How To Store Bikes Outside: In-Depth Breakdown

Cold, wet, or dry we know anything left outside doesn’t tend to fare well. If you store your bike outside, you need to know how to protect it, even if you’ve got stainless steel.

Overtime things rust or damage due to the long-term effects of mother nature.

Yet, once in blue moon when there isn’t any space in our home we have to make one of the most important decisions in our life.

Should we brave the weather and store our electric bike outside, is it a good idea?

Depending on the situation yes it is. some electric bikes take up space and finding a good place to store them is hard.

If the only option you have is to store outside then it’s a good idea. Just take note of some of the repercussions if it’s not stored outside properly.

Just like traditional bikes, e-bikes have all sorts of moving parts. After a while they can rust or get damaged.

Also, E-bikes are generally more expensive when compared to conventional bikes. We want you to store your electric bike safely, so we wrote this post to help.

To start there three main areas you should focus on. keeping your bike consistently dry, oiled up, and the battery needs to be removed.

1. Start by cleaning it well and making sure it is dry and in good condition.
2. Oil and grease are the key components to use on the cassette and the chain while cleaning. They prevent the bike from rusting.
3. It is also essential to make sure the battery is charged to around 60% is the cue. When the charge drops, do recharge it to approximately 60%. Places such as garages and outside sheds are good ideas, but these areas can go to freezing temperatures. Also, be sure to take the battery with you inside for it to stay warm during winter. There is some good research on the topic here.

Is it OK to store my bike outside?

The best practice is leaving the e-bike in a dry area, if possible. Outdoor sheds and basements are great, but when there is a temperature change, condensation does occur.

The condensation rusts corrode the electrical components in the bike. Battery connectors are also greatly affected. The e-bikes do fit in the cycle racks.

The Perfect Ways To Store Your Bike Outdoors

When it comes to bike storage, the best way will always be indoors like everything. However, if you can’t sustain bike storage indoors then you will have to deal with your bike storage outdoors.

If you ignore these three things, you can potentially damage your bike.

DYING, WASHING, LUBRICATING

If you’re bike is accumulating a lot of dirt before you store the bike, then you must find a way to take it off.

The dirt is supposed to be cleaned before thinking of storing your bike. This is very important because urban dirt consists of aggressive constituents that can break things in your bike.

You should wash it meticulously and wait for it to dry or even wipe it. Use old grease to clean the chain, dry it, and later re-grease it. The break joints, gearshifts, and rollers belonging to the rear derailleur have to be lubricated using oil.

Lithol is a very good type of oil that you can use. When wiping and cleaning your bike, it is recommended that you use a softer cloth.

The cloth has to be in the machine oil and is applied by dropping small drops. A narrow protective film is formed onto the frame after the treatment and dust does not stick.

A remarkable silicone spray is used to treat the tires and protect them from cracking.

These are great ways to maintain your bike while you have the bike storage outside.

THE STRESSED NODES SHOULD BE WEAKENED.

Make sure stressful components in the bike are not in a state of weakness if you don’t want to get into problems. Such problems mostly happen during spring, having a rusting switch spring.

The V-breaks have to be opened. One needs to switch the chains to a small sprocket of which the gears 1-7.

LOWER/INFLATE THE WHEELS

First, understand the bike storage strategy before thinking about preparing the wheels. The tires need to be inflated if you’re thinking of leaving the bike to stand on the wheels.

They should be inflated to a maximum permissible amount, which is normally indicated on the tire’s sidewall.

Once in a while, check on the tires for constant inflation. Your tires will naturally deflate due to outside air pressure and that could affect accessing your bike.

Safely reduce the tire pressure if you are planning on storing the bike in limbo.

STORAGE SHED & BIKE COVERS

Electric bikes if left outdoors could be stored under a bike cover. This helps with keeping your bike in good condition during bike storage.

This is a quick & easy set-up, reinforced to withstand weather impact. All you have to do with the bike cover is wrap it over your bike and that is the entirety of storing your bike from the elements.

