How To Store A Bicycle

 

With growing trends of living closer to work, saving money on gas, or even just wanting to enjoy more of the outdoors, bicycle sales and ownership has been increasing over the years. Bicycles can provide hours of exercises, a quick way to whip around urbanized areas and downtowns, or just serve for entertainment—but there’s little fun about storing them at home.

 

If you’re downtown apartment renter, a bike can eat up valuable living space, and not everyone has room in their garage to hang or park their wheels when not in use, especially over longer winter months. A storage unit for your bicycle can give you the best of both worlds with a safe spot to park your ride and plenty of space at home for other things.

 

Before using self storage for your bike, however, there are a few things you should do.

 

Find the best storage unit for your bicycle

 

Before you preparing your bike for self storage, there’s some key things to look for in a storage facility. The first of which will be location. Unless your bicycle is set aside for long-term storage, chances are high you’ll want to find a location close to your house or apartment for easy access. For even more convenience, find a storage facility with 24-hour access for your bicycle so you can get your ride on your time, not a business’s.

 

Speaking of access, find a storage facility with either drive-up or elevator access to avoid having to schlep your bicycle up and down stairs.

 

Another important storage feature is security. Bikes can be costly investment, so find a storage facility with strong security features to protect your investment. These features include electronic gate access, which restricts entrance to the facility to only those with a keycode, as well as video surveillance. You can even find facilities with onsite management for a near-instantaneous human response to any issues.

 

Lastly, if you’re living in a region with extreme seasonal weather or placing your bike in self storage for winter, find a storage facility with climate controlled units. These special units maintain a constant temperature and humidity level within your unit. This will prevent any moisture for forming on your bicycle chain and gears and rusting and preserve your bike for its next ride.

 

Preparing your bike for long-term self storage

 

If you’re daily storing your bike, then you’ll likely be aware of your bike’s condition and ready to handle any repairs or provide regular maintenance. However, if you’re placing your bicycle in a storage for long-term use, there are a few quick things you can do.

 

First, give your bicycle a thorough cleaning and lubricate the chain. This will help any dust from forming and clogging things up while in storage. Further protection from dust and moisture can be provided by placing a cover over your bike when placed in long-term self storage.

 

Placing your bicycle in a storage unit

 

Once you’ve found the right storage facility and prepare your bike for storage, all that’s left is parking your ride in a storage unit to enjoy the freedom a bicycle provides with the freedom of space at home.