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It is necessary to store a bike in an apartment in accordance with some rules. If you do not adhere to the recommendations, the bike may be damaged during the winter, and you will have to spend time and energy on repairing it.
Bicycle storage features
Regular bike models are not designed for winter use. Therefore, most often from mid-autumn to spring, the owners put the bike transport for storage. You can keep a two-wheeled vehicle in winter not only in an apartment, but also in a garage or other utility room. However, you need to take into account the storage features:
- Keep cycling in winter in a dry and warm enough place. Humidity and extreme cold temperatures harm the bike as it negatively affects the strength characteristics of the mountings and also leads to rust.
- Keep your bike at moderate temperatures - hot air from heaters is bad for rubber seals and bicycle tires.
- Keep your bike in the shade. In summer and winter, direct sunlight is primarily dangerous for the rubber elements of the bicycle and for its painted parts, the rubber can dry out, and the paint and varnish will peel off.
At what temperature can the bike be stored
Cycling reacts equally badly to too high temperatures and to cold. It is best to keep the bike at room temperature. If this is not possible, it is advisable to provide storage temperatures of at least + 5 ° C.
In what position to store the bike
Many owners store their vehicles in the apartment directly on wheels, leaning the bike against the wall in a free corner. But this way of storing the bike is not entirely correct. After a few months of immobility, the tires of the bike deflate, and in the spring they have to be inflated.
It is optimal to store the bike in the apartment in a suspended state - on the wall or on special hooks mounted in the ceiling. If this idea cannot be realized, it is recommended to opt for vertical bicycle storage. It is better to leave the bike on wheels during active riding, when the bike is taken out on the street almost every day.
Preparing the bike for storage
Before storing your bike for a long time, you need to prepare it for the winter period. The process consists of several stages:
- First of all, the bike must be thoroughly washed and cleaned.This must be done both if the transport is planned to be stored in the apartment, and if the bike goes to the garage for the winter. Brakes, derailleurs and wheel hubs are cleaned with a hard bristle brush.
- Bicycle metal parts such as the tensioner, chain and sprockets can be cleaned and degreased using any solvent. It is not necessary to fill in the metal elements, you can simply spray them with a spray bottle. After that, the parts are lubricated again for the winter.
- The bike is carefully inspected and, if necessary, repaired. Repairing a bike in the fall is usually much cheaper than in the spring, and besides, with the onset of the new season, it is much more pleasant to get on the bike right away than wasting time on repairs.
- Before storing the bike, release the tension on the chain, cables and mountings.
If seasonal storage of the bike is planned not in an apartment, but in a cold room, then before preserving it is necessary to properly lubricate all chrome-plated elements with silicone grease. It will prevent metal corrosion from cold temperatures. Tires can be treated with glycerin, which also prevents the rubber from drying out and cracking from the cold. Before “cold” storage, it is recommended to loosen the fasteners under the saddle and on the stem.
It is best to keep the bike suspended so that the wheels are not under constant pressure. But if you can put a bicycle in an apartment or garage only on wheels, then it is recommended to slightly inflate the lowered tires once a month, in which case the hard rim will not deform them.
Where to store your bike in winter
It is strictly not recommended to store your bike in the cold outside or on an open balcony. First of all, the rubber tires of bicycle transport will suffer from frost, they will cease to be elastic and will crack. The cold can also damage fragile metal parts.
Temperature fluctuations and high humidity pose a great danger to the bike. If left outdoors, the bike will quickly become rusty, difficult to remove, and the bike's life will be significantly reduced.
It is best to store the bike in a warm place during the winter - in an apartment, in a closet or on a closed balcony. However, you can put your bike in a basement or an unheated garage; at a positive temperature and low humidity, the bike will calmly survive the winter.
How to store your bike properly in winter
The storage rules for a bicycle largely depend on the place in which it has to wait out the winter. If you follow simple recommendations, wintering will be completely safe for two-wheeled vehicles, and in the spring it will not take a long time to prepare for use.
How to store your bike in a cold garage in winter
The garage is one of the most convenient places for winter bike storage. It is ideal if the room is heated, but even in a cold garage, the bicycle will be able to wait out the winter without problems, since it will be protected from moisture and temperature extremes.
