putting your bike away for the winter any tips

Work in the weight room so once spring comes around, you will be in top shape.

Unless you live in some location where the winters are really awful, like Fairbanks, Alaska, do not put it away. Just buy some warm riding clothes and ride whenever you can. l live in Montana and plan to ride as often as l can this winter.

l take my bike to the bike shop at the end of the riding season so it will be ready for that first spring ride. In late fall / early winter the bike shops are not as busy as they are in spring, so l am doing them a favor and when spring fever hits, my bike is repaired, upgraded, tuned up and ready to ride. l store my bikes in the basement lightly covered to keep the dust off.

1. Clean the chain & use a dry wax lune like White Lightning
2. Do not store in a damp area
3. Hang the bike. Moisture that does wind up in the frame will drain out. It also prevents damage to tires after the air has leaked out of the tubes.
4. Check steel parts for rust. Brush off light rust with steel wool. Use a light oil to coat parts. If there is a rusted in place bolt, use PB Blaster (auto parts store, Lowe's) to loosen. This works much better than WD-40.
5. Steel frame: check for bare metal, remove rust, paint
6. Remove seat post, & coat with white lithium grease. This prevents the seat post from rusting to the frame.
7. Got a steel frame? Buy J.P. Weigel Frame Saver. It is a spray, a little messy, but cleans up easily , dries tacky, lasts for years, & been recommended by the best frame builders in the business for years. The stuff just works & is cheap insurance for that favorite frame. Any good bike shop should be able to get it for you, or might even spray ur frame down for you. Follow the direction that come on the can.