Storing bikes in a shed, in a garage

[Velochris]

This may be an absurd idea, but I'll ask for opinions.

I am in the north of England and have an old detached single skin brick garage.

No leaking water etc. and the doors are not a perfect fit, so there is some ventilation.

I am wondering if there is any advantage to building a wood bicycle shed/store in the garage. Will this help keep them in better condition (rust prevention etc) long term than just being in the garage as normal?

I don't intend to heat the shed, so suspect the ambient temperature would be the same in or out of the shed.

May be a silly idea, but experiences welcome.

 

[Globalti]

Nope. The wood will absorb moisture until it reaches equilibrium with the atmosphere inside the garage. If that's damp it will be damp in the wood shed and if it's really damp fungi will grow on untreated wood. Same goes for the temperature.

How secure is the garage against thieves?

 

[Drago]

Keep the bikes clean and during winter spray any plated or polished parts WD40 (or the oily maintenance spray of your choice).

 

[Smudge]

I have a metal shed and a wooden shed. I find anything that is made of any metal in either shed will have beads of condensation on it in variable temp conditions. But it evaporates if the shed is reasonably vented.
Its not a lot of difference from when i used to have a brick built unheated garage.

 

[Velochris]

Security is a separate issue. I intend to use chain locks with ground anchors, as well as a d-lock. Probably also remove front wheels.

So far (last couple of months) I haven't really seen any condensation on the metal stuff I've left in there. Hopefully the ventilation will help.

 

[fossyant]

Brick garage is best for lack of damp. If you really want low damp, then a dehumidifier, or even a small tube heater.

 

[fossyant]

I have a PC and 2 screens in the garage for Zwift, no damp issues. It does have enough ventilation., so you'll be fine. PS finish line protect and shine is good for wiping down a bike after use (once clean).

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I have the same garage set up, it's detached and single skin brick. I store all the less exotic family bikes in there and have done for 7 or 8 years and no corrosion has happened. They all get a general looking after once in a while but nothing serious, maybe a clean once or twice a year and a spray and wipe with some MO94 once in a blue moon, when I remember. They're fine in that setup. An added shed doesn't alter anything materially.

 

[BurningLegs]

I have a PC and 2 screens in the garage for Zwift, no damp issues. It does have enough ventilation., so you'll be fine. PS finish line protect and shine is good for wiping down a bike after use (once clean).

I moved my Zwift setup (Apple TV and 23” LCD) into the garage when we moved house at the end of December and have had issues with damp.

My other half noticed mould developing on a few items we had in there (e.g material handle of a buggy).

I was quite surprised as it’s a relatively short period for that sort of thing to develop and it’s a 2012 garage connected to our property on one side and single skin on the other.
I wonder if it’s something to do with the humidity I create during exercise but if that were the cause I’d expect it to be a common problem.

I don’t really want the expense of a dehumidifier or heater so might need to start keeping the two doors open for some airflow whilst I train but I worry about security in that case!

 

[Gunk]

It’s probably more likely to be a ventilation issue, i would try a dehumidifier but also open doors and let some air in when you use the turbo.

I’m lucky ours is bone dry, the issue is that I’m running out of space

 

[Globalti]

That looks like my garage! It's used to store all kinds of stuff for house and car maintenance as well as six bikes, a potter's wheel, a small kiln... nice and dry but very cold. That happens to be the perfect temperature for bottled beer though!

Condensation is not much understood. On a cold day you can get in your car and hold your hand just below the windscreen and actually see misting coming and going on the glass as air eddies around your warm damp hand carrying moisture upwards. It's a good illustration of how much moisture we give off all the time to regulate temperature.

 

[vickster]

It’s probably more likely to be a ventilation issue, i would try a dehumidifier but also open doors and let some air in when you use the turbo.

I’m lucky ours is bone dry, the issue is that I’m running out of space

View attachment 503414

Looks like your user name should be changed to Junk

 

[FrankCrank]

It’s probably more likely to be a ventilation issue, i would try a dehumidifier but also open doors and let some air in when you use the turbo.

I’m lucky ours is bone dry, the issue is that I’m running out of space

View attachment 503414

....you can store a couple of those bikes in my shed if it helps.......

 

[fossyant]

I moved my Zwift setup (Apple TV and 23” LCD) into the garage when we moved house at the end of December and have had issues with damp.

My other half noticed mould developing on a few items we had in there (e.g material handle of a buggy).

I was quite surprised as it’s a relatively short period for that sort of thing to develop and it’s a 2012 garage connected to our property on one side and single skin on the other.
I wonder if it’s something to do with the humidity I create during exercise but if that were the cause I’d expect it to be a common problem.

I don’t really want the expense of a dehumidifier or heater so might need to start keeping the two doors open for some airflow whilst I train but I worry about security in that case!

I get condensation on the up and over door after a zwift session, which will be down to the heat and moisture generated. I don't, however, have the main door draft proofed. The roof is pitched with tiles and it's a detatched single skin garage. I do leave a tube heater on - it's only like 150w and I just have this on over the winter.

The only 'damp' I do get is a little mildew on the MDF shelves on my shelving system. I've even a metal cabinet in there that's bone dry.

A decent de-humidifier will cost about £150. I did try the cheap Aldi peltier ones for a couple of years, but they had to be used on a timer as the heat exchange panel would ice over in a cold garage, so on for an hour, off for an hour.

 

[fossyant]

It’s probably more likely to be a ventilation issue, i would try a dehumidifier but also open doors and let some air in when you use the turbo.

I’m lucky ours is bone dry, the issue is that I’m running out of space

View attachment 503414

Not dissimilar to mine - bikes on the wall, some on the floor, one on a turbo, and a car bike rack and a car roof box - flippin huge one my son bought without consulting about 'storage'.