The Best Money Saving Hacks For Mountain Bike Maintenance: Part 1
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 14. 06. 2024
- Everyone loves to save their hard earned cash, and mountain bikes can be expensive to maintain. Doddy raids his recycling, toolboxes and spares-bin to demonstrate the best money saving hacks.
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Always use protective equipment and eyewear when using power tools, and if you're inexperienced in their use always exercise caution and seek guidanceđ§ đšâđ
From carefully re-using old parts and degreaser, to repurposing your household goods, these hacks should save you lots of money. Stay tuned for part 2 next week!
Which of these tips do you do at home? Let us know in the comments below đ
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a coffee filter and some rubber bands and you can filter the degreaser and reuse it multiple times đđ€
Loads of people have said it already, but please Doddy use the blade guard on the angle grinder or at least a full face shield. It's not worth the risk of a kick back or broken disc to the face.
Doddy--
If you remove the guard from your angle grinder, please use a full face guard. You have the thin blade perfectly lined up to fly in to your face. Stay safe.
Gloves will only get you in trouble as well. It is safer to just let a run away blade do a clean cut. If it hits a glove it is going to do more damage to your hand as it will snag.
Yep, gloves are a no go for anything you drill or grind with. That is almost the first thing you learn if your going for a job as a mechanic.
The guard should always be used. It is there in case the grinding disc explodes and turns into flying shrapnel.
Not worth the risk
This guy knows whats up. Use a face guard.
Another angle grinder tip - remove the cords from your hoodie, they get wrapped up in the grinder and drag it in to your neck
Can you imagine seeing someone with a fox 36 that has a milk bottle fender đ
Earlier this year I won a XC race on a super rainy and muddy day, Coke bottle fender on a Rockshox SID. đ
@UrAverageMtber no, he has a common disease called 'laughing at dentists who wasted their money on a fork when they really needed a mudguard.
my dad said he wanted to get me proper mudguards so i wouldn't 'look like a goose'
I'm off to go make one now.
Are fox 34âs any good?
You can also just drop the seatpost to protect it.
Thanks for remembering (the poor)! ;)
@gmbntech you can use the longer patches from puncture repair kits to protect the bottom of cranks
Something y'all should know if you buy a pair of fox launch pro kneepads is that the packaging actually has a cut for you to use part of it as a mudgaurd. It even has the holes for mounting.
Awesome to see other ways to recycle and re use plastic! Big Up GMBN for thinking about the environment!! Rad!
I made a marshgaurd from an old muc-off bottle. I traced around another guard and then drilled the holes out. looks cool because it has the âmuc-offâ already printed on it đđ»
I really like when others reuse things around the house. Good job!
love that use for the old grips !
This syncros mudguard isn't made well. It doesn't extend down the fork legs and don't protect the seal
Well done Scott!
As always fantastic info and well executed videos im just learning a ton. Thanks
The part junkyard is gold. Would love to go digging around for parts.
Doddy pro tip, when using steel cutting discs on aluminum it is best to rub on some wax or a soap bar on the disc itself. Aluminum can actually adhere to the discs which can create a bind, I don't know if you have ever seen one of those discs blow up, but its not cool. You should always try and shield your face. Believe me, I am a metal fabricator, the angle grinder is by far the most dangerous tool in the shop.
Just found your channel, and love it. Subscribed
One of the best tips i ever seen. Like!!!!!!!! đ
Great tips. Props on recycling. More videos like this please.
I like the milk container one,good stuff mate
Great tips from our tech hero Doddy
I use chainsaw oil for chain lube it works for me. It's designed to run it hot dirty conditions with metal rubbing metal at high speed helping cool and reduce friction. It's under far less load on a mountain bike so happy days.
Garage tour!!!
Excellent video! This isn't just how to save money. Essentially all of these hacks reduce your impact on the environment. Thank you for making a video that will help us all save the big rock on which we love to ride.
Awesome video Doddy. I enjoyed it!
that bashguard is GENIUS!
