Top tube protectors

Here's a radical thought, look at the Kashimax TT protector and see how it is made (a strip of metal coated in rubber), then reconstruct.

If I were to do this I would;

Cut one or two strips out of a can (a soup can or similar as it's thicker than a coke can).

Put electrical tape on the frame to protect it from the metal strips and secure the strips with more electrical tape.

Then for aesthetics cover with any excess bar tape like in the picture the OP posted.

It may look bulky but your TT probably won't get dented.

It's like Blue fucking Peter here.
Ride your bike. Scratch it. Dent it. Break it. Buy a new one. That's how to get out of a recession...

I've got 2 Blue Peter badges and both my bikes have dents and scratches . . . do I win a prize?

Aquarium's.
nice and thick...

'aquaria'

Oh stop now! Aquarium's is perfectly good English. x

for anyone looking for a non DIY full length top tube protector:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220406782648

under £10 inc. postage to UK, not sure of quality, looks OK though

Oh stop now! Aquarium's is perfectly good English. x

Possibly. That apostrophe is very wrong though...

I was thinking about this a a good cheap option could be the clear tubing that is used in Aquarium's.
It's nice and thick and is probably available in a wide enough diameter. An inch of tube single cut length ways would allow it to be stretched over the toptube, plus being clear it's quite subtle.

Just have to take your headtube off in order to stretch it over too!

reading fail.

'Stephen, do you ride without a bartape?'
yea ! two layers, one of them gell tape.
so ?

sammy....tw*t !

'Stephen, do you ride without a bartape?'
yea ! two layers, one of them gell tape.
so ?

oh it just mean you have more than 1 option of protecting your top tube that all.

At the track in Dallas TX it is common to see TT protectors made from wrapping clear tape around and around the tube building up like a 5mm thick wrap.

I was impressed by how good it works if you do it carefully.

Just have to take your headtube off in order to stretch it over too!

Shirley you can't be serious!

just a hint of sarcasm about an idea which wouldn't work unless you slit the pipe, which you would then have to tape on, which would look shit.

Have you ever seen the pipe I'm talking about?
With a good clean cut down the pipe, it's thick enough to hold it's shape around the frame without using tape. at the very lease a couple of clear zip ties, so, no, it would look fine.

I've got a top tube protector made out of a sort of slinky spring thing, its falling to bits now but my top tubes fine

i used a bit of old tyre cut down and secured it by pulling it tight around the tube then glueing it with some glue from a puncture repair kit, that way you don't need to have any tape.

Yea i've got three aquariums in my house, let me know how it works out

this could be the most minimalist alternative.

At a push, you could try Pashley's leather frame protector. At £25, it makes a nice handle too.

A picture of it on the Guvnor:

^ I wish I could afford the guvnor