7 uses for duct tape for touring cyclists

by Larry Humber

Duct tape is a lifesaver in so many ways, especially for touring cyclists. I’ll get into that briefly, but suffice to say that the tape even inspired funnyman Red Green (a.k.a. Steve Smith) to make a movie, Duct Tape Forever. Admittedly, duct tape is only a temporary solution to your problems, but it can save you in at least the seven ways outlined here. If you have more to add, we’d love to hear from you. Please write you tip in the comments section.

Duct tape is great in a pinch, quite inexpensive, doesn’t take up much space in your bag, is incredibly easy to tear and won’t readily give up the ghost, enabling you to get to your next destination or even home. If its standard grey colour isn’t your thing, you can find it in other colours, too.

Here are a couple of uses I have made of it while riding in Canada and abroad:

1. Covering an inner tube that was spilling out from a hole in the tire’s sidewall. That would almost certainly have led to a flat if I hadn’t noticed it and applied some tape as protection. It was a quick fix, but it did get me to the nearest bike shop, where I acquired a new tire.

2. Mending a saddle that’s in disrepair. I rode a seriously duct-taped saddle for months once because I liked the feel of that saddle and couldn’t bring myself to replace it with a new one. It may have steered potential thieves away, too, as the patched-up saddle gave the bike a why-be-bothered-with-it look. I took that a step further and covered some of the frame with duct tape, making it look even tackier.It was a Specialized Rock Combo, by the way, dating back to 1989—a drop-bar mountain bike that was great for city riding. I eventually abandoned it in Portugal after a nasty incident there.

3. Lights have a predilection for becoming unfixed and tumbling to the pavement when least expected. A little duct tape can come to your rescue if you spot the problem early enough.

4. Panniers come loaded with straps and they can flail about and even get in your spokes, which is annoying at very least. A little duct tape properly applied to the offending straps will solve that problem.

5. I also plastered the handlebars of my old Rock Combo with duct tape. It is not only good for gripping, but it’s a darn sight cheaper than handlebar tape.

6. Duct tape has a number of possibilities when it comes to your shoes and other riding gear. It will mend a torn shirt or jacket, a real plus on a damp or chilly day, and keep a damaged shoe from disintegrating. On wintery days, it can be used to cover the vents of your shoes, keeping cold air from flowing in. I’ve even used it to keep a pair of sunglasses perched on my nose.

7. Finally, duct tape can be used to seal a nasty gash temporarily and can also serve as a stopgap sling if you take a tumble while riding far from help.

How have you used duct tape on your ride?