this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2026
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submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by trepli@lemmy.ml to c/bicycles@lemmy.ca
 

Do you have any creative ideas on how to reuse old tires? I have some at the end of their life and I think that throwing them away would result in them not being recycled anyway. Any ideas for inner tubes is welcome too

Edit: Thank you everyone for the answers. For those who want a summary, the suggestions are chain stay protection, edge bumper, water insulation, rubber bands, hanger for repair, elastic fastener, fenders and finger stalls for fishing (or throw them in the fire place)

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[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Eventually the plasticisers will break down and the tire will start falling apart leaving plastic dust every where; best for that to happen in a landfill imo.

Tires can't really be recycled and usually end up being burned for energy, releasing toxins and CO^2^ into the atmosphere, much like how most plastics aren't actually recycled either. In my province (BC), they have recycling programs but those also release toxins, just at a slower rate while in the close proximity of children (rubber surfaces in playgrounds).

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025002890

[–] trepli@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 week ago

Thank you for the link and informations, I wasn't aware of the use in playgrounds

[–] JillyB@beehaw.org 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

If you cut up the tire, you could make it into an edge bumper. Like if you have a coffee table that keeps banging your shin, you could mount a bit of the tire to the edge of the table to make a bumper.

Honestly that's brilliant. When I was building out my workshop I bought a few rubber bumpers in places where car door might hit or a low-hanging object where I might hit my head. I paid good money for something that I could have used an old tire for!

[–] I_am_10_squirrels@beehaw.org 3 points 2 weeks ago

Would need a way to seal in the wires, but that seems doable

[–] Zen_Shinobi@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

I used old inner tubes on chain stay to prevent chainslap on my mtb.

[–] mmmm@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 weeks ago

I used old inner tubes to prevent water leakage in several hoses at home and for covering a lock from the elements

[–] bstix@feddit.dk 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

If you have a bike storage/workshop/garage, you could hang the inner tubes from a nail in the ceiling rafters and use them to hang the bike when doing repairs.

Another thing to make is those elastic fasterners, by sewing a hook on each end of a part of tube.

[–] Iconoclast@feddit.uk 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I made a fender from a section of the tire and attached it behind the seatpost to prevent my rear tire tossing mud on my heels.

[–] RandomStranger@piefed.social 4 points 1 week ago

Cutting up tubes make for durable rubber bands.

[–] calamitycastle@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Would like to know too, I have a good stack of tires too! Inner tubes have lots of uses but I think tires probably need to go to some specialist recycling

[–] AdviserEndurable@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Where I live the most common use for our old tubes is finger stalls for fishing

[–] isleepinahammock@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Burn it your fireplace to keep warm in the winter! /s