Can low temperatures damage a bike?

[steveindenmark]

My bikes and motorbikes live in an unheated wooden shed and we go down to -25 here. Ive never had any problems with any of them.

Steve

 

[Jon George]

My bikes and motorbikes

Motorbikes? As in, more than one? I like your style, sir!

 

[wiggydiggy]

The temperatures here have been way into the double 'f''s' lately, even in the garage where I keep my bikes it was minus 12 yesterday and today, can this cause any harm to a bike?

Yes, but (wait for it!) it needs to be a LOT colder....

There's a blog about somewhere, probably on http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/ somewhere detailing a Russian trip where despite the human component of a bike being well wrapped and snug the low temperatures caused various plastic parts to become brittle and break. Performance of oil/lubricants can change at those temps also.

IIRC it was -35c and perhaps lower, so you at -12c should be fine!

 

[Herzog]

No, my bikes are regularly exposed to >-15 degC and they've not exploded/shattered etc.

 

[steveindenmark]

Motorbikes? As in, more than one? I like your style, sir!

 

[Jon George]

re pics

I see you carry the cyclist's obsession for cleanliness over to your motorized vehicles. Even more kudus to your elbow, sir! (And that must be some shed ... )

 

[steveindenmark]

I cant get in it Jon. So much so, I have a road bike and Kickbike in my loft for the winter. The little red Guzzi lived in my living room last winter

The next year plan is to make a bigger shed.

Steve

 

[Jon George]

The next year plan is to make a bigger shed.

We can all dream ... don't forget to put in some heat.

 

[02GF74]

No

wrong.

if water gets into the frame, and then freezes, it will burst the tube. Still don't believe me? it happened here.

Both these stays were the same shape and diameter before winter.

 

[ianrauk]

wrong.

if water gets into the frame, and then freezes, it will burst the tube. Still don't believe me? it happened here.

Both these stays were the same shape and diameter before winter.

Then that person has obviously not looked after that bike properly.
How on earth did that person allow so much water to get into the tubes. The whole frame must have been completely full for it to freeze and split the tubes.

 

[rusty bearing]

When it's really really cold the oil in the freehub can get so viscous that it'll refuse to go round!

 

[ColinJ]

If it has SRAM RED 22 or S-700 Hydraulic Road Brakes, then definitely YES!

 

[Cyclopathic]

I once retrieved a bike from the canal

If it has SRAM RED 22 or S-700 Hydraulic Road Brakes, then definitely YES!

Read that as "hydraulic rod brakes" and thought,,,odd.

 

[Gravity Aided]

When it's really really cold the oil in the freehub can get so viscous that it'll refuse to go round!

That would be about the time you would replace the oil with kerosene, which would be gelatinous at that temperature, and about the same consistency of oil. But between the wind chill and the cold, I doubt you would want to ride a bicycle.

 

[02GF74]

Then that person has obviously not looked after that bike properly.
How on earth did that person allow so much water to get into the tubes. The whole frame must have been completely full for it to freeze and split the tubes.

you are right about the first part - the photo is taken by somebody working in a bike shop and thee are some horrors.

I am not so sure that the whole frame needs to be full of water. I am guessing that once the top surface of the water has frozen - like on a lake - it acts as a plug, so the water cannot go updwards, just sidesways as it expands.