Crake

In my teen years I'd buy a <$100 bike in the summer, keep it outside 24/7, and get a new one every 1-2 years.

Fast fwd 20 years later Ive only ever kept our bikes in a temperature-controlled garage. The garage is also my work shop, it's become a huge PIA to take them outside every time I'm doing any DIY projects or just need to access a tool on that side of the room, which is at least once a day in the summer. Even with those precautions, the bikes still get enough residual saw dust to require weekly cleaning... its a huge PIA.


TLDR... I want to store the bikes outside, under a canopy(gazebo) during July and August.


What sort of effects, (and how bad), would it be to store bikes outside during the hot months. If there is an impact, is there anything practical measures I can take to keep them in good condition without bringing them in?

Rick

You say canopy. Tires damaged from the sun and humidity or rain damage.

Iride01 

Well you do what you have to do... or want to do.

Once you rid yourself that theft in your neighborhood won't be an issue, then the only other thing I imagine will be at issue is corrosion or rust. For that I'd tell you the same as any that keep their bike inside and still have that issue. Keep your bike as clean an dry as you can so corrosion and rust don't start. If it gets wet, put a box fan in front of it so the air dries it quickly. Spray the unpainted metal parts with a light lube or other petroleum based preservative.

Still, I don't even keep my best bikes in the garage. I take them inside the house with me. Much easier to walk out the door with my bike, everything else and just hop on the bike as I exit the door of the house.

If space in the house were an issue, I might have to put my wife in a tent or gazebo outside! (just joking... don't ever tell her I said this) <grin>

terrymorse 

(putting on mechanical engineer hat)

I doubt the heat itself will affect the bike in any way.

Sunlight and ozone will kill rubber and some plastics, and high humidity will accelerate corrosion.

If you keep the bikes dry and out of direct sunlight, you probably won't see any damage.

Camilo

You can get a pretty decent sized shed at Costco for not too much $.

gringomojado

Outside? I don't even ride my bikes outside!

gm

Crake

To clarify, it's only the humidity I'm concerned about, if its going to rain for a couple of days in a row, I'd bring the bikes in. The canopy is 12'x12' over a raised concrete slab and against one wall of the house, no part of it gets direct sunlight or direct rain. and it wouldn't ever be in a pool of water. Our backyard is harder to break into than the garage, so theft is not an issue either.

I think it would be fine but I don't have a clue how fluctuating relative humidity and temp. effect bike parts.

I live in the suburbs outside NYC, so roughly avg summer days 65-90°F through the day with humidity swinging from 60% to 85% relative humidity...

Crake

Ive been on the look out for bike locker. Something insulated 8'x5' x 4' tall for a couple hundred bucks. Not easy to find, one day I'll build by own.

terrymorse 

If it’s not condensing humidity, where you find dew covering the bike in the morning, I think you’ll be fine.

koala logs

The fluctuating heat alone can damage the rubber and plastic parts even if there is absolutely no UV exposure

I have stuff in the attic where it gets really hot in the noon so the temperature fluctuates quite a bit. The plastic and rubber things became brittle after a time.

If using shed to store bike, make sure it doesn't get hot inside. Temperature must be kept at room temperature as much as possible. Heat is worse than humidity. Ofc, direct exposure to rain is still worse

terrymorse 

I doubt temperature is going to degrade rubber or plastic on a bicycle by any significant amount.

Consider a car’s passenger compartment, filled with rubber and plastic components, sitting for thousands of hours in the sun over its lifetime. It gets quite hot in the passenger compartment, yet the parts don’t fall apart. The dashboard may crack, but I submit that’s due to UV from direct sunlight, not high temperature.

roth rothar

How about soring in one of these bags:
Amazon.com: Team Obsidian: Bike Covers | Styles - Outdoor Storage or Transportation/Travel | Waterproof, Heavy Duty, 600D, 300D, or 210D Oxford Ripstop Materials | Sizes L, XL, XXL for 1,2 or 3 bikes | Offers Constant Protection Through All 4 Seasons For All Bicycles On Or Off The Rack : Everything Else

Steel Charlie

Tough Shed

koala logs

Perhaps, it's the combination of heat and ozone. Our attic is well ventilated and we live in the city. Ozone can definitely get in there. I suppose if ozone pollution is negligible, a shed would work just fine.

I've noticed in cars that's been mostly used in a city vs a car in the countryside, the city car has more cracks in the tires even if the same age as the tires on the countryside car.

roadsnakes

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https://www.vevor.com/motorcycle-she...iABEgI1dfD_BwE
'
'

MNebiker

Must not be any bike thieves in your part of the country!

Gresp15C

I built a canopy in the back corner of my yard to store a few bikes. For instance the winter bikes go back there during the summer, to get them out of the way. It's not weather proof by any means. The main deterioration that I've noticed is that plant matter such as pollen from the surrounding trees sticks to them, so they tend to get dirty, but are otherwise un-damaged and easy to clean up.

I've always believed that bikes are a lot less delicate than people tend to think. On the other hand, direct sunlight damages paints and plastics, as does extreme heat.

I think if you're under an awning, you should be OK. You could always drape something like an old sheet over them. It doesn't have to be waterproof.

I'm in a neighborhood where I don't worry about thieves, and if they wanted my bike, they'd have to bring an angle grinder to cut through... the weeds.

Kapusta

As long as they do not get wet or stolen, it will be fine.

However, I would be very hesitant to drape anything over them. Anything that will keep the water out can also trap moisture in.

Of course, I don’t know where you live or what the weather is like. If you’re in a dry climate, it’s probably not an issue. But if you live somewhere that it is humid and wet then I would worry about it.

Herzlos

You can get tents designed to store bikes. Not exactly secure but they'll keep the elements off.

Or at least just throw some covers over the bikes in the garage to keep the sawdust off. Have you got the height to store them hanging from the ceiling?

Kapusta

Is sawdust even much of a problem?

I’ve got my bikes (road/gravel, commuter, and MTBs) in my garage and I do some sawing in there. The bikes are not in the line of sawdust ejection, but occasionally get a fine dusting. Never had any problems. I don’t use sticky chain lubes, though.

timdow

You can't hang them in the garage? I miss my gabled roof on the garage at my previous house. I still hang the bikes from the garage beams on the side of the garage. I was even thinking of hanging the wheels off two hooks, then using a pulley to jack it up flat against the roof from around the BB.

Chuckles1

I kept my Raleigh outside one Summer and it caused rust long-term. Had to repaint it, and it was not nearly as pretty. Not recommended if you care about appearance. Even under cover there's a lot of exposure to moisture, morning dew, blowing rain...

icemilkcoffee 

Is there a way to hand the bike up under this canopy? That way you minimize the exposure to sun and rain.

zandoval 

I would not store my bikes Outside if possible. I would suggest finding a better way to store your bikes in the garage. Hanging them from the ceiling gets ya more floor space and throwing an old cotton sheet over them really helps cut down on the saw dust they collect.

beng1

Use Fluid Film on the critical parts of bikes that are kept outside, and that goes for cars and motorcycles too. If you live in an efficiency on the ground-floor keep your bike outside a window if you have it and run some fishing line from the bike through a barely cracked window to something that will fall off a table and wake you up if someone tries messing with the bike or it's lock. Also of course it helps to wax the bike.