieces out... ride by help yourself...
For getting your hands clean, here in Germany we have something called Handwaschpaste. A far as I can tell it is a specialized soap with abrasives already mixed into the formula. The good stuff is really gentle with your skin, doesn't dry it out completely but removes literally everything from really sticky pine tar to oxidized industrial strength grease with ease. That stuff is awesome.
In the UK we have Swarfega that green stuff is the business
In America we have something called orange goop
Handwaschpaste ist einfach magisch! Ein freund von mir hat mal Bremsenreiniger benutzt und hatte die nächsten tage Ausschlag und brennende Hände
I have some, Facom brand, 10/10
yes but did you know that the abrasive inside those type of soap are most of the time made of plastic ?
They are very very polluting....
"A 2x4 is only a few bucks"
-watching in 2021 *Crying intensifies*
Ikr
I also wanted to commemt that
I'm glad I'm not the only one that is watching his old videos in 2021 lmao
Was just about to say the same exact thing
2021 BP Viewers Unite!
It is crazy to me that I was here for when this video came out and I was so excited. Just the way time goes is a wonder
Thank you SO MUCH for the business card trick. I've never been able to get my disk brakes calibrated correctly. They're always either too loose or too tight.
Seth: your floor pump is the man most important tool
Me: laughs in air compressor
The man most important tool?
A word of caution; wd-40 can lift the decals and stickers off the bike . Also I have found that the little red reach tube on the wd-40 works great for removing hand grips it allows for a small lubricant air channel between the grip and bar . Note ; if the grips are going to the trash can just slice them with a razor blade.
"a 2x4 is only a few bucks"
*cries in 2021
Outstanding! I’ve been having issues getting my front discs to run freely from the brake pads and your hack with the business cards worked a treat! Thanks mate!
I saw you comments about making a schedule but please don't commit to one. After a while you will get creatively exhausted and you might loose your enthusiasm. I love your vids and sometimes the long wait makes me even more excited for your vids. Otherwise congrats with your channel, it's on fire man,
Agree, once you commit everyone will expect.
Just let the vids flow as you're feeling it. We will wait-we will watch. 🤘
Thanks for noticing that! Most people think that CZcamsrs just sit around all day and do whatever, but this is actually the hardest job I've ever had. Sometimes I need to put it down for a few days and collect my thoughts.
Hey Seth, just letting you know that this video was the first time I subscribed to you, and then I watch every single one of your videos until now. Keep up the good work dude
Hey Seth your vids are awesome! I'm currently laid up with some herniated discs so watching your videos have been very helpful to get my bike fix while I heal. Thanks!
“Now your brakes mean business” 😂😂 lit.
that was a good one Seth
At first I didn't get it but then i saw the comment
I've said it before and i'll say it again, I love these hack/upgrades list videos. (well I basically love all your videos but)
Thanks for this, the bike rack is exactly what i was looking for. I made one for my 5 year olds bike because he doesn't have a kid stand. It was so simple and works like a charm and your right you don't have to be super precise. Thanks a lot
This was an awesome tutorial. Thanks for taking the time to put it together Seth.
Some great simple hacks, thanks for sharing, just come across your channel Im hooked and subbed. Great Video All the best Andy
The 4x2 bike stand is good, I just made one from some short ends of lighter material and some metal brackets. Tips - they work best if 22" (55cm) long, you can make them shorter but they are less effective. 18"/45cm is a minimum effective length. Also 12" (30cm) wide only works if the tyre is a very snug fit and the bike is almost completely upright. 18"/45cm is more stable if not.
Hey, just wanna say thanks for the brake/business cards hack! Worked like a charm. Doing it without the cards just left my front brakes rubbing during my whole ride yesterday! Grrr.. Very happy! Love your videos! Thanks!!
I enjoyed all of your hacks & tips Seth. Thanks
That last one blew my mind, thanks heaps!
i use compressed air to install or remove grips. works in seconds
Yup. I just figured this one out myself. A can of the compressed air works instantly. Then I still use hairspray to put them back on.
Park Tool Tip Right?
