Commuting - For those that leave their bikes outside

Oka so i have the misfortune of having to leave my bike outside when im at work. But since i work on a Air Force base i dont worry to much, though i still lock my bike up. Do ya'll cover your bikes? kinda like how people that ride motorcycles do. Since it rains here alot i figured id buy one, so i got one made for a scooter.

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn297/LiftedSport/102_2175.jpg

That thing is huge.

Folding bike comes in , other bike gets a saddle cover , Plastic bag .. that comes off when my butt will cover the seat.

will say the cover keeps things out of sight a bit , on the Outside Off Base it may get some curiosity
wanting to see if it will be bearing anything to Pawn under there.

If I left my bike outside with that on it the whole thing would blow away.

Looks like Balloon Boy's spaceship.

If I left my bike outside with that on it the whole thing would blow away.

it actually attaches to itself via hooks underneath, so they designed it very well... to insure it doesnt walk away it has a way to lock it.


on the Outside Off Base it may get some curiosity
wanting to see if it will be bearing anything to Pawn under there.

the only places my bike goes is from the inside of my house to the base and thats it. i know the outcome if i left it outside the base, anyone that steals bikes would see TREK & immediately think $$.

My bike lives outside all day long, all year round, parked either in downtown or on campus. All I cover is the seat, with a couple of grocery bags. I think that goofy cover of yours will attract more attention than just the Trek logo

How small does that thing pack down to? Does it take a full pannier? 3/4? I don't (currently) have carrying capacity on my commuter bike, and while I'm going to change that, it's so that I'll be able to haul groceries and spare clothes without a backpack, not to carry a rain cover for the bike. I'll still be riding it through the rain, so I'm not sure how that would actually help me?

Wow. It looks like a jiffy popper!!! :lol:

On the plus side it could be a decent theft deterrent. No thief would be caught dead hanging around that thing.

well i'll be riding in the rain also but id say covering it is better than letting it sit out in the rain for 8-10 hrs. The bike rack where i keep my bike has no shelter what so ever. the cover actually compresses down pretty small. you know for the people that just leave there bikes outside uncovered i wonder how many of them cost $1000+? that also hints why i wanna take care of my bike.

PS
i wish i could take my bike inside my work but do to security i cant. hell i couldn't even take in one of those fold up bikes.

If your bike made of unpainted steel or iron? Unvarnished bamboo? Paper? Sugar?

If not, rain won't hurt your bike when it's parked. Rain while you're riding, even moisture kicked up off the street by your tires, will certainly cause wear in your drivetrain. This is because it is depositing dirt, silt, road grit, etc.. into the moving parts as they're moving, which slowly grinds away at your cassette, chainrings, axles, and the like. So, a poor maintenance routine can definitely harm your bike, especially if you ride in the rain or snow.

In deciding how well I care for my bike, I doesn't matter how much it costs, it matters how much it is worth to me. And it is worth a lot to me. My bike is one of the single most important tools in my life. It gets more use than any other device I own, and consequently, it gets more care than any other device I own. My bike has spent its days outside, all year round, in all weather, for five years now. It has accumulated over 18,000 miles, and runs as well as the day I bought it. I hardly think that I have been neglecting my bike by locking it up outside.

I also wish that I could bring my bike inside when I'm at work or school. Not because of the weather, but just so that it'd be that much harder to steal.

No, I don't cover up my bike if it's outside. I sometimes remember to put a plastic bag over the Brooks saddle, if I know I'll be riding on a wet day, but that is about as much pampering as it gets.

Real pampering is for after the bike has done many miles of gravel roads or something.

If your bike made of unpainted steel or iron? Unvarnished bamboo? Paper? Sugar?

If not, rain won't hurt your bike when it's parked. Rain while you're riding, even moisture kicked up off the street by your tires, will certainly cause wear in your drivetrain. This is because it is depositing dirt, silt, road grit, etc.. into the moving parts as they're moving, which slowly grinds away at your cassette, chainrings, axles, and the like. So, a poor maintenance routine can definitely harm your bike, especially if you ride in the rain or snow.

In deciding how well I care for my bike, I doesn't matter how much it costs, it matters how much it is worth to me. And it is worth a lot to me. My bike is one of the single most important tools in my life. It gets more use than any other device I own, and consequently, it gets more care than any other device I own. My bike has spent its days outside, all year round, in all weather, for five years now. It has accumulated over 18,000 miles, and runs as well as the day I bought it. I hardly think that I have been neglecting my bike by locking it up outside.

I also wish that I could bring my bike inside when I'm at work or school. Not because of the weather, but just so that it'd be that much harder to steal.

Sorry, I beg to differ. Sitting out in the rain for 10 hours is not a good thing. Think about all of the rusty kid's bikes you see. And on top of that, baking in the sun isn't so good either. Good way to degrade the paint quickly. There is a reason people put their cars in garages.

Looks like Balloon Boy's spaceship.

I was thinking the same.

I just put a dollar-store showercap on my saddle and call it good.