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Cheap and pretty bike decorations (non-Tri)
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I have been using a terrible terrible recumbent trainer for the days I don't run for quite awhile now....it was cheap, and that was good. However, even on the highest tension, it's easy, and doesn't give me much of a cardio workout if any. SO - my bf got an old bike from his Mom that will fit me, and is giving it to me along with his old trainer (he's got a computrainer now) so that I can have a trainer that will actually give me a workout.

The bike is definitely a beater, and at this point, not road-worthy (my bf is dubious about the brakes, apparently) but it will work for the trainer and he oiled up the chain or something (I'm really not well-versed in the technical/mechanical side of things). We're picking up new tires and tubes and a pump on the weekend.

In terms of fixing up the bike to be road-worthy (I'd probably want to take it on rail trails mostly if I did take it off the trainer), he isn't entirely sure that it wouldn't be financially be cheaper to buy a new, albeit cheap, bike instead of replacing components. It's not something we're going to do right now anyways.

So....I don't want to sink a lot of money into this, but since it'll be in my room I'd like it to look at least a bit pretty.

I adore tacky things, if that's helpful at all :)

Currently it's a blue-green with rust accents, and has a silver basket (with rust accents) that I can put my water bottle and remote and stuff into. I'm thinking of getting a new, cheap plastic basket (from the kids section of Canadian Tire....how embarassing!....but they have one that's purple with green edging).

It's an upright bike (is that the right term?), so it has grips for the handles, so I'm going to get some coloured grips (I wanted to get the pink camoflauged bar tape, but apparently I can't, boo) and, to my bf's massive horror, I'm totally getting streamers. I'm SO excited for the streamers.

Any suggestions for cheap ways to decorate a bike? I'm thinking of the body in particular.

Thanks!
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Re: Cheap and pretty bike decorations (non-Tri) [Teags] [ In reply to ]
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Stickers! Go into a scrapbooking store and go wild.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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Re: Cheap and pretty bike decorations (non-Tri) [JenHS] [ In reply to ]
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Oooh! That could be really fun :) Thanks!

Well, Peabody (I named her) is home!

I was asking my bf about whether I could ride her on rail trails if I got better tires, but apparently the cabling (I originally said wiring but cabling is the correct term, right?) needs to be replaced, the brakes don't work (I tried them on the trainer last night while watching BL) and the chain really should be replaced. I asked if the brakes would work if the cables were replaced, and he said maybe, so he's going to cut them off and clean them and see if that helps (since right now I don't need the brakes just using it as a trainer). Because apparently my 'I could just kind of jump off when I need to stop' suggestion isn't a good one....heh.

I'm thinking about sanding Peabody's frame and then spraypainting it a nice green. That plus some stickers would look pretty. And I found a nice lime green Trek basket, and I could get matching grips, and I've seen coloured chains in bike stores before, so....hmmm. I also found a cool DIY-bike decoration blog: http://bicyclebee.blogspot.com/ - I love the yarn wheels! And I figure the streamers can double as cat toys!

I told my bf he's going to be all jealous cause he's stuck with a boring P2C and I have Peabody, and Peabody's going to be awesome :)

And I'm so excited to do my first workout on a proper trainer tonight! Whoo!
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Re: Cheap and pretty bike decorations (non-Tri) [Teags] [ In reply to ]
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I did a paint job on an old frame and it came out terrible. It is really hard to get it right and to do that you need to strip off all the componants. I imagine the BF won't want to put that back together for you. :-)

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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Re: Cheap and pretty bike decorations (non-Tri) [JenHS] [ In reply to ]
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BLAST!

I actually don't dislike Peabody's colour now, but it's got the 'Miele' on it and it's in red and whatever which I don't think goes with the paint job at all, but that's just me being picky. Maybe I can cover that and the rust bits over with stickers then.

Besides, I planned all of Peabody's accessories around a new colour. Hmmm....I'm going to have to go back to the drawing board. Purple would go fairly well with the existing colour - I really like that Trek basket, I hope it comes in a purple!

Heh, yeah, I don't imagine he would want to take it apart and put it back together again....no matter how nicely I ask ;)
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