Is it ok for a bike to be stored outdoors (with waterproof cover and propped against a wall)?
September26
I don’t have a garage, nor much space in my house. Would it do my moutain bike any harm to be left outside all year (covered of course)?
Bicycles need to be loved.
Leaving it alone out in the cold and dark will cause it to silently brood and eventually cause a psychotic break. You’re in for an unpleasant surprise when you attempt to mount it again in the Spring.
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Yeah thats fine, afterall its just a bike just make sure its propeerly locked so no one will rob the bike
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Be fine, just make sure the water can’t get at it or it can’t be stolen.
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Not if it’s covered. It might get stolen though.
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If it’s covered it’ll be fine mine’s been out there for years and it’s as good as new!
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It’s ok…(she said hesitantly) but depending on where you live, the cold and wet could still cause some rust. If you do it, just be sure to give the bike a good once-over and maintenance before you start riding again in the Spring.
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If im right there is some sort of grease or oil you can coat it with to protect it.
http://www.sandsmachine.com/guide_w.htm
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as long as no water or snow can get at it to rust ti it will be fine, also depending on where yuou are you may want to lock it up. :]
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sure , why not. The only thing to consider is it safe? If you are in a city, theft is a big worry. By a "U" lock and lock it to something solid like a pole so it can’t be stolen. Most good "U" locks have insurance that if the bike is stolen they will pay up to $1000.
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It may get a little rusty if it gets too much condensation or rain on it – make sure it is well covered and it should be fine
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No, you should be fine.
if you had no cover then the chains would rust and start to sag and your breaks would erode, and gears would probably start to build up with dirt and rust.
but you have a cover, the only thing you may need to do regularly is get the tires inflated due to the hot and cold air.
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this one entirely depends on where you bought your bike. If it is a department store bike then it wont really matter where you leave it – it will rust somewhere! now if you have a bike that is worthy of a bike shop and you paid a bit more for a better bike with quality components then you might stand a chance for a longer time before you see some degradation in the overall appearance. Any kind of cover you put over it will protect from rain yes, but how about humidity? That one factor alone will create rust. Now you have something to think about and if you did pay a bit more for this one you might want to make some indoor sacrifice and keep it inside?! you can stand the bike on its head if you want leaning it up will make no difference just don’t ever lay it down on the drive side!
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bike mechanic in VA
I had an Old Mountain Bike in a Shed and it got bits of Rust on the Handlebars and the Chain. So if you Coat it in 3in one Oil, Rub Oil over it with a Rag on the Parts that you think will Rust . Actually just cover it all over with the Oil and you should be Safe. Just Inspect it from time to time, Take it out and check it for signs of Rust.
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You want to keep it indoors if you can. Putting plastic or other water proof material over a bike will trap moisture under it and really cause it to rust.
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The cheaper the bike, the more damage it will sustain. Better quality bikes use alloys and stainless instead of mild steel in many components. However, I would not recommended storing any bike outside unless you have no option.
Even a top notch bike will eventually suffer the consequences. If it’s not stolen first.
If you ride in the wet and put it away, the moisture can’t evaporate through the cover and will remain trapped under it along with your bike. Also, the ground under the cover will get wet and as it evaporates upwards it will again be trapped under the cover with your bike.
I lived in a flat where there was barely room to swing a cat. I made sure I found a place for my bikes though. They’re more valuable than anything else I own.
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You should be okay, make sure the cover covers completely on the top end, and perhaps a little opened on the bottom so no moisture air is trapped inside. The main issue is if you have it secured? I’ve lived in an apartment and I’ve kept it in the balcony covered and everything was okay. Since its on 3rd floor there’s much less risk of theft. If you’re really afraid about rust on chains then do a good cleaning and apply a good amount of lube on your chains before you store it. Be sure to have a tire pump when you’re ready to ride it again, as it will deflate quite a bit in spring.
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Get yourself a rack and hang it against some wall in the house. Make room for it. The bike will be subject to rust and corrosion when wrapped up outside. It really doesn’t matter if it is a $50 or $5,000 bike. You will be trapping moisture inside the cover.
With the temperature changes moisture will appear on the metal. That is because warming metal forms moisture from the air on the surface and it doesn’t take much of a temperature change to make this happen. By having it covered that moisture can’t evaporate and it sits on the metal and corrodes it.
A proper coating to resist the rust would have to be a cosmoline. Oil will simply not work as you can’t insure it will stay in proper millage necessary to prevent rust. (it can drip off!) Then when you want to ride the bike again you have to clean the cosmoline off!
That is why I started by saying keep it inside. The simple solution!
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmoline
http://www.schafco.com/cosmoline.asp
http://webfiles.acuitysp.com/PSR/zeppsr/psr_0152.PDF
Bicycles need to be loved.
Leaving it alone out in the cold and dark will cause it to silently brood and eventually cause a psychotic break. You’re in for an unpleasant surprise when you attempt to mount it again in the Spring.
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put it in your roof?
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No to the first question and yes to the second.
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You can get a hook in bike shops that allows you to hang the bike from the ceiling, saving lots of space.
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