Cold damaging bikes?

pc11

My bikes (a hybrid and a road bike) are outside in this weather. They're under an awning so they're dry but they're exposed to the temperatures in Dublin lately. Is this a bad idea? Will it do damage to the metal or the oil or perhaps the plastic and rubber?

Caroline_ie

... you need a bike coat, like they do for humans and dogs, but for your bike.

I think humidity is the worst. I have DW40'd my MTB ( the ones sleeping outside at the moment ) and lubed it really well with Wet weather lube, It's also covered with a shower curtain ( shush people ... it works! ) to protect it from the rain/snow and cold winds. Not sure if I am doing the right thing, but I am doing something...

Micilin Muc

My gear cables snapped during the last cold spell. I had left them outside uncovered for 3 days.

07Lapierre

The freewheel can also sieze up in cold weather. If possible, store your bike indoors.

Bunnyhopper

On the freewheel issue, I think a suggestion the last time this came up was to warm the hub with a hairdryer before you move the bike. The danger is that the pawls break.

FISMA

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I have DW40'd my MTB ( the ones sleeping outside at the moment ) and lubed it really well with Wet weather lube,

Watch the WD40 and note that the OP lubed the bike well after WD40.

WD40 is a penetrant and not a lubricant. It's purpose is to get water out. Hence the WD from Water Displacement.

It took the inventors (the US Navy?) 40 tries to get the formula correct, hence the 40.

If you spray your chain with WD40, and leave it outside, you're chain will be rusted within a matter of days.

inkedpt

My road bike is indoors and covered with a blanket... but my MTB is outside covered with snow I guess the best thing to do before the next ride is dismantle it clean and lub all the parts. The hairdryer works all the times and I think the shower curtain is a cleaver and not expensive idea

Run_to_da_hills

The damaged road surfaces caused up the layers of ice built up will do a lot more damage to your bike than any lying up in the elements.

I wouldn't dream of taking my bike out until all the slush / water has dissapeared off the roads exposing all the fresh pot holes.

Paul Kiernan

Both my tubes exploded last year during the cold spell. Methinks a combination of too high a pressure, crappy rim tape and cold making the rubber brittle .....................

michael196

wow, have never seen such damage to a tube from cold weather ....


usually for high pressure tyres ( road bike tyres) it is advised to deflate inbetween use. dont know if people generally still do this.

outdoor storage is not ideal, our road bikes are stored indoors in a steel shed , but unbelievably: damp conditions in the uninsulated shed caused rusting to start on 'ordinary' bikes and some spot rusting on the MTB shocks,

michael196

stored indoors or outdoors keep an eye for rust / deterioration: I guess i thought indoors was perfect storage....