Parking in the Rain
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Port Townsend, WA
Posts: 982
Bikes: xtracycle, electric recumbent, downtube folder and more
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Parking in the Rain
When you go to the store and there is no covered parking, do you just put a plastic bag over the seat or do you have a more elaborate system? How about you Xtra folks, those bags have a small river running through them during a rain.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Tempe, AZ
Posts: 93
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I typically bring my bike inside wherever I go unless told otherwise by store employees/owners.
A small cheap grill cover (made for round/square charcoal grills) may work for larger areas (covering seat & xtracycle).
A small cheap grill cover (made for round/square charcoal grills) may work for larger areas (covering seat & xtracycle).
#3
Bike Pilot
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 182
Bikes: Oh, yes
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I have become a conesseur of plastic bags to protect my Brooks - my favorites are the heavy duty ones that phone books are delivered in (recycle the book, save the bag). On the back of my Xtracycle, I use Oyster Buckets ( https://www.cobbworks.com/ ), so there's no problem there. On the front, I have the largest Wald basket mounted to the frame, with a cover. I made the cover as rain protection, which it does beautifully, but I find that it also contributes to security - if passers by can't see what's in the basket, they won't remove the cover to find out; never so far, anyway.
#4
W A N T E D
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 495
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I use a plastic grocery bag on my seat. They compress to a really small size when not needed. Aside from removing my computer/speedometer (which I place in my pocket), that's about all I do.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 168
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
My solution was to get rid of the Brooks saddle. It was uncomfortable for me any way. I don't cover my plastic seat but use rain paints. The xtracyle deck is already covered with closed-cell foam for the kids, so nothing done there. The side bags are also pretty porous so rain just goes through it and later dries quickly.
#6
Bicycle Lifestyle
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pacific Grove, Ca
Posts: 1,737
Bikes: Neil Pryde Diablo, VeloVie Vitesse400, Hunter29er, Surly Big Dummy
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
i've done a lot of rain stuff.
i dont own a car
my bike(s) have to be able to handle water.
on the road (touring), and if it raining a ton, the bike is outside 24/7, i like these "draw string tarps"
at home, or other places that i park the bike on a regular basis, i like to use a heavy oiled canvas tarp
i dont own a car
my bike(s) have to be able to handle water.
on the road (touring), and if it raining a ton, the bike is outside 24/7, i like these "draw string tarps"
at home, or other places that i park the bike on a regular basis, i like to use a heavy oiled canvas tarp
#7
Membership Not Required
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: On the road-USA
Posts: 16,855
Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
14 Posts
Most of my bikes have leather saddles. They get covered with a cheap (free from the motels I stay at ) shower cap. Bags are usually waterproof (relatively speaking). About the only time I have to park in the rain is on tour or during the summer months when I get caught in a shower. I do have a lightweight nylon tarp I use when touring to cover the bike at night.
Shopping, I can usually park my bike under the overhang at the grocery store.
Aaron
Shopping, I can usually park my bike under the overhang at the grocery store.
Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Port Townsend, WA
Posts: 982
Bikes: xtracycle, electric recumbent, downtube folder and more
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Our food coop has made some covered parking for bikes but there are more and more bikes (thank goodness) and I am trying to come up with something that doesn't have to be built. I quite often have construction stuff on my Xtra and have it covered but the food coop has had requests for more covered parking.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 287
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
before i bought a second bike to use as a weather beater/tourer i cut two large trash bags open and duct taped them together to form one big cover that slid over my entire bike. This was very effective at keeping my bike dry while parked outside the office, but I soon realized there was really no point to do this if i was riding back in the rain (bike is going to get wet anyway), hence the 2nd bike I use for weather.
If I only had one bike, or if I had to park outside for extended periods of time (days at a time), especially if it's cold and rain is expected to freeze, I'd go back to my garbage bag method. Nobody wants to steal garbage bags.
If I only had one bike, or if I had to park outside for extended periods of time (days at a time), especially if it's cold and rain is expected to freeze, I'd go back to my garbage bag method. Nobody wants to steal garbage bags.