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Alright, it’s happening — the days are shorter, the dirt’s freezing, and your riding buddies are talking more about wax than tire pressure. It’s officially time to tuck your mountain bike in for a long winter’s nap (and get out your fat bike).
But before you lean it against the garage wall and forget about it until April, a little bit of prep now will save you a ton of hassle later. Here’s how to store your bike properly so it’s fresh, fast, and ready to roll when the trails thaw.
1. Give it a good clean
Mud, dust, and water love to eat away at your components over the winter. Give your bike a solid wash — soap, sponge, brush and a gentle rinse. Skip the high-pressure hose (it can push water into your bearings, seals, and other sensitive components), and make sure you dry everything off after.
If you’re feeling fancy, hit the frame with some bike polish to help repel dirt and moisture later.
2. Degrease and lube your drivetrain
Run a degreaser through your chain, cassette, and derailleur pulleys. Shoulder season is the perfect time to take your drivetrain apart and give it a real deep clean. After your drivetrain is clean and reinstalled on your bike, it’s time to lube it up. A thin layer of fresh chain lube helps prevent rust and keeps things smooth for that first spring ride. If taking apart your drivetrain sounds a little daunting, your local bike shop would be more than happy to help you out!
Pro tip: The typical wisdom with chain lube is “less is more”, but this is the time where you want to break that rule. While you still don’t want to leave your drivetrain dripping all over your shop floor, a little extra on all the components will ensure that no moisture will sneak its way onto your freshly cleaned parts.
3. Inspect for wear and tear
Now’s the perfect time to give your bike a once-over. Check brake pads, tires, and drivetrain for wear. Closely inspect every centimeter of your bike for cracks and damage. If you’ve been putting off replacing that sketchy chain or those paper-thin grips, winter’s your window to get it done. The added bonus is most bike shops have everything you need to upgrade your bike on sale, so now's the best time to save a buck on the long awaited replacement!
4. Service your suspension
Major suspension manufacturers recommend that you complete a minor suspension service (commonly referred to as a lower service for the fork, and an air can service for the shock) every 50 hours, which is roughly twice a season (which you totally did, right?) and major damper service every 100-200 hours or yearly, whichever comes first.
Doing a 50 hour service yourself is manageable if you consider yourself technically inclined, all you need is a service kit, some basic tools, suspension oil, a positive attitude, and your favourite beverage of choice. We always suggest bringing your suspension in for a damper service unless you were a bike mechanic in your previous life. Suspension dampers are fairly finicky and have incredibly tight tolerances, which specially trained technicians are trained to work within.
5. Drop the pressure
If you’re storing your bike for a few months, drop your tire pressure a bit (don’t leave them completely flat). Keep your tire pressure right around the minimum listed on the side of your tire. If your tire doesn’t have a stated minimum pressure, 20 psi is a fair target. This helps reduce long-term stress on the rubber and rims.
Same goes for air suspension — you can leave it as is, but avoid compressing it for long periods. Suspension manufacturers recommend storing your bike in a way that the suspension is fully extended.
6. Remove (and charge) your battery
For eMTBs, take the battery off and store it indoors at room temperature, you can leave it in if your bike is stored in a heated garage. Charge it to around 60% - 80% — not full — and check it and top it up once or twice over the winter to keep it healthy. Different batteries require different storage methods, so check up on your bike/component manufacturers manual for instructions specific to your gear. Some manufactures like Rocky Mountain have added a “deep sleep” mode to their batteries to prolong their life, so if your ebike doesn’t boot up right away in the spring, don’t panic! Consult your owners manual for getting your bike out of deep sleep mode.
Main take away: don’t let your battery freeze!
5. Store it right
Remember: moisture is the enemy of a properly working bike!
Ideally, keep your bike indoors — somewhere dry and not too cold. A basement or heated garage is perfect. Avoid leaning it near windows or vents where temperature and humidity fluctuate a lot. Freezing temperatures themselves don’t do too much damage to your bike, it's the condensation that comes along with the dropping temperatures that's the main culprit.
If indoor storage isn’t an option, make sure your bike is out of the elements in some way and dry. A storage shed is the next best thing, but if all else fails, a quality tarp fully encasing your bike can do the job in a pinch. Reach out to your local bike shop as some of them run winter storage programs.
Pro tip: while freezing temperatures don’t typically do any harm to your bike, the story is a little different if you have a Fox DPX2 rear shock. Temperatures below -15°C will freeze the damper in place, and will require a damper service to repair. Bring your DPX2 rear shock inside if it isn’t stored there already!
7. Don’t forget about it
Every month or two, give your bike a quick check. Spin the wheels, squeeze the brakes, make sure nothing’s seizing up. It’s also a good excuse to go down to the garage and dream about next season’s rides.
Conclusion
The name of the game is making sure that your bike can roll out of the garage and onto the trail. There’s nothing worse than spending the first nice day of spring inside fixing your bike. A little pre-winter TLC goes a long way. Clean it, lube it, service it, store it right — and when spring rolls around, your bike will be ready to roll straight out the door without any drama.
If you’d rather not deal with the mess, swing by GearHub or your local bike shop — we’ll get your rig dialed in and ready for hibernation.
Book your service here! Book now, ride your bike until you're done for the season, then bring it in and you don’t have to think about it until spring!
If you're still unsure about how to best store your bike, give us a call or send an email, we’re more than happy to help!
