uncleMonty

Hi all - I live in Montreal and these days I tend to store my bike inside for the winter. For the 8 months or so that I ride, I leave it on my balcony as there's no room indoors. It has held up pretty well (I've been riding it for 30 years now) but there are some spots of corrosion here and there on the frame and I would like to stop it from getting any worse so I can enjoy 30 more years. Where I live now there is nothing overhead on the balcony, so the bike does get wet when it rains (which has been a lot, this summer).

It's a touring bike (Velosport Alpin), now with fenders and racks removed. I just opened the bottom bracket for the first time ever, to replace it during an overhaul, and there was only a slight hint of rusty brown on the water sheath, which I think means the frame is well sealed, since it's been 30 years...

Do you have any recommendations for covers or tarps, and/or any knowledge of best practices for a bicycle left outdoors? (Well, I should say "second-best practices" as I'm well aware the best practice is to keep your cherished bikes indoors... but believe me, it's not an option where I'm living.)

Thanks.

blakcloud 

Sorry I can't help with brands. I did purchase two from bikecovers.ca but they seem to have gone out of business. They were pricey for what you got and didn't last that long. I replaced them with bike covers I purchased in Japan. You can buy cheap ones in the 100 yen store, the equivalent of the dollar store and those are garbage. The two I picked up are made for bicycles and scooters. They are wide in the front for the handlebars and narrow at the back for the seat. The cover reaches the ground and has a draw string to keep it tight so wind doesn't turn it into a sail. The outside has a different material than the inside which is softer and won't scratch your bike.

So when you do find one you might want to look for the features I just described. A tarp would work but a bicycle cover is better.