While I was home sick from work yesterday, I was feeling useless and thinking of something that I could do without much effort. On my last trip to San Diego, I got worried about the cheap plastic dropout savers we normally use when shipping bikes. These are usually free from the LBS and are better than nothing, but I’d rather have something more stout. I have “faith” in baggage handlers and shipping services, yet…well, you know.

I did some digging on the internet and saw some folks had made dropout savers out of wood. These are definitely stronger than plastic, but I was wondering if there was something easier to make. That’s when I started thinking about my portable cyclocross barriers that I made out of PVC pipe. I took a few measurements on my bike and went shopping the next day at Home Depot when I was feeling better.

Here’s what I used to make the dropout savers:

2 – 3/8″ x 6″ bolts w/nuts

1 – 1/2″ x 100 mm PVC pipe

1 – 1/2″ x 130 mm PVC pipe

I cut the PVC pipe with a hacksaw and one of the bolts with a Dremel to match the size of the dropouts. If you have MTB, you’ll likely need an 8″ bolt and cut it down. These fit perfectly and could easily be installed with 9/16″ wrench and/or pliers. I’ll try these on my next trip and let you know how they work.