Features and tuning options for bicycles

The rider's bike provides an emotional boost. A cycling enthusiast is so comfortable with his friend that he is eager to improve him, to make him special. Tuning will help to implement the plan. Let's talk in the article about how and what you can change in your bike.

People want to show their originality 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 idea has many advantages.

• Creative work captivates, gives an opportunity to spend free time with benefit and interest.
• The result of one's labor, if successful, is always pleasant.
• It's nice to ride a bright bike with a breeze and catch the enthusiastic glances of passers-by.
• The main task of tuning is to renew a bicycle that has lost its attractive appearance. If you try, the result can be impressive.

While it may not always be a challenge to tune an old bike, for some hobbyists, a new bike becomes a permanent upgrade. I want to replace everything, to show my creativity, my individuality. In Soviet times, colored electrical tape, wire, bells, paper rattles were used - everything that could satisfy your self-expression and surprise your neighbors. Today, any part is on sale, you can endlessly upgrade your iron friend, in other words, you can literally collect it from scratch.

Sometimes it is enough to paint a vehicle in bright rainbow colors and build LED lamps into the wheels - and a tuned bike already becomes the envy of others. But tuning has a golden rule - if you don’t do better than you did, don’t even start.

What about a strong desire to change the bike and low 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 an old bike on your own, you have to start somewhere. The revamped retro bike has a special appeal. And for those who have decided to upgrade their bike, we will tell you how you can do it.

It is better to start tuning an old bike from the frame - this is the largest and most laborious area of ​​work. Most often, the modernization of an outdated frame consists in painting, but some craftsmen do not stop at this, they even change its shape. It is better to paint in the fresh air. If the weather conditions do not allow this, the room in which the tuning is performed must be well ventilated, since fumes and paint odors can be persistent and not always harmless.

To make the painting look stylish and last for a long time, you need to approach your work with responsibility. At the preparatory stage, it is worth stocking up on everything you need: solvent, sandpaper, primer for metal and a can 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 irregularities and scratches formed during operation are carefully rubbed 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 last long. There can be 2 or 3 priming layers, before applying the next one, the previous one is allowed to dry.
6. Choose a special, waterproof paint designed for metal work. Before applying it, make sure that the base coat is completely dry.
7. The paint is sprayed in an even layer; the procedure can be repeated only after the previous layer has dried.

Many are in no hurry to stop at a simple painting of the frame; they apply drawings or beautiful inscriptions using stencils. You can use various types of stickers to decorate the product. As for the shape, you cannot reduce the frame, but you can add various elements: an additional trunk or a decorative wicker basket, another seat or an imitation of a motorcycle gas tank. All changes should be made prior to painting.

Having a vintage bike, you should pay attention to tire wear. It's dangerous to ride on old cracked rubber, and it looks terrible. It is easier to replace the wheels completely, but if for some reason it is impossible to do this, it is worth trying to carry out tuning in other ways.

• Paint the rim. Such changes are only undertaken if the bike has disc brakes, otherwise the paint will not last long.
• Restore bushings. Even old bicycles are easy to find. As a last resort, the hub axle can be turned by yourself.
• Alloy wheels. Lovers of openwork style change the design with spokes to alloy wheels, so the bike looks much more original.
• Light bulbs. The installed bulbs on the nipples or spokes form mesmerizing luminous pictures during the ride.

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

Sometimes the entire frame is pasted over with LED strips, and the bike looks like a luminous object flying over the surface. And if powerful lights are attached under the frame and directed downward, they will illuminate the road along which the bike moves. Some craftsmen install animated plates on the spokes of the wheels, which project bright images during rotation.

Even the most humble bike owner, who does not like to attract attention, is obliged to equip his transport with reflectors, front and rear-view lights for the purpose of safe movement on a night road. Turn signals are increasingly seen on bicycles, their functions are especially valuable at night, when the cyclist's hand showing the turn is not visible in the dark.

Upgrading your bike can be done by replacing familiar parts or purchasing other accessories such as a bike bag, rearview mirror, warning lights, bottle cage, and more. These items will not only change the look of your bike, but will also be useful during bike trips. Let's look at the points that can be replaced or supplemented, creating your ideal bike.

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

Grips with locks, which are equipped with expensive models, will help to decorate a standard bike. The 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 for yourself and install it yourself using a hexagon.

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

A rear-view light is, first of all, security. It is enough to purchase a diode device capable of operating both in constant and flashing modes. It not only reflects off the light of other people's headlights, as happens with reflectors, but is itself a source of illumination, warning other road users about the presence of a cyclist on the road.

Going on a target trip, it is often necessary to transport something. In such cases, the trunk is irreplaceable. It is attached to the rear triangle of the frame. The design can withstand up to 15 kg of load, if necessary, the product can be removed. On two-handed models, the trunk is hung on a pin under the saddle, but you should not load it with things weighing more than 5 kg.

Anti-theft protection is a must for every bike. Leaving it on the street, we must be confident in the safety of the vehicle. On sale you can find different types of locks in the form of harnesses, chains, cables, fastening to the posts. Wheel locks are also used.

An overview of tuning a bicycle for teenagers is provided in the video below.