It is best to locate the two-wheeled vehicle suspended in the garage. For example, you can fix your bike on the garage wall, on a special bike rack, or on hangers attached to the ceiling. Since the garage is not used all the time, the bike placed in it will not interfere with daily movement.
The optimal temperature for a bike in the garage will be between +5 degrees and + 25 ° C.It is allowed to store the bike at low temperatures; in a cold garage, transport can be placed almost anywhere where it will not interfere with the garage owner. But if the heating in the room still turns on from time to time, the bike must be placed in the coldest corner away from the heat source, otherwise dangerous condensation will appear on it.
How to store your bike on the balcony in winter
If you don't have a garage, consider storing your bike on the balcony. In this case, several points must be taken into account:
- Only a glassed-in loggia, protected from rain and snow, is suitable for storing a bicycle. It is impossible to keep a bicycle bike on an open balcony, it will be constantly exposed to dampness and temperature extremes. Storing a bicycle on an open balcony is no different from storing it in the yard outside, a vehicle will rust in a few months, rubber tires will freeze and crack. In the spring, the bike will have to be overhauled, or even buy a new bike.
- The bike is harmed not only by cold and dampness, but also by the direct rays of the sun. A photo of bicycle storage on the balcony shows that if in winter the bike is stored on a glassed-in loggia, it still needs to be covered with a dark film or a cover or put into a shaded corner. The sun's rays pose a risk to both rubber tires and painted or varnished bicycle parts, which can peel off and begin to peel off.
Even on a glazed loggia, temperature drops during a thaw are not excluded. Therefore, from time to time it is recommended to check the bike and wipe it from the condensation that has come out. It is better to store the vehicle in an upright position.
Before placing the bike on the balcony, it is especially important to thoroughly clean and wash it. You will need to drive two-wheeled vehicles through the entire apartment, so it should not leave traces of dirt and dust behind.
How to store a bike in a small apartment
If there is neither a garage nor a glazed balcony, then often the only option for winter storage of a bicycle is an apartment. This can create certain inconveniences if the apartment is cramped - any bicycle has considerable dimensions.
So that the bike does not interfere with moving around the apartment, the easiest way is to store it in an upright position. In this case, you can put the transport on the rear wheel in any free corner.
A tall built-in wardrobe or storage room is ideal for storing a bike, provided that they are in the apartment.
To store a bicycle in a Khrushchev, you can hang the vehicle on the wall horizontally or vertically. It should be borne in mind that it is better to place the bike higher in the apartment so as not to touch its pedals and handlebars when walking. It is convenient if there is a small niche in the wall in the apartment hallway, usually a hanger is placed in it, but bicycle owners often prefer to arrange two-wheeled vehicles there.
If desired, a bike in a cramped apartment can be hung from the ceiling in the hallway, but for this you need to make very reliable fasteners that will not fall out of the ceiling and prevent the bike itself from slipping.
Store your bike in an apartment without a balcony, taking into account the standard requirements for humidity, temperature and lighting. Transport cannot be placed close to heating radiators; it is not recommended to place it in the kitchen, where humidity is constantly changing. If the bike is in a well-lit place in the apartment, then it must be covered with a cover or cloth from the sun's rays.
How to store a bike in the basement
Another convenient place for winter storage of bicycles is the basement. Most often, owners of private houses resort to this method, since problems may arise in high-rise high-rise buildings with access to the basement. However, if several residents of the house want to store personal vehicles in the basement at once, then it makes sense to contact the management company, perhaps the employees will nevertheless consider it possible to issue the keys to the residents.
In any case, when storing a bike in a private or shared basement, there are several factors to consider:
- The basement must be dry, if it is constantly damp, then the room is not suitable for long-term storage of bicycle transport, the bicycle will be covered with rust.
- In a dry basement, you need to place your bike away from hot pipes and heating radiators - hot air negatively affects the condition of rubber tires.
How to store a bike in the closet
The storage room in the apartment is ideal for winter storage of bicycles. It is usually separated from the rest of the premises by a door or a screen, it is rarely used, so a two-wheeled vehicle will not interfere with anyone in the closet.
