Patching a punctured bike tube is a great way to extend its life, but even tubes that are unsalvageable can be reused if you get crafty with these simple DIY projects.

Protect Your Valuables with a Ride Case

I had a pile of mountain bike tubes, so I sliced one open to see how wide it was, searching for ideas. It didn't take long before I realized I could sew it into a simple wallet large enough to carry my phone, multitool, a credit card, and some cash. You could also use a smaller tube to create a slimmer case for your multitool and tire levers.

You’ll need a needle and thread, and a set of snaps or velcro to create a closure. Cut your tube open so it’s lying flat, then measure how much you’ll need for your wallet. I folded mine around my phone and left enough space to create a flap at the top—about 12 inches total. Then, fold it over so one side is slightly longer (that’s the flap), and sew up the sides of the tube with the inside of the tube facing out. After you’ve gone up both sides, turn it right-side-out and check out your handiwork! I cut the flap into a V-shape, sewed on a snap, and boom! Ride wallet: complete.

It’s not high-fashion, exactly, but it’ll look cool at a bike race! Molly Hurford

Cinch Your Middle with a Belt

Bringing bike fashion to semi-high fashion is one of my favorite crafty challenges, and that’s what led to this belt idea. This is for the slightly serious crafters out there; get as fancy as you want with the weave pattern and the width of the tube strips to tailor it to your ideal belt shape.

For this statement belt, I opted for wider strips and a simple four-piece braiding pattern. After slicing a single tube into four strands, I used a needle and thread to attach them around the middle of a belt buckle I found at a dollar store, placing two strands on each side of the buckle. From there, I just braided the four strands to a standard belt length, and used a couple of stitches to bind them at the end. For a thinner, lower-profile option, cut the strips thinner and go with an eight-piece braid pattern (the same method, just with smaller, tighter braiding).

Not crafty? Keep your recycled tube projects simple, but useful. Molly Hurford

Keep Your New Tubes Organized

Keep it simple by cutting a thin strip from an old tube to hold your new one neatly coiled in your saddle bag or pocket so you can fix your next flat with less hassle. It’s better than an elastic band since it won’t snap, which is especially important if you tape your spare to your seatpost—if the elastic breaks, they can unravel and get caugh in your spokes, which is dangerous and embarrassing.

Try a new type of stretching to change things up, recycling while you’re at it! Molly Hurford

Flex Your Hammies with 'Super Floss'

As a cyclist, you know the importance of stretching. Kelly Starrett of Mobility WOD uses bike tubes to make "super floss" to reach the hard-to-stretch spots on your legs, as seen in this video:

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