I was just going to comment that
P
soapboxearth not everyone has the access to compressed air
Thanks for the videos. My son has found many of them inspiring during this time of self-isolation. Today he made a family of bike stands.
Really enjoyed that, Seth - some PROPERLY useful and creative ideas.
After watching this vid I built a bike stand and it is working great! Than you Seth!!
For basic bike cleaning, the armor all rags work perfectly and leave a nice finish screen on the frame and for skewer lock, I personally prefer the pinheads. They're a bit expensive but definitely worth the investment. Just make sure to cut the extra flush to the locking ring.
.:JUST SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH YOU - FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY, SON THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!!!!................
1:16 I just built one for my wife’s MTB. She is impressed! Thanks Seth! Greetings from Puerto Rico.
Awesome experiment. The chase camera shooting back is on of my favorite angles. I use it in all my videos since getting a gimbal!
I love it when I am just going about my day using life hacks and then I rewatch these hack videos and remember where I got the hacks from lol
Seth: there will always be little spots that can't be cleaned.
Me: looks at greasy hands
Just got my first full suspension MTB! This video was super helpful, thanks!
I love watching them over and over I’m currently in stages of giving my bike a male over with new parts and I need to sort my disk break out u reminded me
Thanks for the 2x4 bike stand trick info! Much appreciated! Off to Home Depot!
Damn Seth what's up with the unusual amount of uploads? Loving it keep it up!
Ah I gave up on scheduling the videos. When they're done, I post them!
It has to do with youtube's new algorithm, forcing people to upload daily lower quality videos if they want to show up in peoples feeds, even if youre already a subscriber to the channel.
Im not more educated than that on the new algorithms and its 4 am and english isnt my first language, so im probably not the right person to explain it in detail.
But from what i know about it i can tell you that its not good for the content creators that brought youtube to where it is today and very good for the big companies with big budgets :)
HELL YES! I hate the suspense.
Yo I'm like 5 foot and I have a bike that isn't a Walmart bike it's a decent mountain bike I got at my local bike shop for like $430 and it has 27inch wheels but I can't wheelie on it cuz I can't get the front end up got any tips? ,thank u
DYL SEAN Practice man, lots of practice. I have a 29er and i can wheel it alright now, whereas i couldnt do it at all a few months ago. Rely on your gear setting to get the front wheel up, i never use my arms at all i just put it in a really easy gear and stomp on the pedals. also, it helps alot to have your seat high enough, and to have your arms straight while you are doing the wheelie
Just finished the bike stand. Thanks keep on the good work!
Thanks for the bike rack tip! I made a 3-bike rack with some dunnage that a transport company was throwing out. I even reused the nails so the whole thing was free. The notch for the road bike was a bit wide and made it lean more than I wanted. So I extended the planks (the ones that run along the length of the tyre) down to the ground and the bike doesn't lean as much any more.
The "This 2x4 was just a few bucks" did not age well
"WD-40, surprisingly, does the job well"
THERE IS NO JOB THAT WD-40 CANNOT DO
The_Onionman expect slick skateboard bearings it ruins them
No PB blaster is the real magical stuff 😂😂
It can't feed my family
@@drewdavis248 that's because you're doing it wrong
Yeaaaaa does an awesome job if you get them on shock seals tears them right up 🤣👌
Thanks for sharing your video it’s a big help to others like me.
Using business cards to set disc brakes, and locking through the back wheel are things that I will start to do. Best episode I've seen yet. Thanks bro
The last one with the brakes was just wow:D
When using the level to check if your seat is level, it is probably a good idea to use the level to first check if the surface your bike is on is level. This is an extra step, but it should not take much time. If you know the surface your bike is on is level then you do not need this extra step. This idea of checking the surface your bike is on with a level will only work if the surface is flat. If for example you try to level your seat when your bike is on a grass lawn, then when you use the level to measure if the lawn is level, you will not get an accurate measurement.
Great video Seth! I’m impressed 😊
The Bike stand!!!!! YES!!!! Dude I have dropped my Fat tire bike over and over again. Why didn't I think of that idea? I have 2x4, a circular say, drill screws, everything! Thank you so much!!!!! I'm subscribing and going outside to build that stand right now!! Thanks again and please keep up the quality work. You ROCK!!!
