You should take good care of your bike when it isn’t being used. It’s important to take the time to prepare your bike for storage so it is ready for when you return to riding. These tips will help you prepare for storing a bicycle in the off-season.
1. Clean Hydration Items & Remove Electronics
When storing a bicycle in the offseason, you must first remove all moving parts and frames. Bike bottles, the speedometer, and ride computer should all be removed. Safety lights and electronics should be kept inside. Warm temperatures will preserve battery life and protect interior circuitry.
If you use a water hydration pack, this is a reminder to clean it regularly. Use vinegar and water to clean your bladder. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. Keep the cap off of your bladder and bottles. This will ensure that your items are fresh when you begin riding again.
2. Make Sure To Inspect And Clean Your Bike
Now is the perfect time to inspect and clean your bike after a long season of riding. It’s okay to use water to clean your bicycle, but you should start by using a soft bristle brush. This will remove dry mud and dirt from difficult-to-reach places like your front fork and rear derailleur. Next, dust your bike frame, saddle and grips with a rag. Next, clean the chain. While this takes some time, it is much easier if you have a bicycle repair stand. You can wrap your chain in a clean, lint free cloth. Then, backpedal to allow the chain to move through it. Continue this process until your rag is clean.
You can also inspect your bike by cleaning it with care. Examine the frame, brake pads, welds and wheels. You should inspect the frame’s structural integrity, particularly for fatigue points close to weld points. To ensure that your spokes are in alignment and true, spin your wheels. Also, check for excessive wear on your brake pads.
3. Get A Tune-Up
You don’t have to do the work of cleaning your bike and inspecting it yourself. Your local bike shop can perform a tune up. Based on the bike’s condition, a professional mechanic will determine what level of service is required before storing a bicycle.
A tune-up usually includes cleaning and a thorough review of your drivetrain. Your chain and chainrings are examined by mechanics who will also clean your brakes, wheels, derailleurs and brake pads. They will adjust your headset and bottom bracket bearings, and correctly tension your spokes.
4. Inflate Tires & Lubricate Cables & Chain
After your bike has been cleaned, you can add air to the tires. Inflate your tires so your bike’s weight doesn’t fall on the rims. This happens when a tire has a flat sidewall. The air in your tires helps prevent any weak spots from forming in the tire’s sidewall.
Remember to lubricate both your shifting and brake cables, as well as your chain. Add a little lubricant to the cable’s exposed section and work it into its enclosed tubing. Add lubricant to your chain as you backpedal, and then wipe off any excess. This last step will ensure that rust doesn’t build up during downtime, and it will make your chain glide smoothly when you get back on the bike.
5. Storing Your Bike
Although it is not required, protecting your bike with a cover will prevent dust from building up on it while storing a bicycle during the offseason. Consider suspending your bike using a hook attached to a ceiling or wall. This prevents the bike’s weight from resting on the tires. If your tires get deflated during storage, it could cause damage to your rims.
These five tips will ensure your bike is ready for riding when the riding season returns. Check out Greenbar Storage Blogs for more information on how to store valuable items.
Contact Greenbar Storage
Greenbar Secure Storage has a wide range of storage units available in Prineville, for Bend, Madras, and Redmond. They offer a variety, including ground-level access, security cameras, 24/7 accessibility, and parking spaces. Locally owned and operated, we are the best choice for convenient and clean self-storage units. All of our commercial storage clients accept deliveries from businesses to make things as smooth as possible!
Storage Benefits
- Extra security and family-friendly
- Unbeatable onsite entrance tech
- Each unit is protected by a unique code
- Access your unit at your leisure
- Save money and have convenience when you most need it
We are proud of the many layers and security of control we have put into our secure storage units such as:
- High, heavy-duty fencing surrounds the storage facility at all locations including Redmond
- You can access your unit via electronic access using personalized codes.
- Timed access to individual units after entry and an automatic reset of security
- Galvanized steel walls are almost impossible to crack in storage units in Madras and our locations in Central Oregon.
- All hours of the day and night, well-lit areas in Bend and other Greenbar Secure Self Storage centers.
- A resident storage manager who lives on-site, carefully selected and screened and selected out of Prineville.
Contact us to reserve your secure unit today with Greenbar Secure Storage!