Zip Ties

[foo_fighter]

Does anyone have a good source for zip ties? I'm looking for the thin kind that usually come with bike computers. Whenever I try to find them, they are only available in 4" lengths which is not enough to get around every tube.

Thanks!

[54ny77]

home depot electrical section. they have tons, and cheap. or your nearest electrician's supply house (if they sell to public).

[Tony T]

Search Cable Ties (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_10?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=cable+ties&sprefix=cable+ties%2Caps%2C217) at Amazon

[foo_fighter]

Okay, after some sleuthing, they are called "miniature cable ties." I'm pretty sure you can't them them in the longer lengths at Home Depot, Lowe's, OSH, or even electronic specialty stores like Fry's.

Mine actually measure 0.09 inches. These are 0.1 inches so that's close enough. Mainly the wide ones don't fit though the slots of some magnets or cadence/wheel sensors and are more conspicuous.

Here are some links:

http://www.securecableties.com/8-inch-black-miniature-nylon-cable-tie-100-pack

http://www.amazon.com/Inch-Black-Miniature-Nylon-Cable/dp/B004FV2LF2/ref=sr_1_13?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1399223872&sr=1-13&keywords=miniature+cable+ties#productDetails

[54ny77]

thanks for that cabletie link. sounds like those will fit your needs....unless you only ride in alaska during winter and with a tandy trs-80 computer mounted to your stem. :p

" -40°F to 185°F and can support a maximum weight of 18lbs. "

[zmudshark]

Harbor Freight $2/100
http://www.harborfreight.com/100-piece-8-black-cable-ties-60263.html

[11.4]

The ones you want are made by Thomas & Betts, come in all sizes, in translucent white and black and probably other colors as well. The particular model has a very high breaking strength and a very tiny head because the actual latching lever is made from stainless steel. It means the grooving on the strap part itself is rather subtle. The edges are smoothed and rounded, as is the head, so you don't have snags or have unnecessary dirt collecting. Breaking strength is something like 70 lbs -- 3-4 times what the basic plastic ones test out at.

You have to go to an electrical supply for them, or you can usually find them on Amazon or eBay. They are so much more subtle than the cheap ones and work so much better, there's no reason to use anything else. A package will last you forever. I usually just buy the 11 inch ones because they are thin enough to fit practically anything including hydraulic cable mounting saddles.

[tigoat]

You may use two together to double up if they are too short.

[dogdriver]

Yep-- HD, Lowe's, Harbor Freight, etc all have the pleasure pack of zip ties for cheap. As I recall, you can choose between black, clear-ish, or an assortment of colors. Cheap enough that what you buy will be a lifetime supply unless you run a bike shop.

[PaulE]

Someone posted this a while back and I bookmarked it, but haven't had an opportunity to buy anything from them yet.

http://www.cableties.com/

[enr1co]

Search Cable Ties (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_10?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=cable+ties&sprefix=cable+ties%2Caps%2C217) at Amazon

Avoid this Amazon reseller/source:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BFKK8VA/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cheap but you get what you pay for. Used a few and they were so brittle they snapped before barely a snug cinch.

[grailedmund]

home depot should be good

[54ny77]

for whatever it's worth, something specific from an electrical supply house or home depot (from a reputable electrical supply company) might have a better shot at lasting outdoors, via uv degradation, weather, etc., than cheap junk ordered online.

but, that's a maybe. who the heck knows. i can only speak from experience, as i've got coax cables zip tied together from the roof down to the splitters at certain points. they've survived a handful of nasty winter/summer cycles without incident.

[Davist]

As above, the ones you want are from Thomas and Betts, my employer, who invented them. We have all kinds of sizes and colors, and we sell through the big box home improvement centers. Look for the oval head, smooth back (not sawtooth which creates weak points) and steel barb. The "natural" whitish color is not UV resistant. The colors are UV resistant and weight rated. They're UL listed if that matters, too (those with electrical shifting maybe!) The brand name is Ty-rap. :)

[54ny77]

Cool! I will look for your company's stuff and get some. I need some more for a few specific outdoor use projects. Thanks for the heads-up on the white being non-UV.

