Preparing mtb's for winter storage - Any ideas/suggestions??

crazee_jamie

I'll be storing my fleet of Specilazed bikes away during the winter season and would love to hear nay thoughts, or advice on what I should do to help keep the bikes in good condition till next summer. I'll be making the following adjustments to the bikes, but any advise would really be welcome

Can anyone make suggestions on ways to help the bikes relax during the winter -i.e should I grease chains, or just give them a seriously good lubin'

Here's what I've come up with so far - PLEASE let me know if there's more stuff I can do to help the bikes.


Thorough cleaning of frame & forks

Pedals taken off (for better packing)

Stem twisted (again for easier storage)

Air let out of tyres

Cassettes cleaned

Freehubs cleaned



Any advice would be appreciated


Thanks

Jamie

Splasher

Sorry, can't help. I understand all the words you used but still don't understand your question. What does "putting your bikes away for winter" mean?

aaron_mc_c

dont be puttin the bike away!!! the more you ride in the winter the better rider you'll be come next summer!!!

dennisn

I thought MTB's were what most people rode during the winter :?: :?: :?:
Come to think of it that's the difference between an expert biker and a real biker -
The expert biker moans and groans about the end of the cycling season - The real
biker didn't know that there was a cycling season.


Dennis Noward

aaron_mc_c

couldn't put it better myself Dennis

dave_hill

Don't really understand why you're doing but...

One thing I used to do with my motorbike when I "winterised" it was to take the brake pads out, push the pistons right back into the calipers and thread some thick plasticised cardboard (like the stuff they make estate-agent's signs from - my ex-neighbour never twigged why his disappeared...) between the pistons and the disks. Stops the pads welding to the discs over the winter.

But then motorbike discs are more often cast iron than stainless steel, so it was more of an issue.

nicklouse

clean bikes as normal send parts of for servicing etc........

rebuild and hang up.

kegs

I'm guessing this is a rental fleet, And I reckon there are others things to do in the Austrian Alps in winter

Probably as good a time as any to give the bikes a full service and regrease, well the hubs, BB, headset etc.

Putting the mechs into the slackest settings (small/small) so they aren't spending a few months stretching the gear cables might be an idea as well.

Dunno whether a good coating of lube would last all winter, but if you put grease on the chain you'll have to clean them thoroughly and relube them when you are getting them ready for next season.

cjw

Splasher wrote:

Sorry, can't help. I understand all the words you used but still don't understand your question. What does "putting your bikes away for winter" mean?

That's what I was thinking. My bike preparation for winter has been to... replace chain and few other bits and pieces. Buy Goretex cycling boots. Buy couple of new baselayers. Treated self to new Jersey. Treated bike to new XTR pedals because it's been good all 'summer' - and I needed some cleats for the new boots (poor excuse I know). Now I'm ready to go

clarkson

storage!! winter!! my bikes dont know the meaning of the word!! riding through winter helps you appreciate the dry trails more. when they arrive anyway. i wouldnt do the smallest ring smallest ring thing; the chain will be at the worst possible angle. try and keep the chainline straight.

id get the suspension serviced too.

cjw

This was my last winter storage...

ddraver

put full suss away - remove hardtail - done!!

Anonymous

this is what my winter storage entails


I find that a bit of snow helps, er, I dunno, something I suppose.

EDIT:
but this year, of course, I will have to share my MTBing time with boblseighing.

cjw

Now that's proper winter storage

impished

Ok, here's my concept of winter storage

Never quite know what the South Downs are throw at ya

nicklouse

it stands up on its own.

Anonymous

cool bikestand, Nick. Are those specific to Sweden, or can I import them?

stumpyjon

Is that specially pimped so you can't lose it in the snow?

OP

is letting the air out of the tyres a good thing? I'd have thought it would help support the tyre?

nicklouse

stumpyjon
yep lost the pink now.

Mancunianfightingcat

I have a similar bikestand to Nick



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cjw

No one was delivering those bike stands around Essex last year. Maybe this year

Mancunianfightingcat

I got mine in the Yorkshire Dales in March, stupidly I left it there though, when I went back in May, some one had made off with it! The swines!!!!!

cjw

Mancunianfightingcat wrote:

I got mine in the Yorkshire Dales in March, stupidly I left it there though, when I went back in May, some one had made off with it! The swines!!!!!

Thieving gits :evil: Maybe they'll get fed up with it and put it back in the new year...

crazee_jamie

Maybe I should explain a little more, as I'd love to ride in the winter, but not where I live!!!

I'm currently living / working in Kaprun, Austria. I currently run a fleet of 43 Specialized mtbs for a UK tour Operator. I should have stated that the bike fleet wont be used during winter as it becomes a ski resort here - I'm not in the UK guys....

I've thought about buying studded tyres. Just dont think they'll work too well in two foot of snow!!!!

Any further ideas on winter storage and prep for next summer would be appreciated


Cheers


Jamie

ride_whenever

If they are hire fleets then I'd say number all the forks and shocks and send them away for servicing.

Thoroughly clean and re-lube everything and store them in a warm dry place.

cjw

crazee_jamie wrote:

Maybe I should explain a little more, as I'd love to ride in the winter, but not where I live!!!

I'm currently living / working in Kaprun, Austria. I currently run a fleet of 43 Specialized mtbs for a UK tour Operator. I should have stated that the bike fleet wont be used during winter as it becomes a ski resort here - I'm not in the UK guys....

I've thought about buying studded tyres. Just dont think they'll work too well in two foot of snow!!!!

Any further ideas on winter storage and prep for next summer would be appreciated


Cheers


Jamie

Hmmmmm.... got a point there, and we were having so much fun

nicklouse

crazee_jamie

if the snow is hard packed then yes studded can help, but they are heavy, Schwalbe Ice spikers.

Otherwise normal Knobblies are great. I am also not UK based

get a set if Ice spikers for your bike and have a play.

Chaka Ping

And there was me thinking I had too many bikes in my garage.

You must have quite a big shed.

crazee_jamie

Great idea about the forks and shocks being serviced, but the company will NEVER pay for that..... The company's run by a bunch of accountants so we pretty much have to make do with what we've got.

Nick - I'm a downhiller, so I'm used to stupidly heavy bikes, maybe I'll buy a pair of spikes & use mine when I'm riding to and from the office during winter.... Maybe I'l just stick with skis & snowboarding instead......

RideWhenever - When you say lube everything - What should I be lubing? Chain, B.b? What else dude?

I've six 08 Enduro comp sl's that all have the front wheel bearings shot - Does anyone know if I need a specific removal tool to get them out???? I've no idea how to replace the bearings.... Uh ohhhh....

Mancunianfightingcat

if you put me up for a week, I'll help you service them, shall we say late January?

Anonymous

krazee jamie, what is your job? I just kind of assumed that anyone who was in charge of a fleet of hire bikes should know how to maintain bikes?