Preparing my bicycle for self storage

I want to put my bicycle into self storage for several months. Is there anything special that I need to do to it to keep it in good condition?

Let’s cut to the chase. The answer is: “No!” Or at least, “Not really!”

Bicycles are pretty tough machines ‒ designed carry at least ten times their own weight and to hurtle about city streets, down mountain paths, or up the ½ km of cobbles of the Wall of Grammont (Muur van Geraardsbergen) in the Ronde van Vlaanderen, come rain or shine.

They are not going to mind being left on their own, unused for a few months.

The greatest enemy is moisture

That’s the single most important bit of advice. Do not store your bicycle where moisture is present. Moisture will cause rusting, corrosion and tarnish. So it is important to store your bicycle somewhere dry.

But self storage units are dry, aren’t they? Yes, most are ‒ or at least kept at about the same humidity level as a home, which is fine for bicycles, thank you very much.

However, some lock-up garages (LUGs) that are used commercially for storage may not be so dry, so beware. The same may possibly be true also of container storage units, but good, modern and well-maintained containers should be dry. If in doubt, you can install moisture absorbers, such as Unibond “STOP Humidity” kits, or Absorpole (as discussed in our earlier blog “Self storage: moisture absorbers”).

Clean, oil ’n grease

If you care at all for your bike ‒ which you do; you are reading this ‒ you will give it a bit of a once over before you put it into storage.

Clean it: remove mud with a soft brush, and lumps of congealed grease with a rag. If you have been bicycling a lot by the sea, you might consider giving the bike a quick hose down with fresh water on a bright, dry day, to remove any corrosive salt ‒ provided you can ensure that it is completely dry by the time you assign it storage.

Run a lightly oiled, soft cloth over the frame and wheel rims.

Put oil or grease on the moving parts, such as the wheel hubs, pedals, chain and the rear derailleur. Lubricate the brake and gear cables.

(If you do all this just before you head for your chosen self storage facility, you might like to take some old newspapers with you to protect your car/van/storage unit floor from dripping oil.)

Pump my tyres

The rubber in bicycle tyres is porous, and lets air out very slowly. So don’t be alarmed if, after a few months, your tyres are soft, or even flat. Try pumping them up before you conclude you have a puncture or leak.

By the same token, pump up your tyres before you put your bike into storage, to delay the process of going flat. If the tyres do go completely flat during storage, the weight of the bicycle on the wheel rim may harm the tyre and inner tube.

Hang ’em high?

For that reason (to protect your tyres) ‒ and for that reason alone ‒ you may like to consider hanging your bicycle off the ground, suspended by the frame from hooks in the wall, or by the wheel rim from a ceiling hook (if your self storage facility will permit such things). Note that wheels are not harmed by this treatment: remember that they are designed to carry at least ten times the weight of the bike.

But this kind of hanging storage is really designed as a space saver, rather than as a means to protect tyres.

But don’t stack ’em up

Also to protect your tyres, do not load anything on top of the bike while it is sitting on the floor in storage. This only puts more pressure on the wheels.

If you are storing more than one bike, you can save space by putting them front to back ‒ i.e. handlebar end against saddle end ‒ to avoid a clash of handlebars.

Clean, oil ’n grease again

And when the happy day arrives for you to release your bike from storage, don’t forget to give it another once over.

There is always a bit of dust in self storage, so wipe the bike down… oil the moving parts… grease the cables… pump up the tyres ‒ and away you go!

One Response to “Preparing my bicycle for self storage”

1. Alex says:

   March 15, 2011 at 11:57 am

   Very helpful article. next time I will keep it in my mind. you might think that I am a little too concerned about my bike but this is my 3rd bike. I have got 2 of them stolen, 1 in Jericho and one in St Clements during a Day!! and that was a brand new one:(( it still hurts when I remember:( I think the law should be stricter against bike thieves and somehow find them from CCTV cameras n arrest. I am sure it would make especially students’ lives happier. It’s the first time I stored my bike for the Xmas holiday in 2010. I paid £5 a week. They insured my bike for £1000 for free. when i was back it wasn’t rusted of course, totally protected from the horrible snow, rain, damp and it was there waiting for me:) don’t remember the folks’ number i am afraid. their website is http://www.personalstorage.co.uk I hope that helps…