instructables

Retread Running Shoes With Upcycled Bike Tire

by rarice

I'm a big fan of running shoes with thinner soles given they are lighter and force me to run with better form. But, I
am also really unsatis ed with their lifetime. These Merrells were great for about a year before the sole wore out
and started getting holes, making them an indoor only shoe. At the same time the rest of the shoe has held up well
enough that I don't want to just throw them out.

Solution? Find a way to replace the sole. Since the sole is so integrated in the structure of the shoe I needed a way
just to replace the bottom layer. I happened to have an old mountain bike tire with good tread on it that was thin
enough that I could shape it to the bottom of my shoe. Combine that with the right rubber glue and I have my x!

In this case Boot-Fix Glue does the trick. Very good for rubber-to-rubber adhesion and a exible nished product,
perfect for replacing the soles.

If you like this project, vote for me in the Trash to Treasure Contest!

Supplies:

Old pair of running shoes

Boot-Fix Glue (https://www.amazon.com/Boot-Fix-Shoe-Glue-Instant-Professional/dp/B00Q3IDN5M)
Scissors
Pen
Sander (I stapled a strip of sand paper to a piece of scrap wood)

Cost:

This project cost me $15 for the Boot-Fix Glue. For two shoes I used only ~1/3 of the glue, if that.

If you don't have a mountain bike tire, you ask nicely at a bicycle repair shop if they have any they are
throwing out you could use for an art project.
For the scissors, do n' t us e y o ur pre m ium pa ir. There are usually bers built into tire structures
to make them more durable. These can sometimes be metal and will damage a good pair of scissors. I
used an old pair I didn't care about. YMMV
I'm assuming you will already have old running shoes to x coming in to this, so I'm not counting the
cost of the shoes.

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Step 1: Prepare Shoe Soles

For the glue to work, the sole of the shoe needs to be clean of dirt and mud, as well as dry. Any rough parts of the
sole must also be sanded smooth to make a good surface for the tire to attach. I used a simple sanding stick I made
by stapling a strip of sandpaper to a piece of scrapwood.

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 1

1. I've had these shoes for a while now...

1. This is where holes start to form

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 1

1. simple sanding stick!

Step 2: Cut Tire

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To cut the tire, I decided to cut strips of tread that
would be applied across the width of the sole, not
from end to end. I decided to apply tread starting
from the heel and working toward the toe. On the tire
I cut strips with ~1cm margins around the tread (see
above). I then trimmed the strip of tread to t the
heel. I left some of the smooth margin of the tire on
Retread Running Shoes With Upcycled Bike Tire: Page 5
the toe-side of the tread so the next piece can overlap
(see pictures), creating a watertight layer on the sole.
Double check the t here before moving on to gluing.
It will be more trouble than its worth to try and
remove the tread once it is glued on.
1. leave about 1cm on either side of the tread
1. trace out your sole
 1

1. Leave some of the smooth margin of the tire for the next section to
overlap. Here I didn't leave enough. See the repeat step for more pictures.

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Step 3: Glue New Tread

Again, starting with the heel of the shoe and working forward. I applied a thin layer of glue around the perimeter
of the tread and made an "X" across the center so that each part is glued tightly to the sole. Fit the tread onto the
sole and use your ngers to press tightly everywhere there is glue. Hold 10-45 seconds until the tread is fully
adhered. Make sure the perimeter of the tread is well glued. (See your glue instructions)

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 1

1. Remember to make an "X" in the center so the entire tread is adhered 1. press firmly to ensure good adhesion

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 1

1. I'm using my finger to make sure the perimeter adheres well

Step 4: Repeat

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Trace out and cut another piece of tread from your
tire. I found a bic pen works well enough to mark the
tire. For larger pieces consider adding a second "X" to
make sure the center of the tread is also glued to the
sole.
The trick in adding layers is to overlap the previous
piece of tread so that they stack like shingles, rather
2
1. Note how I cut the margin off one side
2. and left the margin on, on the other
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than gluing them just next to each other like kitchen /
bathroom tiles. This will build a single waterproof
layer on the bottom of your shoe, covering any holes
that were there (particularly important for my case).
Continue until the entire sole is covered, adding glue
to any areas and repressing as you go.
1
1. This smooth section is where the next piece will overlap
 1 1

1. shape tread conservatively, careful not to cut too 1. for bigger tread sections, I used two "X"s in the center.
much off

1. Note the overlap of tread 1. Good overlap

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Step 5: Finishing Tread

To nish the tread I wanted to add a lip to the toe so the tread won't peel o if I drag my feet. You may have a wide
enough piece of tread to simply cut a lip within a larger section of tread before gluing, or it might not be quite wide
enough. In that case I used the smoother part of the tire to glue a toe lip on before gluing the nal piece of tread
over that.

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 2

1. "Toe Lip" 1. This toe lip I made with a single, larger section of tread.
2. This toe lip I made from two smaller smooth sections of the tire before
gluing the final piece of tread over them.

1. Underside of a toe lip 1. This is an example of good overlap between sections of tread. Note the
long smooth tail underneath the next tread section.

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Step 6: You Did It!

Congratulations! If nothing catastrophic went wrong
you have saved one more pair of shoes from a land ll,
along with a bike tire! Plus if the tread ever comes o ,
there should be plenty of tread and glue left to x it
again.
Thanks for reading and let me know how your shoe
repair went in the comments!
If you like the project, vote for me in the Trash to
Treasure Contest!

1. You did it!

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