Storing bike in a shed - rust?

JustAnotherSaver

I don't have the luxury of storing the bike in the house. I know some folk have bike rooms and can hang their bikes on a wall inside a chosen room in their house but for me the only option is in the wooden shed outside. There's no room in the house.

For the first weekend in what seems like forever I made the most of a break in the weekend rain pattern and got out on the bike. When i went to it in the shed i noticed the chain and gearing had collected rust since it was last used late September.

It had actually been serviced mid August. I'm not saying this to imply that servicing should prevent all rust, i'm simply saying it in case anyone says do you get it serviced.

I know the way i store it is not ideal but it's the only option. Is there a way i can make the best of a bad situation to avoid this rust (or avoid as much as possible)? Is there anything i need to do post ride & pre-storage?

theoretica

A squirt of WD40 for its water displacement properties on the chain and gears as you put it away maybe.  Also probably worth wiping as much of that rust off as you easily can so it doesn't act as grit in the wrong places.

JustAnotherSaver

It's late in the day so it gives me time to ask - would you simply just wipe with a rag (though doesn't that wipe the oil off - so would you also need to re-oil?) or would you wire brush it with a soft wire brush? Though again i guess that would still remove oil so the oil question at least remains.

Will go with the WD tomorrow after work. Thanks.

Would you store under cover in the shed or wont this make any difference at all?

Nebulous2

I wouldn't put wd40 on my bike chain. I wipe oil / grime off my chain with baby wipes. Hold the wipe around the bottom of the chain and move the pedals round backwards until the chain is as clean as possible. Then re-oil.

My commuter bike stays in a shed and I wipe and relube the chain once a week. My best bike lives in the house and the chain is wiped and oiled every time it is out. 

Putting it away wet is a possible cause especially if it will be left for some time. Is the shed dry and water tight?

cymruchris

You can actually make your bike rustier by keeping it indoors if you use it outside a lot in cold weather. Whenever it comes into a warm environment cold and wet, rust develops more quickly. WD-40 isn't the best thing for bike chains - look up something like GT-85 - that includes a PTFE coating (a bit like your non-stick frying pans)  The blurb:

• Contains PTFE which ensures maximum lubrication, protection and reduces wear & tear
• Provides long lasting protection against rust and corrosion
• Prevents bike from squeaking to help get a smoother ride
• Displaces moisture on bikes in particular, the chain
• Great to use on areas such as chains, derailleurs, pivot points, cables, shifters

I worked in a company that sold bikes for many years, and this was the usual go to product for people in your position who were concerned about surface rust. You'll always get a little - no matter how hard you try - but something like this will certainly minimise it.

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-maintenance/bike-lube/gt-85-bike-lubricant-400ml-477653.html

[Deleted User]

I use muc-off water repellant after cleaning the bike gearing, then wipe down before oiling. I have had the odd bit of rust on the chain/cassette and never had any issues riding them

JustAnotherSaver

How often do you clean? 

At this time of year the chances of me getting out are slim, so who knows, if the weather is crap every weekend for the next however long it could be well in to next year before I'm back out on it. 
Or it could be as early as this coming Saturday. All depends on the weather. 

[Deleted User]

I cycle to work daily (so getting road salt etc on the bike) and will ride for leisure through the winter at weekends if it's dry. Bikes should really be done each weekend but other sport often gets in the way then say if it rains on the Sunday I miss out 

alembicbassman

When new most chains come coated in a sticky goo that lasts for a few hundred miles.
It doesn't take a lot of water to start the rust off on blued steel, which is steel heated and dipped in oil to form a coating. Some chains have a shiny nickel coating and are more resistant to corrosion.
I oil my chain every 4 weeks or so. I wipe off any dirt with a cloth, squirted with WD40 or GT85, by holding it on the chain with one hand while turning the pedals backwards with the other.
Once clean you can apply the oil, Weldtite make some good basic ones and some specialist ceramic and dry lubes too.
Hold the oil bottle in one hand with the nozzle on the chain and squeeze gently while turning the cranks backwards with the other hand to move the chain around the sprockets. If you've over oiled it ( i.e. it's dripping) wipe off the excess with the cloth.
WD40 is a bit too thin for lubrication and should only be used for wiping down.
For really deep cleaning you can remove the chain and put it in a plastic drinks bottle with some de-greaser and give it a shake. You'll need a chain tool for this though, can be bought for about £5
The chain is a consumable part, most 6,7,8 speed chains are under £10 (ASDA sell them at £4). It will wear out eventually. Easy to replace yourself with a chain tool though. 
Checkout Sheldon's site for all sorts of helpful advice: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

fred246

I cycle on a daily basis so hardly ever clean my bike. It just seems a bit pointless. Every day I put one drop of Finish Line Cross Country wet lube on the chain. Just at one spot. Cycling spreads it around so I never get any rust. Regular lubrication is supposed to increase chain wear but they seem to last a couple of years.

JustAnotherSaver

Regular lube increases chain wear? Sounds a bit backwards to me that. Not doubting you but it just sounds backwards.

What oil do you recommend I use? I've heard of wet and dry. As i say, i don't really go out if it's peeing it down. I've only ever been out in the rain once and that's only because i got caught out halfway in to a ride. Fair weather riding for me