Storing bikes outside

[SpugFab]

Alright cyclists

Looking to free up a bit of space in the house, thinking it would be good if I could store some bikes outside.

Do you have any ideas how best to do this? I've had a wee look about, found some metal construction sheds which are a bit more pricey than I was looking. Saw a tent type thing that looked a bit flimsy. We only have a little space out the back (London) so that limits options a bit.

How badly would a bike degrade if stored outside under a cover compared to being left indoors?

[Hiking Fox]

We have the same problem in my house and have yet to come up with a workable solution, as bike lockers typically cost around £500 plus delivery charge.

[bob_summers]

if they're just commuter hacks, they should be fine living outside if you keep them covered, washed and lubed etc. you'll get a bit of surface rust but that's here nor there. if you're riding in winter, make sure you rinse the salt off regularly (i had a pump-up plant sprayer for that, as i couldn't get a hose to reach).

for fancier bikes... inside only - you can get various storage hooks/racks to tidy them up a bit. compromise.. get the missus to ebay some shoes & handbags to free up some space

if you go down the shed/locker route, have a look here: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/feature/a ... rt-1-21131

[kallefs]

What bob_summers said. It is not a problem to store bikes outside regarding rust or general decline of the bike. Keep the chain lubricated and its not a problem. The only problem might be a stuffed saddle soaking up water. I would be more worried about the bikes getting stolen. No matter the value of the bike, some people are just trying to get the fastest route back home from the pub.

[the crazyest vegan]

WHAT! are you NUTS!

but srsly. it completely depends on how much the bike is worth etc, i keep my bike outside in a polytunnel, it gets damp and wet, but i also ride it in all weathers. just make sure that you spray it with WD40 whenever it gets wet otherwise you have to scrub the whole drivetrain down to get rid of the rust! and wrapped in a tarp i should imagine if it's well done they'll be fine

[Dave Noisy]

No, keep them indoors!

Depending on your set-up, you might be able to find a few places to keep a few bikes, here's what i do:



http://picasaweb.google.com/davenoisy/2 ... 9780386434

It just requires some holes in the ceiling and brackets and twine...

[ultra_whippet]

A friend of mine has one of these up for sale:

http://www.trimetals.co.uk/bicycle-storage.php?m=4&g=9

In an ideal world, I would like £200 for it, but I will consider reasonable offers. The coating has a twenty-five year warranty, and it comes with special padlocks for which you cannot go into a high street keycutter and copy. I have three keys for it.

If anyone is interested, send a PM to Coral