Effectiveness of bike covers and heated/unheated garages

[Anthony_marr]

My house doesn't have a garage, so I park my bike in the street, with a bike cover. Vancouver is dry in the summer and wet in the winter. The cover is rain-proof, but of course not moisture-proof or condensation-proof. How would you compare the body-preserving properties of bike covers, unheated garages and heated garages? Some even say that heated garages could sometimes hasten the rusting of bikes; can this be true, or have I misheard them? - AM

[capt_bugaloo]

I have been riding for 17 years in Victoria, so I know what you're talking about.
IMHO nothing compares to a dry heated garage; it will preserve the condition the best. An unheated garage is a close second, while a cover is a distant third.

This last winter I parked on the street and I always make sure to cover my Ninja when it's not in use. So far I have not had any signs of rust or other moisture problems.

If you care at all about your bike and have no choice but to park on the street, at least spend $75 or so for a decent cover. It does offer some weather protection, but also helps hide it from passing thieves....

[Anthony_marr]

Originally Posted by capt_bugaloo

I have been riding for 17 years in Victoria, so I know what you're talking about.
IMHO nothing compares to a dry heated garage; it will preserve the condition the best. An unheated garage is a close second, while a cover is a distant third.

This last winter I parked on the street and I always make sure to cover my Ninja when it's not in use. So far I have not had any signs of rust or other moisture problems.

If you care at all about your bike and have no choice but to park on the street, at least spend $75 or so for a decent cover. It does offer some weather protection, but also helps hide it from passing thieves....

Yes, a $75 cover is exactly what I've got, and, yes, it is on the bike except when I ride. Next winter I will park it in an unheated garage of a friend of mine.

I think hot-and-moist is the worst, cold-and-moist is better, hot is dry even better, and cold and dry is the best.

[CC Cowboy]

Rent a garage for the winter.

[Anthony_marr]

Originally Posted by Anthony_marr

Yes, a $75 cover is exactly what I've got, and, yes, it is on the bike except when I ride. Next winter I will park it in an unheated garage of a friend of mine.

I think hot-and-moist is the worst, cold-and-moist is better, hot-and-dry even better, and cold-and-dry is the best.

[Rayme]

Do you best to keep the water from it..if you came back from a ride and it's raining, wait until its dry before putting the cover on it, nothing's worst than trapping water under something rain proof.

[capt_bugaloo]

He's in Vancouver. In the winter he might literally wait for days or even weeks for a break in the rain.

[NaughtyusMaximus]

Makes me wonder why I live here sometimes

Although the last month or so has been really nice. Usually the summer makes up for the rest of the year

[Anthony_marr]

Originally Posted by NaughtyusMaximus

Makes me wonder why I live here sometimes

Although the last month or so has been really nice. Usually the summer makes up for the rest of the year

The thing about Vancouver is that it is truly a gorgeous city, with spectacular mountain, island and ocean scenery, and almost endless amazing places to ride, replete with twisties: Marine Drive in West Vancouver, and especially the Sea-to-Sky highway from Vancouver to Whister, a good 1.5 hours of non-stop cliff-up/cliff-down curvies which is also considered one of the most dangerous highways around - soon to be made world famous by the 2010 Winter Olympics. Year after year, Vancouver is rated among the top 3 "most livable cities in the world", when the first and second usually go to Switzerland, which, however, this make Vancouver the #1 most livable city in N. America bar none. I've traveled through 45 U.S. states and 5 Canadian provinces by car and bike, and when I return to Vancouver, I usually say "Aaaahhhhh!"

No, I did not copy this out of any travel brochure!

[CC Cowboy]

It definitely isn't rate for it's weather. Ever notice beautiful cities usually get tons of rain. That's why they look lust and beautiful.

I spent a summer in Amsterdam (I think) and it rained everyday but 3 for 5 weeks (from what I remember). I had to go to Nice for 2 weeks just to get back to normal.

[ASecretNinja]

Originally Posted by Anthony_marr

I've traveled through 45 U.S. states and 5 Canadian provinces by car and bike, and when I return to Vancouver, I usually say "Aaaahhhhh!"

Is this before or after you let out a nice refreshing "Ehhhhhhhhhh"?

Traveling through an area and actually living somewhere are two entirely different things. If I went by your logic I would conclude that Kansas, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico are absolute **** holes, as I've just driven through them yet never lived and spent an extended amount of time there.

Go to Texas, and Texans will tell you the same thing, that they live in the best place on Earth. I don't dispute Vancouver is appealing, but at least here if I ever need a heart transplant (or any other organ for that matter) I know I won't die on the surgeon's waiting list.. Yay Canada! RUH ROH, THREAD HIJACKED.

[Anthony_marr]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

It definitely isn't rate for it's weather. Ever notice beautiful cities usually get tons of rain. That's why they look lust and beautiful.

I spent a summer in Amsterdam (I think) and it rained everyday but 3 for 5 weeks (from what I remember). I had to go to Nice for 2 weeks just to get back to normal.

True enough, Cowboy. In Vancouver, you don't have to look up at the sky to tell the weather. You can tell by the amount of bikes on the road. Riders crawl out of the woodworks at the first hint of a dry patch on the ground.

[Anthony_marr]

Originally Posted by ASecretNinja

Is this before or after you let out a nice refreshing "Ehhhhhhhhhh"?

Traveling through an area and actually living somewhere are two entirely different things. If I went by your logic I would conclude that Kansas, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico are absolute **** holes, as I've just driven through them yet never lived and spent an extended amount of time there.

Go to Texas, and Texans will tell you the same thing, that they live in the best place on Earth. I don't dispute Vancouver is appealing, but at least here if I ever need a heart transplant (or any other organ for that matter) I know I won't die on the surgeon's waiting list.. Yay Canada! RUH ROH, THREAD HIJACKED.

Habit quite often overwhelm perception, true, although UT, AZ and NW are magnificent states in their own right. Kansas would be a bit of a stretch, but I love the band. TX, well, big.

About the heart transplant, you pay through the nose in the US, or you die. In Canada, if you're poor, you get it, if you don't die during the waiting period, but if you are rich, you can always go down to the US and pay through the nose there, eh?

[CodE-E]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

I spent a summer in Amsterdam (I think) and it rained everyday but 3 for 5 weeks (from what I remember).

LOL...

[Anthony_marr]

Originally Posted by capt_bugaloo

He's in Vancouver. In the winter he might literally wait for days or even weeks for a break in the rain.

Victoria on Vancouver Island is only a 1hr 40min ferry ride away from Vancouver, but it is on the lee side of the Island mountains, and the rain rolling in from the Pacific passes over it, then gets blocked by the mountains backing Vancouver and dumped there. Lucky Victorians. But, as Naughty said, our summers more than make up for it.

Good thing about the ferry: bikes go right to the front of the line, board first, and unboard first on the other end. How's that for some respect?