Who’s riding road bikes these days?

[pigman]

And they'll be a lot heavier than plastic plugs

 

[Nabeaquam]

By plugs you mean handlebar plugs? Are shotgun shells circa 20mm? Genuine question, I have no experience

Yes, handlebar plugs. I’ll see if I can take a photo tomorrow of my bike that I already used them in. 16 gauge is approx 16mm and 12 gauge is 18 to 20mm in diameter. Perhaps I need 12 gauge for my plugs.

 

[pigman]

Spokes are 14to 16 gauge and they are about 2mm. Are there different gauge measurements?

 

[jim haseltine]

It's not a true measurement gauge. It's based on a way to calculate how much lead was needed to make shot for smooth-bore weapons.
It's something like how many rounds of the barrel diameter can be cast from a pound of lead, so the smaller the number the wider the barrel.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

I never got the idea of a sportive - to me it just seems like road charging for cyclists.

 

[Mickeyspinn]

And they'll be a lot heavier than plastic plugs

If you leave the plastic body on then about 3 g heavier ...remove it...hmmm my scales can't tell the difference
12 gauge are circa 20.65 mm so it'll depend on how think wall your bars are.

 

[Nabeaquam]

And they'll be a lot heavier than plastic plugs

If you remove the plastic casing their lighter. Nothing much too them. I think their thin steel with brass plating. I can’t remember for sure.

 

[pigman]

I'm obviously missing the point
I thought you were going to make a plug by softening and moulding lead shot. Obviously not

 

[Nabeaquam]

You need 16 gauge for the best fit. 12 is a little too big, 20 gauge slips all the way in. 16 gauge is not used much now so there were none on the ground at the gravel pit. I’ll get some when I go to bird camp, some of the guys use 16. I used a little silicone to hold the 20s in place. I use double foam wrap for my arthritic fingers so the bar tape won’t fit inside, I just want to keep the dirt and water out. Good enough.
How about old fashioned rubber heater hose for grips, or as a replacement for worn out rubber foot rest motorcycle peg covers. Rubber hose is reinforced with cotton so it lasts a long time under your foot.
Brass pistol casing.
And, beer cap dust covers.
This all helps keep cost down. It’s so expensive to ride. When junking a bicycle I keep and recycle some cables and inner tubes as part of a build or to fix a bike. It’s still too expensive, I think the high cost is keeping people away from starting to road ride. Mountain Bikes are in now and I think most people can only afford one bicycle or don’t have storage for multiple bicycles.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

I got 80 rounds of Eley 12 guage in the ammo safe.