Best way to get grips on is hairspray. Acts as a temporary lube then sets hard. Using your method with cable ties/grips looked HARD work.
Re: the brake alignment hack - it baffles me that they don't have fine-tuning screws as standard for minor side-to-side alignment adjustments. Seems like such an unnecessary hassle ... but maybe the biz cards hack will solve all my problems!
.:JUST SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH YOU - FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY, SON THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!!!!,,.
You changed my life for the better with that business card trick. Thanks!
I appreciate the soundtrack choice, and the good audio mix between it and the voice over parts.
3 videos in 3 days it must be Christmas! Lol
Seth the 2x4 idea is just plan genius ! and I never knew wd-40 would clean gunk off. can you do a video about cycling through mud rain and darkness (I saw your mtb lights video) and I live in Scotland and at this time of year its dark at 4 pm and rains a lot of the time and as I live on an island I can't travel to dryer places quickly so any tips or tricks and staying clean or dry in the harsher weather thanks and love the video !
Make sure you dry off you bike after riding and don’t be sparingly with your wd40
Dude I love Your ideas and videos! Thanks again for making this!
The bike rack holder is just genius and cheap. Worked so well on my bike that my kids helped make one of theirs! Thanks Seth!
Best CZcams channel nice job seth
Dude.. you are just cranking out the vids now.. Sweet.
Those are some smooth grooves playing in the background.
I found the bike stand very helpful and I built a similar one to help me with washing my bike. Thank you for the idea it works really well
You should do a "Christmas Gifts for Mountain Bikers" video. 😊😊
Abigayle Smith good idea bro
GMBN did that video yesterday
Everyone is doing it right now ;-)
Abigayle Smith thats a stupid video, if youre a cyclist you know what you can buy
Fran Rod I don't mountain bike, but my boyfriend does. :)
brilliant... subscribed for life.
+Zoran Randjelovic glad to have you on board!
Nice demonstration of the Sheldon Brown Locking method at the 3:37 mark. It's an efficient and effective way to secure a bike to a bike rack. Thanks for explaining it to folks.
I found these tips very helpful. Thanks.
water hack is good! ( one time my bmx got so wet thad my grips just came of on riding)
Now your brakes are in business literally tha have cards
I'm really happy when i watch your video. Awesome , thanks for sharing your experience.
Love the bike stand idea & made one...thank you!
Great video! For anyone building the stand I would suggest using slightly longer pieces for the base for increased stability.
.:JUST SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH YOU - FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY, SON THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!!!!,,,
@@abc-xo6xh Nonsense.
Or just attach a stand to your cycle so that you can park your cycle wherever you want.
@@stelrex7293 Lol, maybe if all you do is ride into town and back on your Dutch bike. You do not want a stand attached to a mountain bike or road bike.
@@flippy66 Why though? If you are worried about weight or your bike snagging something then you can use a detachable kickstand as well. Just use whenever you want to and remove when you don't have any use. It's super lightweight as well maybe around 150gms.
great video 👍🏼👌🏽👍🏼more video PLEASE
Rafed Hossini what a video i like your video just your onevideo you send
The business card trick is solid gold Seth!! And I will also be doing the wood rack too cheap and simple works especially if it's easy to customize
That bike stand works perfectly. Thanks mate!
For the 2x4 bike stands: make one for your widest tires, then use board of appropriate width as shims when you want to use your stand with a bike having narrower tires.
i agree
Or just make a stand a bit longer and more "v" shaped?
i personally use my compressor to get my gris off the bike. just blow on the inside and they will slide of with ease
+Andreas Goetz that's how bike shops
do it
That's were i learned it :D
I do the same thing
Rubbing alcohol lets you easily slide grips on and off. And it flashes off quickly.
That said, I really only use lock on grips these days.
Personaly i use water+soap
love your videos...keep them coming Bud..
This is really Helpful for me who need to Know alot of Safety and Maintainence of a Bike
I'm totally going to build me some bike stands! my kids bikes are always falling over.
