Spare parts · 2026
3D printed bike parts and accessories
Can you 3D print bike parts?
Yes, accessories and parts that don't hold you up: light, bike computer, phone and camera mounts, bottle cages, caps, cable guides, protectors and covers. Handlebars, stems, seatposts, brakes, pedals, frames and forks, never: if a part can throw you off the bike when it breaks, it isn't printed. The usual materials are ASA or PETG (PLA softens in the sun), and TPU for protectors. A small mount costs €6–€17 (typically €10), excluding VAT and shipping. On Fabrishare, a network of makers, you post the part for free and get quotes within 24–48 hours.
Which bike parts should never be printed?
The rule: if the part holds you, stops you or steers the bike, it isn't printed. An accessory that comes loose is a nuisance; a handlebar that snaps is a crash.
Yes: accessories and parts that don't carry you
- Light, bike computer, phone and camera mounts
- Bottle cages, caps and covers
- Cable guides and grommets, frame and chainstay protectors
- Covers and trim on an e-bike, without opening the battery
- Non-load-bearing parts on kids' bikes and trailers: covers, cover clips, flag holders
Never
- Handlebars, stems, bar ends and seatposts
- Brakes, levers and any part of the braking system
- Pedals, cleats, cranks and drivetrain parts under load
- Frames, forks and dropouts
- Child seats and the trailer hitch
- The casing that protects an e-bike battery's cells, or anything that means opening it
Bike parts that can be printed
What usually works, by area of the bike:
| Area | Parts that work well | Material | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handlebar | Light, bike computer, phone and camera mounts; adapters between mount systems | ASA or PETG | The exact diameter where it goes (see below) and vibration |
| Frame | Bottle cages, tool holders, chainstay protectors | PETG, ASA or TPU | Bottle cage bolts are 64 mm apart |
| Cables | Guides, grommets, clips and stops | PETG or TPU | They mustn't rub or pinch the housing |
| E-bike | Remote or display mounts, charging port cover, trim | ASA or PETG | Never open the battery or touch its contacts |
| Kids' bikes and trailers | Covers, cover clips, flag holders, basket parts | PETG or TPU | Nothing that holds the child or carries weight |
Which material holds up on a bike?
A bike spends the day outside, in the sun and rain, and vibrating. The material matters more than the shape.
ASA, for anything in the sun
It withstands the sun for years without turning brittle and copes with around 90 °C. It's the choice for mounts and parts on a bike parked outside. It needs an enclosed printer, which not every maker has.
PETG, the all-rounder
Tough, slightly flexible and good with water; it softens at around 70 °C. In direct sun it yellows over the years unless painted. Fine for bottle cages, cable guides and most other parts.
TPU, for parts that need to give
It's flexible: frame and chainstay protectors, bumpers, caps and sleeves that absorb knocks and rubbing.
Nylon, for parts that take knocks
The toughest option for parts that take impacts or wear. It absorbs moisture and is harder to print, so not every maker works with it.
PLA, no
It softens from around 55 °C and degrades in the sun: no good for a bike that lives outdoors.
How to measure so the mount fits
Bikes use a handful of standard diameters. Measure with callipers exactly where the part will go: a handlebar isn't the same thickness in the middle as at the grips.
| Where | Common diameters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flat bar, grip and controls area | 22.2 mm | Mountain, city and most e-bikes |
| Drop bar, lever and tape area | 23.8 mm | Road and gravel bikes |
| Middle of the bar, by the stem | 25.4 mm, 31.8 mm or 35 mm | 31.8 mm is the most common today; 25.4 mm on older and town bikes |
| Bottle cage | 2 M5 bolts, 64 mm apart | The standard on almost every frame with bosses |
No callipers? Wrap a strip of paper round the tube, mark where it meets, measure the length and divide by 3.14. And send a photo of the area with a ruler next to it.
When printing a bike part makes sense
Printing isn't always the cheapest option. It's worth it in these cases:
It's no longer sold
A cover, a clip or a light mount the brand stopped making, on a bike that's otherwise perfectly fine.
Fitting an accessory to your bike
A bike computer from one system on another's mount, a light on a bar of a different diameter, a camera where there's no room.
Custom adaptersIt doesn't exist
A mount for your mix of light, phone and bell, or a tool holder for the space in your frame: designed for your bike.
No STL file?Several identical parts
For a club, a shop or a bike fleet: runs bring it down to about €3.65 each for 100 small parts.
Small batch 3D printingWhen not to
If the original mount is cheap and fits, buy it. And if the part is safety-related, take it to a bike shop.
How much does it cost to 3D print a bike part?
A mount, a clip or a cable guide is a small FDM part: €6–€17, typically €10. A bigger part, such as a cover or a tool holder, is around €12. Excluding VAT and shipping, and ASA or PETG barely changes it: on a small part, labour weighs more than material.
If the maker has to design it from photos and measurements, the design is charged separately and shown in their offer.
How to order a part for your bike
- 1Post your project for free: the STL file if you have it, or photos with a ruler, the diameter where it goes and the bike or accessory model.
- 2Say whether the bike is kept outside or indoors, so the maker can choose between ASA, PETG or TPU.
- 3Within 24–48 hours you get offers with price, material and lead time. You choose one, and the maker prints it and ships it to you.
Questions about 3D printed bike parts
Can you 3D print bike parts?
Yes, accessories and parts that don't hold you up: light, bike computer, phone and camera mounts, bottle cages, caps, cable guides, protectors and covers. Anything that holds you, stops you or steers the bike, never.
Which bike parts should never be 3D printed?
Handlebars, stems, bar ends, seatposts, brakes and levers, pedals and cranks, frames, forks, child seats and trailer hitches. The rule: if it can throw you off the bike when it breaks, it isn't printed.
Which material is best for a bike?
ASA for anything that spends the day in the sun, PETG for most other parts and TPU for protectors and bumpers that need to give. Not PLA: it softens from around 55 °C and the sun degrades it.
How much does a 3D printed mount cost?
A small mount costs €6–€17, typically €10, excluding VAT and shipping. A bigger part is around €12. If it needs designing, the design is extra.
What diameter is my handlebar?
At the grips of a flat bar, 22.2 mm; at the lever area of a drop bar, 23.8 mm. In the middle, by the stem, 31.8 mm on most current bikes, 25.4 mm on older and town bikes and 35 mm on some mountain bikes. Measure with callipers where the mount goes.
Can I get a mount that fits my bike computer or light?
Yes. Quarter-turn mounts (Garmin, Wahoo and many others) and light clamps are printed all the time: give the device model and the handlebar diameter. There are free designs licensed for printing; if not, a maker can design one.
What about e-bike parts?
Remote or display mounts, the charging port cover and trim, yes. The battery isn't opened, and the casing that protects the cells isn't replaced: that's for the brand's service centre.
I don't have a file. Can it still be done?
Yes. Send photos from every side with a ruler next to the part, the diameter where it goes and the bike or accessory model. Some makers in the network design the part; the design is quoted separately.
How long does it take?
Offers arrive within 24–48 hours. A small part prints in under an hour; each maker gives the total lead time, shipping included, in their offer.