Hibernating road bike

[Broughtonblue]

Decided today to put my road bike into hibernation for the next 4-5 months, gave it a good clean, is there anything else I should do now so in the spring it is in good condition? Do I need to keep tyre pressures up over the winter or doesn't it really matter?

 

[Poacher]

I'd certainly be inclined to maintain tyre pressures at a reasonable level - not letting them drop below ~50psi if possible.
If you allow the tyres to deflate completely with the weight of the bike on them (I'm assuming you're not suspending it) you could find them permanently deformed next Spring. You might also find that a tube is trapped so that when you pump it up you get an almighty blowout. Give brake pivots and derailleurs a dose of WD40, TF2, GT85 or similar to dispel moisture, grease all exposed cables. That's probably about it.


Prseumably you have a Winter hack, and aren't giving up riding for the next 4-5 months?

 

[ianrauk]

Decided today to put my road bike into hibernation for the next 4-5 months, gave it a good clean, is there anything else I should do now so in the spring it is in good condition? Do I need to keep tyre pressures up over the winter or doesn't it really matter?

Yes, take it out of hibernation, keep riding and keep it clean. If you keep it clean then it will last through the winter with no problems.
There is no need what so ever to hibernate a bike.

 

[Broughtonblue]

I'd certainly be inclined to maintain tyre pressures at a reasonable level - not letting them drop below ~50psi if possible.
If you allow the tyres to deflate completely with the weight of the bike on them (I'm assuming you're not suspending it) you could find them permanently deformed next Spring. You might also find that a tube is trapped so that when you pump it up you get an almighty blowout. Give brake pivots and derailleurs a dose of WD40, TF2, GT85 or similar to dispel moisture, grease all exposed cables. That's probably about it.


Prseumably you have a Winter hack, and aren't giving up riding for the next 4-5 months?

Yep, got a bike to see me through the winter. Bike is suspended on a hook from garage beams.

 

[boydj]

If the bike has been well-used over the summer, then I'd take this opportunity to strip it down for a good clean and re-grease. Fit new cable inners and maybe outers as well, so that, come spring, it will feel like a new bike.

 

[bicyclos]

My summer bike (best) is polished and gleaming in the attic snuff dry for next year. I have a choice of three other bikes to play with over winter if needs be.......

regards

 

[Deleted member 1258]

My geared bike went into the shed last weekend, had a good clean, polish and a lube, I wont be using it till the spring, I'll be using my fixed through the winter.

 

[Bayerd]

Yes, take it out of hibernation, keep riding and keep it clean. If you keep it clean then it will last through the winter with no problems.
There is no need what so ever to hibernate a bike.

+1. Nothing more to say..

 

[NormanD]

Would you hibernate a car if that was the only one you owned?

It's a bike it's designed to be used, no matter what the weather / time of year, so use it

 

[HLaB]

Anything else you can do Broughtonblue, yes as has probably already been said ride it