Bowyn11

I bike all year long and I'm in Michigan where we see all manners of weather. I'm curious if anyone has any good methods for covering up bikes that might be left outside for a few hours in the rain and snow. I don't have enough storage at the moment in my apartment so I'm having to keep my bike on a balcony when I'm not using it. Any advice would be appreciated.

indyfabz

A bike cover?

rumrunn6

fwiw I'm getting my money's worth out of this Puroma Bike Cover


just air it out from time to time & wipe the bike down, from any condensation you get up in there. when it is dry, take the cover off, put it back when rain/snow is expected.

also wind will push your bike, especially with a cover like this on it, so plan ahead for strong gusts to keep the bike upright, like keep it near a wall or something

indyfabz

Bungee cord bike to balcony railing.

pdlamb

As noted above, bike covers are made just for scenarios like this.

But leaving it on a balcony, unless it's a half dozen stories up, is like advertising. I'd find some way to lock the bike securely to the balcony.

mstateglfr 

veganbikes

I would keep it inside especially if I am actually trying to ride it. The only reason to keep a bike outside is...well you can keep a bike outside if...I bet if the...nevermind wouldn't store a bike outside. I can find a lot of different storage solutions from various hooks and stands to all sorts of racks so really it would only be a temporary thing for like a party or grabbing groceries or out riding.

indyfabz

A couple of days ago you didn’t know winter biking was a thing, but you now bike all year long?

rsbob 

I would think the snow could cover it up pretty well by itself. Rimshot!

billDennen

When I was on multi day tours I used a poncho -- pushed the saddle into the hood and hung the whole thing over the handlebars, sometimes with a bungee holding it in place. Worked fine.

Trakhak

My Schwinn Peloton (the Reynolds 853 version) was left locked (and uncovered) in the bike racks outside the Washington DC train station, overnight during the work week and all weekend, in all weather, year round, for about 10 years.

During those years, the front Ultegra brake and the rear quick-release skewer were stolen from it, and the seat post and stem eventually seized (pull your seat post and stem out and grease them every once in a while!), but the bike otherwise made it through intact.

In my days working in bike stores, I noticed that the bikes which had suffered the worst corrosion were those stored on boats and those stored outside under a rain cover. Moisture accumulates under a bike cover and usually cannot evaporate.

If I were absolutely determined to use a rain cover, I'd cut vents into it to allow evaporation.

SurferRosa

That's one way to prevent (seatpost/saddle/cockpit) theft.

Trakhak

Never thought of that!

Unfortunately, the bike I locked up outside the train station in Baltimore early each workday morning had an aluminum frame and an aluminum seat post. No seized seat post = stolen.

Kapusta

If it is just for a few hours (which is what you said this was for) I would not worry about rain. Snow is a different story.

indyfabz

You see. That’s one of the things about the OP that doesn’t make sense. He’s only not using his bike for the few hours he’s home at his apartment?

And if he’s riding it in the rain and snow the other 21 hours of the day, I don’t think keeping it uncovered on the balcony for a few hours is going to be the death knell.

Kapusta

I don’t get into the OP’s business, I just answer the question.

martianone

When I was commuting to work [retired now] - At the office, I left an all weather motor scooter cover from Car Covers.
They took the bike rack in during the winter to make snow removal easier, think I was the only one really riding year around.
I was able to lean my bike against a fence, kept the cover right at the fence, would just slip the bike in under this cover,
clear when i got out of work. Sometimes, in the morning, I would have to shake accumulated snow off the cover.
True, the scooter cover was bigger than what was really needed, but it worked well.

rsbob 

How about getting a large tarp at Harbor Freight, doubling it over creating a tent over the bike anchored with bricks? Could double as a kids playhouse.

Bowyn11

Well, to be clearer, I didn't know winter cycling was its own thing. I've only been actively biking for 2 years and am still learning.

Bowyn11

I was keeping my bike inside the apartment last year's winter. Now I've got less space to do so and I was looking for some recommendations on how to keep it covered. I live on the second story so I'm not much worried about theft.

Kapusta

So, this is not just for a few hours. Its whenever you are not riding it.

Bowyn11

Correct. I should have been more clear about that. I've got it covered with an old tarp for the time being, but I don't think that will hold when the snow gets heavier.

Kapusta

Is this a covered balcony? If the wind is not too bad and theft if not a real concern, you might consider something like this. Or one of the many variation of it. Pretty inexpensive. Might use a piece of heavily weighted plywood to secure it.

https://a.co/d/eccgCbg

Bowyn11

No, the balcony is open. Something like that would be ideal, actually. Thanks!

indyfabz

Wut. Winter cycling is riding a bike during winter.