Considering that a standard storage room in an apartment is very small, it is best to store the bike vertically on the wall - on the rear wheel. You can also put the bike on a special rack.
Since the bike will stand in the closet of the apartment in winter for several months, it must be positioned so that it does not block access to other objects - tools, paint cans, folding ladders. It is important to securely fix the vehicle in the pantry, if the bike falls and touches nearby shelves, then it will take a long time to restore order.
How to store a bike in the country
Some cyclists prefer to ride a two-wheeled vehicle only at the dacha and with the onset of winter they do not take the bike to the city apartment. Cycling can spend the winter in the country quite comfortably, the main thing is to provide it with basic conditions:
- You must not leave a vehicle in the open air. During the winter, the bike will freeze repeatedly and experience the effects of snow and moisture during thaws. By the beginning of the new season, it will simply become unusable, since the metal will corrode, and rubber tires will crack and lose elasticity.
- It is best to store a bike in the country house inside the house; an unheated but dry shed or garage is also suitable. The bike must be placed in a dry place with a constant temperature and covered with a film or burlap, which will protect it from moisture changes and direct sunlight. The vehicle can be placed in the living room, hallway or kitchen.
Also, a covered terrace is suitable for storing the bike. But it is impossible to store bicycle transport on an open terrace, although the canopy will protect it from precipitation, temperature drops will still lead to the appearance of condensation on the metal and rubber, which will worsen the condition of the vehicle.
Unusual ideas for storing a bicycle in an apartment
The main place for winter storage of bicycles remains the apartment. Since most cyclists are forced to keep their personal vehicles in tight spaces, there are many original options for placing cycling vehicles on the Internet.
Under the ceiling
Even in the most cramped apartment, the bike can be stored under the ceiling in winter, in which case it will not interfere with movement at all.You can drive reliable hooks into the ceiling or build a hoist-like hoist that allows you to easily raise and lower a two-wheeled vehicle. When storing bicycles under the ceiling, it is important to ensure that the mountings in the ceiling are really strong and can confidently support the mass of two-wheeled vehicles, otherwise the method will be too dangerous.
On a high rack
If space in the apartment is limited, and there is simply nowhere to remove the bike, you can hang it horizontally on a high rack - this is one of the best options for compact storage of bicycles. The stand itself will take up a minimum of space, and the overall bike structure will be placed closer to the ceiling, in which case people will not touch the steering wheel or pedals while walking through the apartment. If desired, the bicycle can be turned into a design element of the interior, additionally decorate the rack with indoor plants or hang thematic images on the wall next to it.
On the window
Window frames do not open often in winter, so you can hang your bike in your apartment right by the window. You will first need to equip brackets for the vehicle between the window and the ceiling or directly on the plastic part of the frame. In this case, free space in the apartment is saved very effectively.
The disadvantage of this storage option is that the bike will inevitably block off part of the daylight. In addition, the storage method is suitable only for models made of light metal alloys - it is better not to hang a heavy bicycle on the window.
On the wardrobe
This option is suitable for owners of apartments with high ceilings. If the closet in the bedroom or living room does not rest against the ceiling, but occupies only half the height of the room, it is quite possible to put a bicycle on it. The main thing is to additionally secure the vehicle so that over time it does not fall from the cabinet. On the closet in the apartment, the bike will not take up useful space at all and will wait out the winter in comfortable conditions.
In the hallway as a hanger
A very original option for storing a bicycle in an apartment suggests using it instead of a hanger during cold months. On a free wall in the hallway, closer to the ceiling, you need to place reliable brackets, hooks or metal pins on which you can firmly fix the bike.
In this case, the vehicle itself is often hung on the holders "upside down", you can store the bike upside down, and the frame and handlebars down. The frame and handlebars are used throughout the winter as a bar for conventional hangers with "shoulders". Of course, a two-wheeled vehicle must be completely clean so that clothing from contact with it does not get dirty.
Conclusion
It is possible to store a bicycle in an apartment even if there is no free space. The vehicle can be placed horizontally or vertically in a corner, against a wall, above a ceiling, or even turned into a useful interior element. To prevent cycling from requiring repairs in the spring, basic requirements regarding temperature and humidity must be observed.
