How to store a bike that will be unusued for at least 1 year

v2p
v2p Posts: 36
edited July 2016 in Workshop
So I'm going to be abroad for about a year, and will be storing my bike at my parents place. Is there any advice about how to store the bike, other than keeping it in a cool, dry place?

Should I lube up the chain and then just leave it for a year, or should I completely clean and dry the chain instead?

Should I deflate all the tyres?

Comments

  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,340
    cool dry place, put a sheet over it to keep off dust

    leave tyres inflated, leave it lubed

    you could hang it up to avoid the tyres/tubes being compressed, though clinchers/butyl tubes will probably be fine anyway
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • mallorcajeff
    mallorcajeff Posts: 1,489
    "All the tyres" ? How many you got :shock:

    Just somehwere dry and safe nothing will happen to it?
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    Yep - as long as it's dry, then you'll be just fine.

    I have not used some bikes for over a year at times (primarily my Brompton which goes largely unused until some unusual circumstances make it a useful option for me!); usually a quick pump up of tyres and off I go.
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Empty the water out of the frame and lube all the bearings, don't forget the headset.
  • homers_double
    homers_double Posts: 8,279
    Encase it in Carbonite.
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Bascially, what will go wrong is that anything that can rust will rust - this is most likely to be the chain, but may include the cassette & chainrings depending what they're made of. It's only surface rust and after a good clean or a bit of use they'll clean up and be absolutely fine - you may get a sticky chainlink which will cause skips though.

    I'd suggest taking the tension off the gear & brake cables - just drop into the smallest cogs and release the brake cam (assuming you've got one) - the brake is less critical. Possibly remove the chain and put in a sealed bag - again, not critical and certainly not expensive to replace should it rust.
    Tyres - I wouldn't pump them up or let them down - leave a moderate amount of pressure in there.
    If possible, suspend the bike by the frame - so it's not sitting on the tyres - again, not critical - depends if the bike would get moved about a bit if left ready to go.
    If you can give it a good clean before you go then that would be good - it doesn't do much but nicer to come back to a clean bike than a skanky one!

    Finally - store it in the dark - UV is what kills most things - primarily tyres - get it out of the sun and it'll be fine.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Ive never bothered taking the tension out of cables or anything. I'd just give it a good clean - lube the chain - pump the tyres - dustcover and then a bit of a cardboard box or something over -cos someone will drop something on it...
  • the_cyclist_of_catan
    the_cyclist_of_catan Posts: 354
    Mine's recently survived a ten month layup, and I suspect that it was a bit damp to begin with.

    Leave the chain lubed, and WD40 on all the usual points. Mine was hung up, better for the tyres that way.
    They use their cars as shopping baskets; they use their cars as overcoats.
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Sell it and buy a new one when you get back.
  • Nick Payne
    Nick Payne Posts: 288
    I wouldn't bother with doing anything special. Some of my bikes sometimes don't get ridden for well over a year, and in between uses they just hang from a hook in the garage along with the other bikes. I just pump the tyres, check the brakes, and ride. I have a touring bike that is stored in my brother's attic in Switzerland, to save having to cart it to and from Australia, where I live, and longest period between uses of that machine has been 12 years. Between visits it just hangs by the front wheel from a large hook screwed into one of the roof joists. When I came back to it after the 12 year hiatus, I just changed the tyres and brake and gear cables, cleaned and oiled the chain, and it took me on a 2000km tour with zero problems.

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