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When I lived in Auburn, Alabama I didn’t own a vehicle. My only modes of transportation were the Tiger Transit, bumming off of friends or riding my bike. The Transit’s route was pretty good but didn’t go everywhere I needed and you lose friends pretty quickly when you ask for rides too often. That meant my main mode of transportation became an old Raleigh bike someone had left in the apartment before I moved in. I hated it then but now, years later, I finally bought a new bike that I love owning and riding. In this post I will share some bike storage tips, plus things I have learned about basic bike care.

Keep it Dry

Surprise! Metal and water aren’t the best of friends. Water can lead to rust and rust will lead to broken hearts and broken bicycles. So keeping it outside, especially in places like Alabama where it rains pretty frequently, isn’t necessarily the best bike storage method. My suggestion would be to try to keep it inside. If you don’t have a garage, bring it into your home or apartment. I had a tarp that I kept inside so that I could have something beneath the bike to keep the carpet from being worn down or damaged. If you do have the luxury of having a garage but don’t feel you have the room, make room! There are so many tools and resources out there to help you get the basic bike storage you need without having to sacrifice the space. My personal recommendation would be the bike storage rack from garagerackstorage.com. It’s not very expensive, it’s easy to install, and gets the job done.

Keep it Clean

Dirt, mud and other debris can get into the moving parts of your bike. This can lead up to gummed up or otherwise dysfunctional bike chains and brakes. Neither of those will lead to ideal bike riding conditions. Make sure to wash it frequently. If you go on a ride that was particularly muddy or dirty, it would be better to clean it sooner rather than later.

Keep the Tires Inflated

Taking a brief moment to check tire pressure before you ride can prevent your tire rim from being bent or otherwise abused. Check before putting it into your bike storage location, doing so will help detect flats or punctures before there is an issue. It is significantly cheaper to replace a tire tube than an entire bike tire.

Keep it Moving Smoothly

Another part of great bike care in combination with good bike storage is to lubricate moving portions of the bike especially the bike chain. Most articles I have found recommend doing this weekly. If your bike is your main mode of transportation this is really quite important. If you are an occasional rider then you could get away with doing it much less frequently. There are a myriad of great lubricant products on the market. I have not found a favorite because I have never used a bike lubricant that I have found unsatisfactory. If you look on Amazon there are several that have fantastic ratings. My honest recommendation, get the least expensive 4-5 star rated product. They will all do the trick just fine.

Taking just a little bit of time and doing these simple things can save you a lot of time and hassle later.