As above, the ones you want are from Thomas and Betts, my employer, who invented them. We have all kinds of sizes and colors, and we sell through the big box home improvement centers. Look for the oval head, smooth back (not sawtooth which creates weak points) and steel barb. The "natural" whitish color is not UV resistant. The colors are UV resistant and weight rated. They're UL listed if that matters, too (those with electrical shifting maybe!) The brand name is Ty-rap. :)

[torquer]

Not sure if the answer to the OP's question is in here, but this is one of my all-time favorite threads on this forum:
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=123156&highlight=zip+ties
(Yeah, I'm funny that way. 3 pages, 36 replies. This is the kind of stuff that keeps me coming back here.)

[foo_fighter]

wow...epic. Learned a lot.


Not sure if the answer to the OP's question is in here, but this is one of my all-time favorite threads on this forum:
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=123156&highlight=zip+ties
(Yeah, I'm funny that way. 3 pages, 36 replies. This is the kind of stuff that keeps me coming back here.)

[Wilkinson4]

http://www.fastenal.com/web/home

mIKE

[11.4]

wow...epic.

Why are you all ragging on a thread about zip ties? There's a thread on this subject every year or two. It's an IMPORTANT subject! You learned something important from this thread, right, and saved yourself from a long ride home without the continuous flow of data from your GSC-10 speed and cadence sensor? What do you think is important around here? Really! Jeez! Don't you recognize what's really important in cycling, and thus in life? Try harder, folks! (Let's get to 50 posts!)

[54ny77]

http://ziptieguy.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/zip-tie-room-art.jpg?w=640&h=392&crop=1

http://www.nelcoproducts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sea-urchin-the-amazing-hand-made-chair.jpg

http://mountainize.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/snow_rclose_blog.jpg

[Louis]

McMaster-Carr Link Here (http://www.mcmaster.com/#)

Greatest catalog EVER bar none, including bike catalogs. Massively informative and they have nearly everything you could ever want, other than bike-specific stuff.

If you don't enjoy just flipping through this you aren't qualified to even think about doing bike maintenance, or nearly any other type of real work with your head or your hands.

http://www.businesspundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/mcmaster-carr.jpg

[54ny77]

http://images1.mcmaster.com/Contents/gfx/large/2701t36p1l.png?ver=27514816

http://www.mcmaster.com/#cycles/=rubhui


McMaster-Carr Link Here (http://www.mcmaster.com/#)

Greatest catalog EVER bar none, including bike catalogs. Massively informative and they have nearly everything you could ever want, other than bike-specific stuff.

If you don't enjoy just flipping through this you aren't qualified to even think about doing bike maintenance, or nearly any other type of real work with your head or your hands.

http://www.businesspundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/mcmaster-carr.jpg

[11.4]

That's talkin'!

So here's a reward for all you zip tie fetishists!

http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/tradecraft/how-to-escape-from-zip-ties/

[Louis]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#cycles/=rubhui

OK, so they really do have everything. (Except the types of bikes those Lycra-wearing wimps tend to ride.)

[Louis]

That's talkin'!

So here's a reward for all you zip tie fetishists!

http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/tradecraft/how-to-escape-from-zip-ties/

Can the links to deviantart.com be far behind? ;)

[54ny77]

http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac113/mahimama/new/1073_zpsaef13993.jpg

[Louis]

And proud of it, because otherwise they would have used white ties!

[Louis]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTbQPx91LUiV7SMuEkzAC9ft6qwZLOmu HtdZPJcRSznEBoluEpF

[Louis]

http://www.bikehacks.com/.a/6a0120a7ed5f9d970b013489655114970c-pi

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSXBHkb8Eu0Dbp3q2Vl7e2hUZ4fZfi1T KTj9lkktjsGygLn5Xw23Q

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSdpuTD8j_Ft_POnwDTw84LQVppP1Exf 33H8FgbOqDeYG26IrsylQ

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/news/2008/06/13/CYP211.workshop.cabletie_prev-300-70.jpg

[11.4]

Gawd, I'm in heaven.