GlennR

Funny but I don' recommend any of these.

OldsCOOL

Oh man, the tire trick....

Seriously, I never let my bike out of sight. I guess you wait for a bathroom stop??

Oldguyonoldbike

Funny in a video. I hope none of my friends see this.

Dave Cutter

I like the idea of a bell. Placed in the handlebars.... or maybe just attached under the saddle with a twist tie, or dropped into the saddle bag.
Hilarious... and harmless!

trailangel

Not funny at all. Art's should be ashamed for publishing this juvenile stuff. I was thinking about shopping at Art's next time I went through SLO, but now I will not.

GlennR

Most are harmless, but the fish down the seat tube is nasty... what next? Cut part way through the downtube and wait for the rider to get out of the saddle?

I sort of agree... it would of been better not to post.

OldsCOOL

I loved it. Laughed all the way through the video. In fact, I would visit his shop because of it.

trailangel

Yes, ride your Colnago and park it out front so they can F with it.

osco53

I don't know a single rider who would disrespect a bike, the sport or a rider in this way.

But still they were amusing

OldsCOOL

You obviously missed my first post. Go back and read. I never let my bike out of my sight when it's out of the house.

2manybikes

Just add one extra computer magnet to the wheel. That will double his speed.

Kindaslow

My best friend in college and I would have done every one of these and more, we just happened to think of other jokes. We never messed with other people's bikes, just each other. Kept between good friends, I love it.

canklecat

The noisemakers and stinkers were fine -- I've done those in all kinds of situations, including at work.

Messing with someone's adjustments -- helmet straps, seat post, handlebars -- not cool. Any risk of injury negates the funny. Messing with handlebars might throw off someone's balance when they're tired and negotiating a rutted road. Messing with the seat post height might aggravate a knee injury that they haven't mentioned. And if they can't quickly re-adjust the helmet to fit properly they might suffer a serious head injury, or skip wearing the brain protector until they get back home.

There are so many low cost, semi-high tech pranks available too, including inexpensive motion activated noisemakers than can be taped under a saddle or rear rack. After Halloween I buy the discounted doodads that scream when moved, or the simple "headknocker" skeleton rattlers. Or remove the recording doodads from greeting cards and rig them up under the saddle, inside a handlebar bag, etc.

skijor

Rubberband around the rear caliper. Just strong enough to create a little drag, and yet not immediately noticeable.

Dave Cutter

+1 And that is the way it is! None of my friends would ever screw with any of my bikes (or me with theirs). But that doesn't mean that they don't have other friends that are jokesters. I know my Dad had a couple close buddies that would do that sort of stuff. But most other people were held an arms length from such shenanigans.

If you and your friends enjoy such reasonably harmless pranks.... more power (and enjoyment) to you!

OldsCOOL

There it is. What's a little fun between friends.

Biker395 

Oooo. I really like the ball bearings/grease in the handlebar trick. The really sinister part is the little dab of grease.

Wileyrat

This is about the only one that I wouldn't find new riding friends over.

I'm like oldsCOOL though, when I ride, my bike is never out of sight, so it wouldn't happen anyway.

funbikerchick

What is the purpose of the grease?

canklecat

The maddeningly intermittent effect. It'll break loose from the grease only on harder bumps or going fast. Adds to the impression something might be broken or about to break.

My stupid comfortable padded saddle did that to me recently. Could have sworn it was the bottom bracket. Turns out it was just the multi-part comfy saddle creaking, but it only made that noise on harder bumps or when I seemed to be mashing harder on the pedals. This is my first aluminum frame bike and the fatter hollow tubes exaggerate minor noises, compared with the skinny frame steel I was accustomed to.

GravelMN

Occassional good natured gags can build comradery among friends. The problems come when someone takes it too far. An endless stream of gags gets old in a hurry and "upping the anti" leads gags that can get mean spirited or even damaging/dangerous. That said, a friendly joke once in a while and a good sense of humor when the payback comes can add to the enjoyment of the sport.

- A zip tie around the NDS chain stay with the end left just long enough to contact the spokes works just like the old baseball card in the spokes that every kid did back in the 1970s. It creates an subtle but irritating buzz but causes no damage or risk. It can be done quickly at a rest stop. On a black bike it can be hard to spot quickly as most people will look at the drive side first.

- Gag shops sell fart scent spray. Wedge a small black sponge under a rider's seat rails and give it a good strong blast of the spray at a rest stop. With a little luck the rider won't notice right away, but anyone drafting him/her will. Again no risk or damage and quickly reversible once discovered.

I would never mess with anyone's bike settings or do anything that could cause damage or any risk.

Miele Man

Check out the seatpost when he removes it about the 1:48 point. There's not very much of it in the seat tube and even less in the seat tube below the top tube. I'd be afraid that either that seatpost will break or the seat tube above the top tube will break.

Cheers