If you have been wondering how to make a bike cooler, then this article is for you! Upgrading the iron horse is able to express your personality and riding style. The tuning process is exciting and often does not require a lot of time. While working on tuning, you can not only decorate the bike artistically, but also install the highest quality and most comfortable components. So how can you improve your bike? Let’s take a closer look at all kinds of tuning methods.
How to light up a bike
A person for whom cycling is an integral part of life will not want to have a bicycle, like two peas in a pod, like everyone else. A good way to make your two-wheeler unique is to install LED lighting! You can attach it to any place, but most often it is installed from below, so that the asphalt under your feet is highlighted while driving. Multi-colored LEDs on the knitting needles will also look chic. A luminous bike not only attracts the eyes of others, but also increases your safety by creating visibility for cars passing by you or people walking next to you. The easiest way to make your bike glow is to buy LED strip. It should be covered with good rubber, which will increase its protection from mechanical stress. You will also need an inexpensive battery with a capacity of about 10-12 V, silicone sealant, self-adhesive tape, a couple of wires and a power button, which can be found in an electronics store. A control apparatus can be added to this system, but we will not consider this option due to the complexity of the installation. And yes, it costs a lot of money! Installing the LED strip consists of 5 steps:
The whole process will take several hours and will require you to have some skill in the field of soldering metals. If you still decide to spend time and effort on installing the backlight, then in the end your bike will begin to be admired by everyone without exception!
How to make a bike phone holder
We have already figured out the backlight of the bike, which means it is time to continue our tuning. Installing a phone holder on the steering wheel is a great solution! By fixing it before your eyes, you can achieve unreal convenience while driving: the map on the screen will not allow you to get lost, and your favorite music will give you incomparable pleasure! And of course it is worth mentioning that with a smartphone fixed on the steering wheel, you can forget about missed calls and messages!
For quite decent money, you can buy holders in the store, usually they are equipped with a convenient 360-degree frame rotation function, allowing you to hold your smartphone horizontally or vertically. Fixtures for the iPhone are on the market for about $ 50. The kit often comes with protective cases that will protect your phone from moisture. If desired, you can buy universal holders with a price less than $ 20.
If you don’t want to spend money, then you can make your own holder! To do this, you need a reflector with a handlebar mount and a nozzle from a monopod with a customizable frame. The unscrewed frame must be attached to the reflector holder with a simple bolt. Voila! Bicycle handlebar phone holder is ready! This simple job only takes a couple of minutes!
How to make a headlight on a bicycle with your own hands
Good bike lights are expensive, sometimes more expensive than some bikes! Self-assembly will save a lot of money. At your request, you can choose the color of the LED inside the headlight and the shape of the housing. Creating a headlight will require the following:
- Required number of LEDs;
- Multiple power sources (e.g. batteries);
- Strong body;
- The presence of a collimator that will provide side illumination;
- Lens;
- current limiting resistor;
- A little glue.
Having attached the collimator to the lens, and wrapped them with electrical tape, it is necessary to make holes for the wiring. These wires are attached to a switch that is connected to a power source. After connecting all the elements, the assembled headlight is attached to the right place. The battery voltage must be at least 3.5 V. Remember, the more power supplies, the better! For good lighting, high-quality LEDs are needed. The best option is Luxeon brand diodes. In general, for the correct assembly of the headlight, it will be nice to learn how to read electrical diagrams in order to assemble all the parts in the correct order and, if necessary, increase or decrease the lighting strength!
How to make a ratchet on a bike
If you have a child who loves to ride a bike during the summer days, then you will be interested in the following small “upgrade". To make the wheels of a children’s bike make noise while riding, you can make a simple ratchet with your own hands! It will not require large expenses, it is enough to have 4 things:
Will take 5 minutes to work. We cut out a piece in the shape of the letter “T” from the bottle and fasten it with electrical tape to the frame or bicycle fork. We adjust the length of the ratchet according to the size of the knitting needles. It is necessary that our craft protrude from the knitting needles by half a centimeter, and then during the ride the knitting needles will beat against the ratchet and a sound will be heard! Kids love this stuff! In addition to all of the above, you can do tuning the frame and wheels. And after that, your bike will get its final personality! A quality upgrade will not hit your family budget and at the same time will give you and your children an unforgettable experience!