I've seen some nice new bike builds recently with chainstay protectors made out of electrical tape, old inner tubes and the like. Kinda spoiled the effect I think. Last fall the original factory glued-on protector was wearing thru on my old bike. While browsing the internet I came across some nice lizardskins and a few others, but I'm not fond of logos. Then I saw, on a real poseur site (B-17 saddles w/ brass plate, polished brass bling bits, etc) a brown tanned elkhide protector. Figured I could make one pretty easy. Went to the Indian Store in Esco' not far from Daley, got some pieces of black leather (actually did end up w/ elkhide -- right thickness) for a few dollars, trimmed to shape, cleaned the chainstay really well (finished w/ brake cleaner), put 3M contact on both pieces and glued it down. It's lasted ever since, including a pretty muddy ride not long after. Hard to see tho in these pics, since it's black on black.

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Thus, if we are to understand the world, we should live somewhere between judgement and amazement — Alfredo Lopez Austin

Nice job -- good ol' Yankee ingenuity.

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A bicycle is a splendid thing.
~Ernest Hemingway

That's cool Dan, I'll keep it in mind next time I need something. Hopefully the 3M contact holds well.

Something I got a few years ago as a handout at a race was this "hubscrub". Some of you have seen it before on my bike...its a piece of leather fastened around my hub in a loop that cleans it as I ride. For what its worth I will never have to wipe dirt off that hub body again

Hey, I had "hubscrubs" on my bike when I was a kid!...but I never knew the name. The 3M is still holding on the old bike -- I still ride it occasionally or loan it out.

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Thus, if we are to understand the world, we should live somewhere between judgement and amazement — Alfredo Lopez Austin