Riding your bike is great way to improve your health, protect the environment, and even reduce stress. Proper care and maintenance of your bicycle are important; even when you aren’t using it.
Storing your bicycle correctly will keep it in the best condition, and ultimately extend the use you get out of it. Follow the five steps below when storing your bike, and you’ll enjoy it for years to come.
- Flip it Upside Down: When storing your bike for extended periods of time, whether indoors or outdoors, you should take the weight off of the tires. Hang the bike on a rack, or simply tip it upside down. Over time, your tires can deflate. Hanging or flipping the bike will prevent wheel damage.
- Use a Tarp: You already know that many mechanisms of your bicycle can become damaged from extreme wind, cold, and even sunlight. But did you know that when left uncovered, your bike will accumulate dirt and dust build-up, which can interfere with the proper function of gears, chains and other parts? Protect the delicate mechanisms of your bike by covering it with a tarp.
- Tune-Up, First: Before you tuck your bike away for a long period of non-use, get a tune-up. Make sure that the cables and chains are properly lubricated, and that the tires are inflated correctly. This step is most important if you are storing it in an un-heated area.
- Keep it Warm: If you are storing your bike for the winter, it might be a good idea to bring it inside. Extremely low temperatures can cause condensation to build up within the tubes of the bike. As we know, water + metal = rust, and rust is never a good thing. Keep your bike in tip-top condition by storing it in a warm environment when possible.
Get a Rack: Bike racks make proper storage of your bike easy! Just load it, and you’re good to go. Vehicle Bike Racks can be connected to your vehicle’s hitch system for easy transporting, while indoor racks can be hung from the wall or ceiling.
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