I once used an old stem and clip on aero bars to make an adjustable seatpost mounted rack. Didn't hold more than 20lbs without sagging, but it worked. I also keep most of my bike parts. Always some sort of use for them even if it is not bicycle related.
Great bike cave Doddy!
Well into that
Your bike cave is looking pro Doddy!
Awesome video
cracking video Doddy , great tips too!!!!!
how about buying 2 chains and swap between them as they stretch ? best way to greatly lengthen your drivetrain. Also an ultrasonic cleaner can be had for around $10 and will clean that chain in no time much better than just sitting in degreaser.
If you put the container into the Park Tool magnetic dish, it pulls all the metal shards and crap to the bottom making it easier to pour out without getting any of the crap in the fluid
Like the mudguard trick.... I've used an old thin plastic chopping board for mine đ€
Honestly my fave guy on this channel
Thanks Doddy!
Awesome video Doddy. And cable ties only once mentioned.....
Great video. On the subject of degreaser. A guy who used to run a local bike shop once told me that using cheap household furniture polish is a superb degreaser and he swears by it. I have to say it works if you want to clean a chain or cassette etc or just to get thick oil off your hands.
Also old inner tubes make great elastic bands if you want to keep tools together etc if you cut them enough you potentially could have hundreds of elastic bands from one tube.
Yes doddy keep up the great work m8
I appreciate the DIY mud guard. Iâm moving from dry and rocky to wet and rooty.
Been watching GMBN videos for yonks but somehow never subscribed. This one's done it - subscribed!
I really love those fox forks.
Great stuff Doddy.
Yes!! More vids like this please
Really liked this video please make more
I had a grinding disk on an angle grinder like the one Doddy is using, bought it a little close to my finger and it went through my 'protective' glove and down to the bone on my one knuckle before i knew what happened. I didnt even feel it
Some good hacks! Really like the old grip to stanchion protector that's a new one for me, that poor stem though haha I just upgraded from a 120 to an 80 mm stem last year to "go shorter" apparently not short enough lol.
Can spraypaint the milk jug too for a color-coordinated mud guard! PS old grip stanchion guard idea is brilliant!
thanks doddy allways great idea's to use . money saving tips are always welcome đ
I use several 1kg plastic peanut butter jars for my chain cleaner, I can screw the lid on and really shake the chain around which gets most dirt off the chain due to all the movement and sloshing around. Then in about a week with sludge has settled at the bottom of the jar so I can tip the clean stuff into my 2 litre kerosine bottle with child safe lid, and use it again and again.
@3:35, don't use a knife for making zip-tie slits. They will eventually split/crack the plastic. Use a drill instead.
Great to see you reusing the degreaser. I clean my chain in a 1kg peanut butter plastic jar with lid. I have a couple of 1 litre kerosine bottles that I put the dirty degreaser into. Like you I decant the degreaser after a few days, but into the second bottle, so leaving the silt at the bottom of he first bottle,. Takes only a few seconds. The reason I use closed bottles and jars is to avoid the fumes. Gradually the silt bottle fills up with solids but usable degreaser seems to be effective for ages. So although the degreaser may be seen as environmentally unfriendly, I don't have anything but silt to dispose of. Cheers
i really like the approach to keep old stuff like derailleurs, chain rings, screws etc. - it might not be good enough to use on a long distance/touring bike, but as a bike enthusiast you frequently run into the situation where your parents, siblings, friends or neighbors ask you to give their 5km-twice-a-week-bikes a quick check and you find out the problem is just a tiny part, that you would have to get from the bike shop next town for 10 bucks... unless you have a couple of boxes with spare parts from your/their older bikes...and if it's really too worn down try to imagine a totally different purpose ;)
and i can not underline your clothing tips enough - most of my cycling/outdoor clothes is bought from an outlet store at around 10-20% of the original price - why pay 200⏠for a jacket that you can get for 30?!
i just went there once in a while and bought what was really cheap... not what i necessarily needed by the time - the time will come!
