Storing a bike outside

kingofthetailwind

My new bike lived in the living room for a couple of weeks, but her indoors has now got her way and I've moved it outside. We live in a tiny house and realistically there's nowhere for it inside.

I have it at the end of our narrow back yard. Its walled on three sides with a well built plastic roof. It's bone dry even in torrential rain. I also keep the tumble dryer in there without any problems.

Is it enough that the bike is kept out of the wind/rain, or would you use a cover as well? There's not much space to manoeuvre in there so taking a cover on and off would be difficult.

tiredofwhiners

It'll get nicked - end of. No doubt miscreants will have inspected the are and concluded that stealing a washing machine isn't worth it.

Before you invest in a shelter, think about a ground anchor and then investigate a garden tool shed - the half height variety and how you might fit the anchor inside it and bolt the whole thing to a heavy concrete base. You could fit that inside your lean-to.

Personally, I'd never leave a bike outside - I'd ratehr buy a bike back and store it in that inside although that may not be an option for you.

simon_masterson

I am disinclined to assume that keeping it in the setup that you've described is any worse than the average garden shed; for damp, anyway. On the other hand, security is a concern. A ground anchor is a pretty obvious choice, and could work well. Unfortunately thieves are debatably more likely to steal that which they can see, but if you get yourself a dirty great shackle or chain (or both), they will hopefully think twice. But you could cover it. It won't make it any less conspicuous I don't suppose.

For reference I keep mine in a bike tent at the moment because I (though not for much longer) live in a block and had trouble with the company that owns it over bike storage (even in the reasonable places I used). In the end they allowed me to keep them in the laundry enclosure, so I bought a bike tent to keep them in. It comes with a fence anchor and a velcro panel that facilitates locking; I use that to anchor the bikes to the fence with a cable and U locks. This also keeps the tent from blowing over in howling gales! Granted my favourite bike is a 30 year old slightly tatty vintage Falcon with 27" wheels, so whilst it has enormous sentimental value to me (having been my dad's), it's not exactly hot property on the street! I couldn't therefore recommend this arrangement particularly highly for anything flashy.

kingofthetailwind

I was going to get a wall anchor and a heavy chain. Presumably the ground anchors are more secure though? But harder to fit?

I don't think there would be room for a half height shed or bike box. This would be ideal though.

elderone

personally,i,d drill and fit a metal ring on a plate to the wall then chain the bike up.Most thieves are opportunists so make it dificult and they will hopefully move on.Also put a lock through each wheel to the frame so any scum bag would at least have to carry it away.

jotko

Put your wife outside next to the tumble drier.

kingofthetailwind

That would at least let her see what a tumble dryer looks like. Then I could put her in the understairs cupboard to show her what a vacuum looks like.

tiredofwhiners

Stupot101 wrote:

I don't think there would be room for a half height shed or bike box.

If you keep your bike in there already, then there is room for one. They can be a few inches wider than your handlebars and as long as your bike. The sort of chest gardeners use to keep tools in.

g00se

I was 'forced' to store baby outside too!

We have a three sided lean to for the beaters but it does lead to rust over winter. For some reason, the open side allows condensation to form on the metal parts (mainly late autumn and early spring) so the inside of bolt heads, chainring bolts, cable ferrules etc. start to corrode.

I've put up a bike shed and it's works a lot better. The closed sides stops the condensation forming.

I've also heard bad things about close fitting bike covers (not the bike tents) if used outside. If you put the cover over the bike if it's still wet (rain, spray, condensation etc.) there is very little room for airflow to help with evaporation - so it'll stay wet longer and rust faster than in more open but sheltered situation.

So it seems a bit of air getting in a closed space helps clear any humidity, but too open and if it's humid outside, then that gets in (I don't mean hot-humid, I mean dewy/raining etc).

So you might want to close off your lean-to with a wooden or canvas door. Also, make sure the air from the tumble drier is chimneyed away from the closed space - otherwise that'll put condensation on everything. Also, a slatted wooden floor will help air get around too and help stop damp creeping up.

mk1markfalkirk

get a wall hanger for your bike and keep it indoors, theres got to be somewhere it can go?

Or as above put your wife out next to the tumble dryer

kingofthetailwind

g00se wrote:

So you might want to close off your lean-to with a wooden or canvas door. Also, make sure the air from the tumble drier is chimneyed away from the closed space - otherwise that'll put condensation on everything. Also, a slatted wooden floor will help air get around too and help stop damp creeping up.

This might be the best solution actually. If I can figure out a way to do it.

The area under the lean to is only about 1m wide and 2.5m long. Garden storage boxes are either too wide or aren't long enough. The bike tents are all 80cm wide which wouldn't leave enough clearance.

The only walls inside that are clear and big enough to take a bike are above the fire, and above the sofa. I think our wedding would be off if a bike suddenly appeared on one of them!

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

tiredofwhiners

Have you seen the enclosed bike storage units at some railway stations - like half sized cupboard with with a door on the end ?

Put one of those in the lean-to and store your junk on top of it ?

nicklouse

Stupot101 wrote:

I was going to get a wall anchor and a heavy chain. Presumably the ground anchors are more secure though? But harder to fit?

I don't think there would be room for a half height shed or bike box. This would be ideal though.

seen this viewtopic.php?f=40027&t=12692768&p=16073186&hilit=wall#p16073186

or

viewtopic.php?f=40027&t=12885817&p=17943834&hilit=wall#p17943834

seriously if it is worth a bit make sure it can not be seen and is not obvious where it is.

a bike sized box is obvious.

get a cycle bag and keep it under the bed.

kingofthetailwind

Actually, it'll fit in the cupboard under the stairs with the front wheel off. Not sure why I didn't think of this before. No issues in taking it on and off often?

One problem solved, now I just need to find homes for all the accumulated crap that was in there!

Thanks for the advice y'all. My warm, dry and safe Triban 3 also says thanks.

nicklouse

Stupot101 wrote:

Actually, it'll fit in the cupboard under the stairs with the front wheel off. Not sure why I didn't think of this before. No issues in taking it on and off often?

One problem solved, now I just need to find homes for all the accumulated crap that was in there!

Thanks for the advice y'all. My warm, dry and safe Triban 3 also says thanks.

No and best option.

And outside.