Awesome videos Seth come to Australia as a mtb tour
Harrison Gojic nah, he will die of heat stroke or from inhaling to much red sand that flicks up
WOW! Great tips and hacks bud! Thank you so much for these! cheers!
great tip on the breaks. will surely try as have had problems it the past
*Sees that WD40 cleans everything
*_*Instantly buys 5 bottles of WD40_*
Water Displacement 40th attempt.Apollo program product. WD-40
omg, the hair clip for the chain is sooo simple. I feel myself an idiot couse I can not figure it out by myself... I made several idiotic mechanism to block the derailleur from stretching the chain until I remove it.
...or you could take the chain off the chain ring so there is no chain tension. I never had this problem
:)) on a 3x10 system there will be always tension, even if you remove the chain in the front.
trialboj I use a 8" ziptie through the links near where I am braking it. I find that zip ties tend to be closer to me than a hair clip. but both will definitely help
I was thinking that exact thing
and old spoke us the hack. easy to bend and make it 8 inches so you have more room. to work
BUSINESS CARDS!! ABSOLUTELY GENIUS!! OMG i struggle so hard trying to get a super response brake setup!! This should work awesome! Never thought to stick anything in there before!
I find these so helpful, I made a bike stand today, and I always use these
Can i leave the wd-40 on the bike after using it to clean? or do i need to use fresh water to clean it off?
leave it
Comment_User never do that wtf dude
Leave it on your rims walls as well as your disks too !
wipe it off WD is a solvent, and it can damage your paint
Do not use WD40 on your chain, it will run well but if you spray it on the chain on the freewheel the solvent will flow into the bearings, dissolve the grease and destroy the freewheel. I destroyed 2 freewheel this way.
Seth you should Paint the fence
NallePu83 then he'd have to sand and repaint it every few years. Better left almost maintenance-free like this imho
Then have Mr. Miyagi crack your shoulder back in place
Wax on wax off
pressure wash and stain
NallePu83 im ujhhghth
Love the bike stand hack Seth it works great 👍🏻🚵🏽♂️
The zip tie hand grip hack gets you a sub mate, revolutionary!
Hi Seth. I have a question. For adjusting your break calipers, what do the buisness cards do? Can't you just use the brake rotor instead? I'm planning on adjusting the breaks on my Bike. I have hydraulic breaks and they're starting to rub on the rotor. Thanks for the help in this video!👍
SubieEJ20 RA it’s for mechanical disc brakes
I adjust my bike seat leaning forward, considering I'm always on one wheel 😎
Moocream baller
Chase Smith Doubtful, you're trail vid is pretty slow
I know I'm late to the party but I just built 2 of your quick bike stands for me and my son. They work great. Thanks!
Seth's bike🚲 racks alone are GOLD !
Please do a video on stopping squeaky brakes
Andrew James not to be rude, but that’s called replacing your brake pads.
who disassembles or reattaches a chain while its under tension from the derailleur?? take the chain off the crank ring and u wont get this issue
The bike stand actually works! I made it at school and brought it home, and surprised my parents as it stands up the bike! Thanks keep up the hard work!
Thanks for all of these easy bike hacks
Hey Seth what shoes do you wear for mountain biking
FiveTen Freeriders!
Seth's Bike Hacks Thank you
Seth's Bike Hacks thanks Seth
2:37 I still use hairspray
Yeah bud
Lachlan Jones lol same
I use brake cleaner
This is "great stuff" bro.
Thank you so much.
Thanks for the stand idea. I built one for my buddy. Works great :-)
Hi. Great tips, I liked most of all business brakes :). I have question for you. I think about action camera, I see you are using "go pro" a lot. But there are a lot of variations of "go pro cameras". Can you make review or give advice what model is the best in your opinion. Thanks.
+Maks B I actually have... GoPro consistently performs the best, but the real reason to use GoPro is all the settings. For the money though the knockoff cams work pretty well.
thanks
yes, very good idea, as i am buying one soon
Who’s watching in 2021 when a 2 by 4 is more like a couple hundred dollars😂😂😂
I subscribed because I didn't believe pressing the scraggly head would work. And cause your channel is actually helpful.
Great tips I just built the bike stand, and it works awesome!