Cycling UK Forum

I have recently acquired a nice 1950s lightweight with steel wheels, cranks etc in very good condition. As I already have 2 bikes in the house it has to live in the garden shed and I want to make sure it doesn't get damp and rust over the winter. I was thinking of spraying it with WD40 or GT85 or is there anything else that would be better? Would putting a cover over it help or would it get damp inside the cover?

In my garage the problem is condensation.

Every time the air warms up after a cold spell, I get incredible amounts of condensation on any exposed metal surfaces.
Sometimes it looks like somebody has gone through the garage with a watering can.

I think something thicker than GT85 or WD40 is needed and what about inside the frame?

Depending on bike size, see if you can get one of those really big plastic vacuum bags for storing clothes/duvets in. Make sure the bike is nice and clean and dry - best done on a very dry day. Take wheels, bars, etc off. Pop into bag and do it up. Attach to vacuum cleaner and suck air out. Place in shed and check / remove air once a month.

For the inside of tubes you could try waxoyl.

or just store your bikes and bike bits in the nice warm spare bedroom ..... like i do ..... thank you Julie

Take the bike into a warm place. Wipe over exposed steel surfaces with 3 in 1 oil. Seal in a sturdy plastic bag with some silica gel (£5 for half a kilo online). Do a visual check once a month. When you finally take it out regenerate the silica gel and seal in a plastic bag for use next year.

Al

Give ya old gal a lashing of this stuff too:

Anti Corrosion Formula or ACF - 50

This is an anti corrosion oil. When my hetchins is put away for the winter, she is gently cleaned, dried and every single part of her is coated in a thin layer of this stuff.

IT comes highly recommended by the Vintage motor bike club, Vintage car club etc.

According to the makers, it 'prevents and deactivates corrosion and lubricates metal.' (Their words off the can).

Its bloomin pricy tho, but you only need a thin layer.

+1 for ACF50.

It is sold online by some motorbike supplies sites.
Google for ACF50 to find one.

Manx Cat is right, ACF-50 is unbelievably protective. My garage suffers terribly from condensation and I use it on my bikes and vintage scooter, highly recommended!

It is expensive, I bought another can for the winter last week, £15 via Ebay, but worth every penny.

Loft storage? - I'm assuming that it isn't coming out very often...

bike in the house >>>> how .

must admit got a frame set that might end up in loft soon

My bike and the trailer live in the hall. One of the advantages of living on my own.

Thanks for that. I hadn't heard of ACF50 before but I've just ordered some from Ebay - £13.85 including postage.
I've a bike in the hall and a bike in the porch. Its only a small house so I don't have a spare bedroom or loft - if I did it would probably already have bikes in!

"Lightweight" and "Steel wheels" is an oxymoron...

Anyway. Go to a hardware store and buy a large plastic bag. A very large plastic bag.

Also buy some desiccant paper. Wrap the bike with the paper and put it in the bag.

diapason0 wrote:My bike and the trailer live in the hall. One of the advantages of living on my own.

Yup, living alone has advantages.
I have three bikes in a big shed. Two bikes in one spare room. One bike ( the best one ) on the top bunk in another spare room and my commute bike in a special alcove in the living room where an electronic organ once stood.

With the two bikes in the mid-size spare room there is a 42" LCD tv and a 'Gaming PC' with a 'Driver Sim' console on a 'home carpentered' special sturdy table where I have Formula 1 2011 !

One of the cars I reluctantly ( ) had to test drive during a previous job...

WD40 was developed for that.

You don't need protection inside the frames if they're airtight, i.e. seatpost greased etc. Rusting cannot take place without a lot of oxygen