Storing bike in a shed - rust?

chainwheel

Try increasing the ventilaton in the shed, a vent grill at either end to allow a through draught will go a long way to keeping the bike dry.  Before the winter weather sets in give the bike a rub over with Curator wax polish or similar but not silicone based polish.  When arriving in from a winter run ,wash down with warm water, it takes no time to do and will save the finish. It's all about care and maintenance, clean machinery really does last longer and gives better service.  

fred246

Just gone out to check my main daily use bike. 12 year old hybrid approx £700 new. No signs of any rust or corrosion. Not washed for about 3 years. I use KMC chains which do rust badly without lubrication as the OPs picture shows. Less than £10 each. I use Shimano cassettes about £15 each. Chainwheels are less than £10 or triple £30. I accept totally that they may last longer if I washed my bike after every ride but I would spend a lot of my life washing it. This thread is all about a guy who never lubricates his chain. It's a common problem. I always point them out to my wife who isn't the slightest bit interested. OP just needs to lubricate his chain.

Richard53

chainwheel said:

Try increasing the ventilaton in the shed, a vent grill at either end to allow a through draught will go a long way to keeping the bike dry.  

This is the long-term answer. Machinery rusts, not because it gets wet, but because it stays wet. If it gets the chance to dry naturally in a flow of air after a wetting, rusting will be greatly diminished. A car I owned in the 80s rusted away before my eyes. Coincidentally, that was while I lived at the only house I have owned with a garage (well, a garage with room for a car). I used to religiously put it in the garage every night, wet or dry, and closed the doors. Basically, I killed it.
Somewhere like a lean-to with a roof to keep the rain off but no sides to allow maximum ventilation would be ideal storage for a bike from a corrosion point of view. Ensuring adequate ventilation in the shed would be the next-best thing.

esuhl

I used to keep my bike in a shed/garage, but I also had minor issues with chain and chainring rust.  Possibly my imagination, but I also found that the gear cables/mech would stretch and get sticky.  It's not ideal, but... I keep my bike in the house now (and wipe it down when it gets wet).  But its worth it for the "performance" and less maintenance. :-)

Chain lubrication is a hotly-debated topic.  A new chain is pre-lubed and should last a good few rides, but after that regular lubrication is necessary.

Lubrication reduces wear, protects against rust, and ensures a "smooth-feeling" transmission.  But bike chain lubes vary wildly, and everyone has their own "favourite" that works for them.

As above there are "wet" lubes for wintery/damp conditions, and "dry" lubes for hot/dry/dusty conditions.

Wet lubes are thick and gloopy so they don't get washed off by rain or mud, but can also cause dirt and grit to stick to the chain, becoming a "grinding paste" which wears out your components prematurely.

Dry lubes are thin and runny so they don't pick up as much dirt and grit, but more frequent lubrication is required, and a rain shower can wash off the lube, resulting in increased friction or rust, which again... wears out your components prematurely.

For optimum performance and reduced wear, it's important to degrease and clean the drivetrain (chain and gears), and re-lube the chain every now-and-then.  But it's a balancing act...  You don't want to spend hours cleaning your bike so its always spotless, but you don't want to totally neglect it so it's horrible to ride and your components wear out quickly.

I'd definitely recommend the yellow "Muc-Off" brand drivetrain degreaser.  The important thing is to wash off the degreaser and allow the chain to dry completely (I put mine next to the boiler overnight) before re-lubing it.

It's worth getting a chain-wear gauge.  They're cheap and will easily tell you when your chain is worn.  A worn chain causes excessive wear on your gears, so replacing a worn chain will save you money in the long-run.

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Probably not relevant for your needs, but you can also get wax lubes.  I use "Squirt", which was developed for the dry, dusty conditions in South Africa.  You need to VERY thoroughly de-grease the chain.  The idea is that wax doesn't stick to the chain like oil, so when dirt mixes, it falls off with the wax, minimising any "grinding paste".  It requires more frequent re-lubing, but MUCH less regular cleaning/degreasing.  It can completely wash off in heavy rain, however, and only works for me because I'm a "fair weather" cyclist, I avoid mud, and the off-road terrain round here is quite sandy.

JustAnotherSaver

Out of interest.. I've read about these specific degreasers. 
Would any old degreaser do? I have a few that are for use on the car. Meguiars Super Degreaser is the one I currently have made up. 

esuhl

JustAnotherSaver said:

Out of interest.. I've read about these specific degreasers. 
Would any old degreaser do? I have a few that are for use on the car. Meguiars Super Degreaser is the one I currently have made up. 

I'm not really sure.  It might be that car degreasers are more powerful, making it harder to wash them off, thus making subsequent lubrication less effective...?  I'd *guess* that it's probably fine, though (maybe even better if you wash off the degreaser properly), but I don't know.

One thing I'd avoid is using washing-up detergents like Fairy Liquid.  They contain very high levels of salt, to soften the water.  But salt makes ferrous metals rust quickly.  Even if you have an aluminium frame, the bolts, chain, and chainring, etc. are probably susceptible to rust.