Safely storing a bike "outside" in Florida.

[Croz]

Well, originally the plan this year was to put up a 'bike shed' at our rental house, but I've come to agree that spending that money, even if we move the shed into our new house, isn't a good idea if it takes from our downpayment fund.

So, now I have to find a way to keep my bike protected. It doesn't sit out in the weather. It sits under a carport, so it doesn't get direct rain or direct sun. However, it does get some sun, gets dirty from being outside and gets overspray from the sprinkler system (which is well driven and very hard water - leaves spots).

So I spend a lot of time battling dirt and crud on chrome, etc. And it has led to a bit of rust here and there.

I tried a nylon cover, but that just traps the condensation from the bike cooling off at night under it. I did that for a while and would pull the cover off and it would be soaking wet and I'd have surface rust on some things.

I figure I can't be the only one with this problem who has to store a bike outside.

Anyone? What have you done to give your bike a fighting chance?

[Zarticus]

I would at least make a protective barrier/wall to deflect the rain/sprinkler system from hitting the bike, Maybe as simple as putting up a plastic wall attached to the carport post or build a free standing wall a little longer & taller than the bike with a few 2x4's & plastic. at the most you would maybe have $20 invested.

[Croz]

I would at least make a protective barrier/wall to deflect the rain/sprinkler system from hitting the bike, Maybe as simple as putting up a plastic wall attached to the carport post or build a free standing wall a little longer & taller than the bike with a few 2x4's & plastic. at the most you would maybe have $20 invested.

I like that idea. Not sure the HOA will. I swear, my next house will be out in the middle of nowhere with no HOA's at all.

I'll check the guidelines.

I've also considered some of the nice cloth covers, like the Dowco's, but I'd like to hear someone's experience with them before I spend $150 for one.

[dt]

Given these circumstances, the only thing I can suggest is upgrading to some serious rust/corrosion protection products. I’m not sure WD-40 is going to handle it unless you applied every week or every other week maybe. A couple better products might be ACF 50 and Bull Frog Rust Sealant.

I learned of ACF 50 in the dual sport circles; never used it though. Guys who go on long trips out in the crud with few chances of cleaning put this stuff on spokes, bars and other parts that are susceptible to rust. Bull Frog seems to be used a lot by hunters to keep their gun barrels and components rust free in wet environments. Both are general use non-bike specific products.

I’m not sure how long Bull Frog lasts, but ACF 50 is like a once a year application. It’s one of those things where you have to tape everything up, spray it out of a rattle can and let it dry for a day or so. I've read it's kinda messy but is the best.

[Kevblaster]

From what I have read, nylon covers, both vented and non-vented (vented covers are supposed to allow moisture to escape) will trap moisture inside. So you might want to try looking into GoldenRod Dehumidifiers which are said to "eliminate dampness, mildew, condensation and humidity." They work by heating the air inside an enclosure to temperatures above that of outside. Heat expands air molocules, preventing moisture. This product goes from $25 to $50, depending on the size of the rod.

CHEAPER OPTIONS (Yes, cheaper than $50)- Try adding fan under your cover to allow air to circulate (preferrably bought from Wal-Mart, so if it doesn't work you can easily return it). Another way to go cheap is to put a large dust cover over the bike with a plastic liner only on the side where the bike is exposed to the outside elements. Hopefully the dust cover won't trap the moisture and allow the air to  breathe, but the plastic liner should prevent the crud from coming in too. Unfortunately, it could look a little chintzy.

These ideas are just my two pennies though. Let us know what you go with and how things work out. Good luck!

[Croz]

This is great info, and I'll probably use a lot of it in some way or another.

But we met with a couple 'non-traditional' lenders and found out how their business works, and we have no interest in doing that now. So we're planning to wait until we can qualify for a traditional mortgage, which will be a few years. So the bike shed is back on.

But I still like some of the rust preventatives and like the idea of the fan to circulate air. I know stagnant air, even in a shed can contribute to corrosion, so I'm going to keep that in mind to see about keeping air moving in the new shed.

[danh600]

You might want to get a small dehumidifier for the shed. The small ones are not that expensive and cheaper to run then an A/C.

I am in a private gym with some guys. We have equipment in what amounts to a self storage unit. We have to run a dehumifier or all the equipment gets too rusty.