Introduction: EZ-EL Wire Bicycle Designs Step-By-Step Tutorial!

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About: Electroluminescent Wire is an amazing technology. Working like a fluorescent light bulb in wire form, it can be applied to just about anything. The possibilities are endless; you can bend it, cut it, splice it…

What's great about EL Wire is that it's great for making any design you want. Especially on objects with spokes, like bicycle wheels or wheelchairs, the wire makes it very fun and enjoyable to make. On my bike, I wove a square and a circle design on the wheels. It was really easy, and it looks AWESOME at night when the wheels are actually spinning. Check it out!

If you like this tutorial, you can find more inspiration at https://ez-el.com/tutorials

Enter coupon code INSTbike at checkout for a discount!

Or if you prefer a visual tutorial: 


Materials:

1. 1 10' Blue EL Wire
2. 1 10' White EL Wire
3. 1 25' Blue EL Wire
4. Wire cutter
5. Tape
6. Zip ties

Step 1: Designing/Planning

For this particular design, the front wheel has a square design and the back wheel has a weaving design within the spokes of the wheel. You can create your own designs for your bikes' wheels.

Step 2: Attach the Circle Design on Back Wheel

After you've created your designs:
A. Attach the extension cable to the inverter and secure the inverter in the center of the wheel. This will be your starting point.
B. Let the extension cable reach the rim of the wheel and start following your pattern from your design.
C. For this weaving design, insert the 25' Blue EL Wire through each spoke of the wheel, creating a continuous "S" design throughout the circumference of the wheel.
D. When the first weave reaches full circle, start weaving the same wire in an opposite "S" direction between of each spoke of the wheel to achieve the "weave" effect.
E. When the second weave reaches full circle again, use a wire cutter to snip off the excess wire.
F. Zip tie or tape down the end of the wire to the bike.

Step 3: Attaching the Square Design on Front Wheel

A. As the same with the circle design, start the pattern with the inverter attached to the extension cable and secure the inverter to the center of the wheel.
B. Let the extension cable reach the rim of the wheel and start your design.
C. For this square design, extend the 10' wire to form the 1st corner of the square.
D. Use a zip tie to secure the corner in a 90 degree angle.
E. Continue this process until the square is complete with the wire ending where it began, resulting in a square shape.
F. Snip off the excess wire with a wire cutter.
G. Zip tie or tape down the end of the wire to the bike.

Step 4: Attaching the Body Design

A. Connect the inverter to the wire and use zip ties to secure the inverter underneath the frame of the bike.
B. Outline the body of the bike with another 10' White EL wire. Use zip ties to secure the wire to the bike.
C. Snip off excess wire when you're done with the design.
D. Zip tie or tape down the end of the wire to the bike.

Enter coupon code INSTbike at checkout for a discount!