Leaving bike over night
Rookie question, first time checking bike in this Saturday, leaving it over night. Ok to leave bento box, under seat bag on bike or remove and bring everything in morning?
0
Rookie question, first time checking bike in this Saturday, leaving it over night. Ok to leave bento box, under seat bag on bike or remove and bring everything in morning?
Comments
Damn, that reminds me, I gotta order a new Bento to fit the Felt.
I leave everything that I can on the bike. You already have many other things to remember, bike pump, initial fluid etc. I'd keep my shoes and powertap computer.
Gordon
-your bike computer - ESPECIALLY if it's a power CPU.
-Nutrition items, I've found the constant hot-then-cold-then-hot makes the taste have issues the next day.
Everything else should be okay.
MAKE SURE to pack them both for the race the next morning tho.
Also, if it's a really hot and/or humid place, let some air pressure out of your tires, and refill in the morning pre-race.
The only thing I leave on the bike is the Aero Drink mount. I put everything else on in the morning. It's only my spare kit, nutrition/Bento and computer. I also don't bother covering the bike. Don't really care if it gets wet as I will be coming out of a lake before I get on it.
I used to go crazy covering my bike with varrious bags and then like Matt said it kind of hit me that I'm going to get on it soaking wet. Now I just cover the handle bars and aero bars and I'm not really sure why I bother. I bring a towel in the morning and wipe it down so it isn't soaked, but a little water doesn't matter.
Mike
I've used a tarp, same concept as the old shower curtain - and some string to tie it closed -- roping the sting through the front and back wheels. Other than the empty aquacell, I don't leave anything on the bike.
Interestingly both races I had to rack the bike early for stormed that night so I was very glad the bike was covered -- not bc I cared the seat would get wet (duh, I jump on the thing after swimming), but I don't want the drive train getting wet or extra water in my tube which will wreak havoc on the frame over time. So if you're going to go with the plastic grocery bag option, cover the drive train/computer (for those of you without a PM) and the seat/tube should do you pretty well... and please remember to stuff the bags into your backpack so there aren't a zillion plastic bags floating around the grounds for the volunteers to pick up post-race. Oh, and if it rains (and you didn't cover the bike, bring an extra towel and some lube to wipe down and lightly lube your chain (if it rains)
Oh, another reason why I loved the tarp, when I uncovered the bike the next morning - because it was wet (and still drizzling), I folded it inside out and then a few more times so it sandwiched my transition towel - so my stuff stayed dry... I was pretty impressed with myself for coming up with that last year at Columbia,
I leave everything but the puter head. Never bother to cover it anymore, it is fun to watch people get super geeked out and use tons of plastic bags and tape to cover something they plan to pee on the next day. I guess a lot of water could mess up the chain lube or get in the frame, maybe I should geek it up this year.
Appreciate all the responses. Really helps, I was worried about security but I think ok to leave bag/bento box, bring everything else. It is the inaugural Memorial Hermann 70.3 (previously Lonestar) in Galveston, Tx. Rain tomorrow but clearing off by noon with sunny 80sh on race day Sunday. Lots of hype, marketing on this one and good for Galveston; they are still coming back economically from Hurrican Ike.
All this discussion on rain I have to ask.
Is this new specialized that I just bought that much of a POS? Will one night of rain really cause that much damage if the chain is lubed and the bike is cleaned regularly. I just reference this to my 10 speed and mountain bikes growing up. I did not take care of them that well as far a lubing the chain and such maybe once every 6 months when I was fooling around in the garage. Most of the time it was 4D40 not real lube. My dad typically did that. I never had very many shifting problem, squeaks or other issues in 6 years on my 10 speed and I rode that thing everywhere.
I realize some people don't even ride their bikes in the rain. For me I think that if I lube up the chain and drive train every month I am good. I guess I need to know how much I should baby the new bike to keep it good condition.
Gordon
If you have a properly lubed chain it should be fine to be out in the rain overnight. However, it really depends how much it rains. I took these the morning after lake placid in 2008. While I had used a wax lube which is meant for dry conditions this is a good indication of what can happen. FWIW that day I do not think anyone finished with any lube on their drivetrains...
As one who routinely bike commutes in the rain here in the Pac NW, and who has kept his TT bike inside at the beach for several weeks (literally OVER the surf line), I can assure you that
1. One 45 minute ride in the rain is sufficient to (a) wash out all the lube and (b) set up the rust demons if the chain is not lubed right after riding.
2. Salt spray can worm its way into the tube and corrode the bottom bracket.
I don't care about my saddle or my frame, but I do care about the moving parts - they need to be constantly watched and attended to.
IM-Lake Placid 2008, 14'ish hours of rain. Bike was well lubed before the race. Put bike in hotel room when I finished race and went to sleep, got up butt early for stupid opening hour of finisher gear tent, so maybe 5'ish hours of sleep. Result? My chain was completely orange from the rust. Don't think there was anything I could have done except to do bike maintenance when I finished the race, but that wasn't going to happen since I'm not a 10 hour finisher with time on my hands at the end of the day. But nowadays I'm pretty careful about always doing maintenance if the day was even misty because the rust builds so quickly.