General Cycling Discussion - Long Term Bike Storage

I'm going away for at least a year and maybe as long as four years and I'm thinking of storing my bikes in the shed in my back yard.

The climate in Perth is 'mediterranean' in that it doesn't rain for about 5 months over summer but makes up for it in winter with about 600-800mm from March to October. It gets as hot as 40C+ in summer and as cold as 1C in winter. Fairly low humidity.

I'm thinking of having the bikes serviced and fully lubed, removing the seats (to store indoors), spraying the bikes with CRC and wrapping them in a dropsheet and then wrapping them in plastic.

Anybody have any ideas or thoughts on this?

I live in Dallas, Texas, where the climate is roughly the same as what you describe (maybe a little more rain year 'round and higher humidity). I just retrieved a bike from my former roommate that she had been storing in a shed behind her house for 4 years. The tires needed replacing (had absorbed gasoline from the mowers), and it needed a good degreasing/cleaning, but it was still in near perfect condition. All she did when she stored it was put it out there. I expected tons of rust and a siezed chain, but found that wasn't the case. It sounds like your precautions should be more than adequate.

I live in Dallas, Texas, where the climate is roughly the same as what you describe (maybe a little more rain year 'round and higher humidity). I just retrieved a bike from my former roommate that she had been storing in a shed behind her house for 4 years. The tires needed replacing (had absorbed gasoline from the mowers), and it needed a good degreasing/cleaning, but it was still in near perfect condition. All she did when she stored it was put it out there. I expected tons of rust and a siezed chain, but found that wasn't the case. It sounds like your precautions should be more than adequate.

Was the bike steel or alloy?

My bikes are all alloy - I think one of them is Scandium.

Was the seat ok?

Was the bike steel or alloy?

My bikes are all alloy - I think one of them is Scandium.

Was the seat ok?

Two things......
Skip the plastic bag. It'll hold moisture.
HANG your bike upside down by the wheels if you can.

The rest of it sounds very good.

Two things......
Skip the plastic bag. It'll hold moisture.
HANG your bike upside down by the wheels if you can.

The rest of it sounds very good.


Why would you hang the bike upside down?

Was the bike steel or alloy?

My bikes are all alloy - I think one of them is Scandium.

Was the seat ok?
Steel (early-80s Colnago)

Steel is an alloy.

The seat was fine, but dusty, although there's a little surface rust on the rails (Serfas Kevlar w/ LiveWire rails).

Why would you hang the bike upside down?

To avoid ANY ground moisture damage to the wheels & frame

Steel (early-80s Colnago)

Steel is an alloy.

The seat was fine, but dusty, although there's a little surface rust on the rails (Serfas Kevlar w/ LiveWire rails).


Maybe I should have said aluminium alloy.

To avoid ANY ground moisture damage to the wheels & frame


Ok, thanks guys for your advice.