Typically made out of mesh material to vent out or eliminate any condensation. There are a lot of different types of storage cases you can buy.

Below we listed a few to help you in your search.

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[lasso ref=”yardstash-waterproof-bike-cover” id=”1098″ link_id=”900″]

If the bike covers don’t necessarily work for you then you can also consider using a bicycle storage shed. A bike shed can be used for other things and allows you to put your bike on wall mounts inside the bike shed.

This is a great option if you have no space indoors, but need bicycle storage for the outside.

GETTING THE BATTERIES

In the addition of a regular normal bike, e-bikes will involve a specific storage solution that needs your electric battery pack to be protected from the elements as well.

Batteries should be taken from the taillight, headlight, and the bike’s computer during long-term storage. This is in case the temperature changes. The battery plus the contacts on the devices can be oxidized, rendering them useless.

Make sure your bike has an additional ports covered and any empty space to be covered as well.

FOLDING THE BIKE

After having completed preparing the bike for outdoor storage and having decided in which condition and where to be stored, one can encounter the ‘parking’ taking up a lot of space.

In such a case clumsy bikes are partially folded. An example is the steering wheel being rotated at a 90-degree angle becoming parallel with the frame.

This is after the nuts have been loosened and the front wheel removed. The pedals can be installed “inwards,” turning out from the connecting rods and wrapped inwards.

The saddle can be lowered or removed to free space. Your bike will save on space once all this is done.

How Do I Keep My Bike From Rusting Outside?

If you leave your bike outside without any bike covers or in a bike shed, you won’t experience any rusting for a day or two. But once you have left your bike without any cover for over a week, you will begin to see the oxidation and rusting creeping in.

With bad conditions and constant rain, sleet and snow, your bike will degrade.

Where Should I Store My Bike Outside?

Best case scenario is placing your bike inside a shed. It is locked for security and protected from the elements. This bike storage option is practical and really works well as a long term benefit solution.

What Is The Best Way To Store A Bike?

An inside bike rack or wall mounts happens to be the best way to store your bike. It involves raising your mounted bike up and down throughout your floor space. If you have multiple bikes, then you will be benefiting from having these solutions because they involve setting up your bike vertically to save space.

Storing a bike with wall mounts involves buying additional products to enable you to do this such as a small-space gravity rack or a vertical hanging system bike rack.

What could happen if left outside unprotected?

1. The battery could get spoiled

The battery is a very sensitive component of the electric bike and requires special attention and care. At all times, make sure the battery’s temperature is above freezing, and this is before charging so as not to damage the cell.

2. It can rust

Due to water and the moisture in the air, e-bikes are at a high risk of rusting. One has to be careful and try using preventative products out there like Rust Check.

Spay at the spoke nipple and also spray at the bare metal parts.

This helps prevent the salty water from building up on the e-bikes parts. Make sure the electronic gadgets are not sprayed.

Check the e-bike efficiently to look for rust. When it appears, use a lubricant and the rust check if necessary.

Weather Proofing Your e-bike for outdoor storage

1. Protect the battery

The battery loses its capacity during low temperatures because of its sensitivity. This limits the range of the bike. It’s advisable to remove batteries if the temperature is below zero.

Store the batteries at room temperature. After returning from the journey, place them indoors at a temperature ranging from 15-20 degrees.

2. E-Bikes in ice and snow

The e-bike and conventional bikes should be given a rest during harsh weather conditions like drifting snow or black ice. In such conditions as winter, it is advisable if you are to go with the bikes to make sure it’s safe.

The most important thing is that you can see ahead. Make use of tires having spikes if you are over a snow-covered area or roads during winter.

3. Suitable clothing

The e-bikers do perspire less these days due to the motorized assistance of the clothes at low temperatures. Many clothing materials that you can use to cover your bike from adverse climate are readily available on the market.

Conclusion

As long as the e-bikes are protected from the snow and rain, they can be kept outdoors or indoors. The basements and garages are the best for such purposes. The batteries should be kept at room temperature. One can also use high-quality batteries that will stay for a long period.

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