Another good one is do smaller jobs yourself. Donât take you bike to the shop if just the brake pads need changing, first give it a go yourself.
to be fair, anything that doesn't need specialist tools (that you're not gonna buy for a one off job), is doable at home, from changing pads to lower leg service and rear mech adjustment.
only things i leave to the pros to do is wheel truing, press fit BB and headset bearing replacement on carbon frame, and yearly service/check of the bike (as my untrained eye could miss something tiny but important)
Alex Nicolaou I complete agree.
I tend to stay away from all suspension related pieces because if you screw something up it gets quite pricey
Ray Ward đš
For me, anything except trying wheels is a home job.
Doddy, you are soo cool! So knowledgeable and a cool sense of Humor sprinkled in:)
Cool video! Come to NYC and what the food delivery guys use for fenders, I've seen everything from plastic bottles to aluminum gutters. They wrap their chain lock around the top tube while riding, so they build a little enclosure for the cables to run free, then wrap that in an old tube or tire. Compact discs for reflectors, some crazy stuff!
Or put your dropper down for the dropper protection one
was looking for this
Still got to protect those other suspension parts.
Lowering the saddle on a dropper post is also a good way to protect the stanchion ;) Great Video, Love These Kind of Hacks...
Talking about bargains.... just orderd a Fox 34 Float performance off CRC for only 350⏠Can't wait!
Nice Fade to Black Whistler trail sign!
Caution, hair gel can ignite with sparks from angle grinders đł
Not a problem for me, I have no hair left đ
Great video, thanks, Iâm a hoarder also and love repurposing things. I have recently thrown out some contact lens holders and Iâm now regretting it.
awsome idea.. the suncream
Hi doddy remember industrial decreasers are ment for some sort of fountain decrease station and its lifetime is measured in working hours not in times used. In other words as long as you filter the liquid you have a suply of decreaser for years.
Yo Doddy great video keep it up you are a tech wizard keep stuff like derailers and stuff it once saved my bacon because one of the jockey wheels came of when I was riding at my local dirt jumps good job I kept them also should have used locktight
#GMBN loving the shop Doddy!
That grips, i use it for chainstay protectors.
Hey doddy for the bash guard hack instead of grinding the teeth off just wrap a length of chain around the chain ring and use the pin to keep in there-just something Iâve done on one of my bikes I even painted it to make it look cool....big fan from NZ
Hi Doddy, I have a question about degreasers: There are pretty cheap kitchen degreasers in a spraybottle which I usually use for degreasing and cleaning my drivetrain. They worked very well for me so far but I wonder what you think about those in particular. Stuff like Cillit Bang for example.
For the angle grinder, standard practice is to not use gloves because they can get caught up in the disc and pull your hand into the tool. This is typically the case for any rotary tool that your hands go near. The sparks can be avoided by using the guard, or if that's not possible (I often use it without the guard for accuracy), by changing where you contact the blade to the material so the sparks fly away from you. They also burn out really quickly and don't really hurt much anyway. I also recommend using both safety glasses and a face shield if you have it. The face shield provides protection from broken cutting discs and flying metal, and adds an extra layer of protection keeping small pieces of metal out of your eyes. People who work with metal a lot can accumulate enough small shards in their eyes without noticing for that to pose a problem if they ever have to get an MRI because the powerful magnets will rip the metal out. I couldn't help chiming in with some safety things because that's my actual day job. I teach people to use woodworking and metal working tools, so at this point looking out for safety tips is reflexive. Digging these bodges, Doddy! I just recently put a bash ring on my bike that I concerted from 3x to 2x. I wound up using a machined bash ring from BBG Bashguards that had the proper BCD and was inexpensive, but later had the same thought about angle grinding the teeth off the chainring I took off.
I used a plastic notebook cover for a fender and it works amazingly
justin in buffalo Awesome idea, that way you can color coordinate too. I was looking at making one for my MTB and will use your idea, Thanks.
John Day heres a link for a template
www.dropbox.com/sh/05o29oaffr2o3x8/AAAUm8ZqgSNgNgBXJpQM8p3Pa?dl=0
print it and cut it out
justin in buffalo Thanks
If you want a stiffer, thicker mud guard, a flexible cutting board costs $2 and gives you enough material to make two mud guards. Available in many colors...even black.
