Learning More About Manufacturing

Every year, thousands of bikes are sold in department stores, which will eventually be outgrown by their owners or thrown out because they do not last. When doing spring cleaning, you may have scrap metal that you want to sell, which may include some of these old bicycles. You may want to scrap pieces of old bicycles for DIY projects, like bike racks, trailers, and baskets for your bicycle travel adventures. Here are some ideas that you may want to consider doing for your bike with the scrap pieces before you recycle the metal:

1. Building Your Own Rear Bike Rack For Packages

One of the simplest projects that you may want to do for your bike is making racks for packages. The pieces of an old bike can be a great resource for making racks. You may want to take pieces of tube that can easily be adapted with clamp connections and connect them to the back of your bike. If you do not want to do any welding, use some type of wood to screw the rack together. An old skateboard or pieces of old treated lumber and patio furniture can also be good to use.

2. Trailers For Long Distance Travels With Cargo

If you are planning on doing any long distance travels on your bike, there are some challenges that you will have to meet. One major challenge is finding space for cargo like water and supplies for your travels. A bike trailer can be a great way to take everything you need with you. If you have an old bike, take the forks off and use them to fashion a hitch to connect to the rear of your bike.

3. Building A Sidecar For The Little Ones Or Furry Companions

You may just want to go for a short fun bike ride, but what about the children or furry pets that you may have to leave behind? You may want to consider getting a sidecar or building your own. The spare parts from an old bike can be a good start. You can use the old forks to mount a third-wheel and the tubes to build a basic frame for the sidecar. To make the seat, floor and body, you can use thin, lightweight wire mesh and paint it the same color as your bike. For comfort, find an old office chair with a full back and plenty of cushioning, or you can use chair cushions for dining room chairs. You will want to get a seat belt and harnesses to buckle your loved ones in.

These are some ideas that you may want to consider to do DIY projects with spare bike parts for your biking adventures. If you need materials for covering parts and completely the frames,  contact a dealer of wire mesh, such as Midwestern Industries Inc, to get materials that will ensure water drainage, as well as help keep overall weight down.