Features and options for tuning bikes

Bike rider provides an emotional splash. A lover of bike rides is so compressed with his friend that he is burning with the desire to improve it, to make it special. Tuning will help to implement the plan. Let's talk in an article about how and what you can change in your bike.

People want to show their identity not only in the style of clothing, but also in the things that surround them. It's nice to make an unusual, bright, creative vehicle out of your old road bike. This venture has many advantages.

• Creative work captivates, makes it possible to spend free time with benefit, interest.
• The result of his work, if successful, is always pleasant.
• It's a good idea to ride on a bright bike with a breeze and catch the enthusiastic glances of passers-by.
• The main task of tuning is to update the bike that has lost its attractive appearance. If you try, the result can be impressive.

Although not always the task is to tune the old bike, for some lovers the new bike becomes a constant subject of upgrade. I want to replace everything, to show my creativity, my personality. In Soviet times, colored insulating tape, wire, bells, rattles made of paper were used — all that can satisfy your self-expression and surprise your neighbors. Today, any item is on sale, it is possible to upgrade an iron friend ad infinitum, in other words, assemble literally from scratch.

Sometimes it’s enough to paint the transport in bright rainbow colors and integrate LED lamps into the wheels - and the tuned bike is already the envy of others. But tuning has a golden rule - if you do not do better than it was, you should not start.

What to do with a strong desire to change the bike and with weak self-confidence? The answer is simple - turn to a specialist, he will help turn a simple vehicle into a masterpiece on wheels. You can work with your old bike on your own, but you have to start somewhere. The updated retro bike has a special appeal. And for those who decide to upgrade their bike, we’ll tell you how to do it.

It’s better to start tuning an old bicycle with a frame - this is the largest and most labor-intensive part of the work. Most often, the modernization of an obsolete frame consists in painting, but some craftsmen do not stop there, they even change its shape. Painting is best done outdoors. If weather conditions do not allow this, the room in which the tuning is carried out should be well ventilated, since the fumes and smells of the paint can be persistent and not always harmless.

To make the painting look stylish and last a long time, need to approach work with responsibility. At the preparatory stage, it is worth stocking up with everything you need: a solvent, sandpaper, a primer for metal and a spray of paint.

Then you can start the staining process, observing the sequence in the work.

1. First of all, the bike is well washed and dried.
2. Remove old paint completely with a solvent.
3. Defects in the form of bumps and scratches formed during operation are carefully wiped with sandpaper.
4. The surface of the frame is degreased and allowed to dry.
5. At the next stage, the surface is primed. If you ignore it, the paint will not hold for a long time. Ground layers can be 2 or 3, before applying the next to the previous one, allow to dry.
6. The paint is chosen special, waterproof, designed for work on metal. Before applying it, make sure that the primer is completely dry.
7. Paint is sprayed with an even layer, the procedure can be repeated only after the previous layer has dried.

Many are in no hurry to dwell on the simple coloring of the frame, with the help of stencils they apply drawings or beautiful inscriptions. You can use various kinds of stickers, with their help decorate the product. As for the form, it is impossible to reduce the frame, but you can add various elements: an additional trunk or a decorative wicker basket, another seat or an imitation of a gas tank from a motorcycle. All changes should be made before painting.

Having a rare bike, you should pay attention to tire wear. It’s dangerous to drive old dry tires, and it looks awful. It’s easier to completely replace the wheels, but if for some reason this is not possible, it is worth trying tuning in other ways.

• Paint the rim. Such changes are only started if the bike has disc brakes, otherwise the paint will not last long.
• Restore bushings. Even old bicycles are easy to find. In extreme cases, the axis of the sleeve can be machined independently.
• Alloy wheels. Fans of openwork style change the design with knitting needles to alloy wheels, so the bike looks much more original.
• Light bulbs. Installed light bulbs on nipples or knitting needles create fascinating luminous pictures while riding.

The modified bike should look unforgettable not only during the day, but also in the dark. In cities, night races are often arranged with competitions for the most unusual lighting design of vehicles. Bicycle owners decorate them like fireworks or Christmas trees, with lights on the steering wheel, wheel spokes and seats. Different types of backlights are used - from phosphoric to LED.

Sometimes LED tapes cover the entire frame, and the bike becomes like a luminous object flying above the surface. And if you fix the powerful lights under the frame and point down, they will illuminate the road along which the bike moves. Some craftsmen install animated plates on the wheel spokes, which during rotation project bright pictures.

Even the most modest bike owner who doesn’t like to attract attention, obliged to equip their vehicles with reflectors, front and rear view lamps for the purpose of safe movement on a night road. You can see turn signals on bicycles more and more often, their functions are especially valuable at night, when the hand of a cyclist showing a turn is not visible in the dark.

You can upgrade your bike by replacing your usual parts or by purchasing other accessories, such as a bicycle bag, rearview mirror, warning lights, bottle holder and more. These items will not only change the look of the bike, but will also be useful during bike trips. Consider the points that can be replaced or supplemented by creating your perfect bike.

If they are not, then it is worth buying, otherwise how to protect your pet from dirt flying from under the wheels? They are easy to fix on a frame above both wheels. Everyone decides for himself which wings to choose: from plastic or metal, short or long.

Grips with locks, which are equipped with expensive models, will help to decorate a standard bike. Classic options work well, but they look dull, they are difficult to remove during maintenance. It would be nice to pick up any cool kit and install it yourself using a hexagon.

You can also safely replace the nondescript plastic plugs on the steering wheel with aluminum. They are more reliable, in addition, they are available in different color options. Any bright shade you like will attract the attention of others.

The rear light is, first of all, security. It is enough to purchase a diode device that can operate both in constant and in flashing mode. It is not only reflected from the light of other people's headlights, as is the case with reflectors, but is itself a source of lighting, warning other road users about the presence of a cyclist on the road.

Going on a targeted trip, often there is a need to transport something. In such cases, the trunk is indispensable. It is mounted on the rear triangle of the frame. The design can withstand up to 15 kg of cargo, if necessary, the product can be removed. On double-hinged models, the trunk is hung on a pin under the saddle, but should not be loaded with things weighing more than 5 kg.

Anti-theft protection is required for every bike. Leaving him on the street, we must be sure of the safety of the vehicle. On sale you can find different types of locks in the form of harnesses, chains, cables, fastened to poles. Wheel locks are also used.

An overview of bike tuning for teens is provided in the video below.