AND ITS NSF FOOD SAFE!!!
Very important for a fender lol
The chainring bash guard is a good idea.
the last one was the best
I don't like using the blade guards either. Worth mentioning, if you choose to work that way, it's a good idea to keep your face out of the plane of the disk. If it shatters it will fly apart in the plane it's spinning in, so if you keep your face out of that plane you can minimize the potential of a bleed-out or action-hero-face-scar.
Really !đłthanx đđž
Great vid
POC shop ? where ...good gmbn...Saludos de Chile
you can also use your old handles as chain protectors if you cut them open.
Great!!! đđ»đđȘđ»
Good Beer choice!
Great one, but I would respect old CODA stems and grinder discs just a bit more..
Gaffer tape and old tubes makes great frame protection
Is there a video or can we get one, where Doddy shows all bike gear he has hoarded?
Great tips !
Great tips , i kinda budget protect my frame from my brake lines and stuff by aplying electrical tape on those spots , by cutting off the edges of the piece of tape it sits much longer and is even pressure washer proof , + you can get them in a lot of colours so who not , and still cheaper than the frame protectors you can buy ...
Really like the last one đđ
Great video :D
the best ;)
I use an old stem as a guide for cutting steerer tubes on forks.
Any ideas for a mud guard for my dropper post? Old tube?
Reminded me of a Discovery Channel program, but the build was on schedule.
Of course skewers could have a use for food, but I cut off the handle and added a chain ring. I've also cut off v-brake arms and added chain rings too.
Cables for picture hanging ...?
I've used the derailleur cable clamp to splice cables.
Very nice hack
awesome video :D another money saving hack i've used quite a lot successfully is scoring used deals, be it bikes, drive train components etc, even older generation items that can be found in amazing shape and are still the good quality product they used to be 3 of 4 years ago when they were new, at 1/5th the price. for example my M995 spd pedals (blue ones limited edition), cost me less than brand new current XTs, but have all the features and specs of what used to be a 190ÂŁ pedal set
Loving the fact you had to hide a bit of steel to create the sparks for 'TV' when grinding. Wondered for a minute why you had a steel chainring
Lol I noticed that too. To be fair, it was for an extremely half assed safety point, but still v funny.
Could you use those foam bike grips for chain protectors when you go riding what do you think have a look at this for your mountain bike. ?
To protect the dropper post in the car you can actually drop it to make it hidden! :D
Screw fix........buy degreaser called âno nonsense degreaserâ . Comes in a 1 gallon container and costs about ÂŁ7 or less. Works absolutely brilliantly!!!
Part 2 where you at!!!?
I find poundland in the uk is the best place to buy puncture repair kits surprisingly
great stuff :-)
5:33 I recommend Sortimo T-Boxx, they are space efficient, no space is wasted, and can be used with their drawer system. you can take out the boxes, and sort them the way you want, and they stay in place, so you can remove them and put a big item that won't fit in the boxes, they can be stacked, so pretty smart solution, so far this is the best solution I have found.
0:51 I never needed to do a deep clean, you got to put some awful lube and neglect the bike for a while to need for that. but really old stiff stock lube is quite hard to remove. even some bike degreasers will struggle.
On the trails where I live theres a lot of large rocks you can either jump off of or go around and every one is covered in scrapes from peoples cranks
Add a pair of climbing bars. In a crash they can help protect your controls from damage.
Talking about hacks and household cleaners: 1) Take your brake pads out and clean them with good old VIM....! Dip the pads in the Vim and rub them together under a hot tap. The Vim makes an slightly abrasive paste that cleans and resurfaces the pads. This is good for de-squealing your brakes as the slightly roughened surface might disrupt potential harmonic frequencies.
2) Furniture polish makes a great bike cleaner. Just spray your frame and rims and buff off with a soft cloth.
3) Household cleaning alcohol works just fine on disks. Use a J cloth to put it on and a white micro fiber cloth to finish them.