Use your old bike parts to make a gift (or two)

This year the Ashley clan decided to hand-make gifts for the holidays. Not being the most crafty fella, I was left scratching my head until I popped a bottle of beer in the garage with a bicycle gift a friend gave me some time back.

“Say, I have parts likes these laying around.”

What good cyclist doesn’t? So I immediately started to pull parts apart from the bin and low-and-behold a couple ideas rose to the top: a bike chain key chain and a bike parts wind chime.

They were fun to create, and relatively pain free. Plus I feel like I shared part of my passion with my family. And because I’m that kind of guy, I thought I’d share my steps with you.

Supplies:
- one used SRAM chain (what, you used something different?)
- one used road tube
- one disk brake (I’ve seen people use hubs, too)
- two used cassettes – mountain and cross
- two feet of brake cable
- tape you use for the ends over your cork tape on your cross racer
- two cable ferrules
- spool of fishing line
- key chain rings

Tools:
- wrench
- screwdriver
- chain tool
- chain cleaner
- wire cutter
- shop towel

Preparation:
1. Use a screwdriver to break apart your cassettes. I found it easiest to place it in a vice and just stick the screwdriver in between and twist.
2. Soak all your used components overnight in degreaser and water.
3. After the soak, run your chain through the chain cleaner.
3. Clean the grease off everything the best you can.

The easy one – key chains:
1. Grab your chain (ahem) and cut that puppy into 6-8 link lengths using your chain tool. One geared chain should yield 5-6 key chains.
2. Combine the two ends and align the holes left from the removed pin.
3. Insert a key chain ring – many will work.

Create a wind chime in a 10 easy steps:
1. Open a holiday beer to get into the mood.
2. Cut out the valve on your tire – snip perpendicular to the tube if you were looking at it.
3. Next cut the tube in half all the way down the length. Then cut that long piece in half to make two smaller pieces.
4. Wrap the end of your inner tube around the disc brake several times. Make sure you match the direction and amount of layers on the exact opposite side.
5. Use the handle bar end tape to hold in place – provide several layers. Do this with both tubes, so the end product makes two “U” shapes attached to the disc brake.
6. Hang your disc from the ceiling with a clamp or hook and make sure the disc is level. Then take 1′ of cable and tie a good perperndicular knot about 2″ below the top where the “U” shapes are held up.
7. Cut off the remaining excess of cable and crimp down two cable ferrules.
8. Use your handle bar end tape to join the two “U” shapes together. Maybe switch colors to mix it up.
9. Take your used cogs and pick six different ones. Mix and match mountain and cross – they look different and make for a nice set.
10. Find a hole in your cassette and fish through one end of about 8″ of the line. Tie a good knot and them attach the other end to the disc brake. Repeat until all six cogs are hanging at different levels, but they still can touch.

When you’re done they’ll make a beautiful chime.
Here’s the ones I built (click through).

I chose to let the chimes/cogs hang about 8″ down. After putting a couple of them up I intentionally tried to get them to tangle, but they wouldn’t do it. But it’s up to you how long you make them. I feel the rubber from the innertubes will also help the top to be more flexible in higher winds.

The cool part about DIY is you can take liberties and have fun. I liked to think about all the saddle time that the old parts helped enable, including rides with my family. Pretty cool to relive the epic ones.

Cheers!