Bike cover for tandem?

[Mike Rocket J Squirrel]

We just got a midrange tandem at a garage sale that actually fits us two
short people and I'd hate to see it rust apart in our coastal San Diego
humidity and early summer fog and funk. So I'd like to cover it. Who
makes good bike covers that won't rot apart from UV after a couple years
under the sun, are sturdy enough to not flail themselves to death in
wind gusts, and shed rain pretty darn good?

Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott

 

[A Muzi]

Mike Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
> We just got a midrange tandem at a garage sale that actually fits us two
> short people and I'd hate to see it rust apart in our coastal San Diego
> humidity and early summer fog and funk. So I'd like to cover it. Who
> makes good bike covers that won't rot apart from UV after a couple years
> under the sun, are sturdy enough to not flail themselves to death in
> wind gusts, and shed rain pretty darn good?

Don't know but make sure whatever you decide that you don't use a cover
which traps moisture against the vehicle. A lot of sad car stories start
that way. Can you bring it indoors?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[Mike Rocket J Squirrel]

A Muzi typed:
> Mike Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>> We just got a midrange tandem at a garage sale that actually fits us
>> two short people and I'd hate to see it rust apart in our coastal San
>> Diego humidity and early summer fog and funk. So I'd like to cover it.
>> Who makes good bike covers that won't rot apart from UV after a couple
>> years under the sun, are sturdy enough to not flail themselves to
>> death in wind gusts, and shed rain pretty darn good?
>
> Don't know but make sure whatever you decide that you don't use a cover
> which traps moisture against the vehicle. A lot of sad car stories start
> that way. Can you bring it indoors?
>

Alas, no indoor room for this beast. All the bikes have to live outdoors
under a canopy. Which works fairly well as long as I keep ferrous bits
oiled so they don't rust in the damp air (where does the oil go, anyway?
After a month or so, a chain that was nicely oiled starts looking orange
and dry...). This tandem is too long to fit entirely under the canopy so
a bike cover looks to be the good idea. But you are right about how
moisture can get trapped under it -- a real good warning. Loose-fitting,
like a tarp draped over the bike would let it breathe a lot better than
some tight-fitting cover.

Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
Mike Rocket J Squirrel <[email protected]> wrote:

> We just got a midrange tandem at a garage sale that actually fits us two
> short people and I'd hate to see it rust apart in our coastal San Diego
> humidity and early summer fog and funk. So I'd like to cover it. Who
> makes good bike covers that won't rot apart from UV after a couple years
> under the sun, are sturdy enough to not flail themselves to death in
> wind gusts, and shed rain pretty darn good?
>
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott

Probably nobody. Maybe a boat-builder. Try a motorcycle cover and see if
you can adapt that. Resolve that you'll change it every few years.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

 

[Mike Rocket J Squirrel]

Ryan Cousineau typed:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Mike Rocket J Squirrel <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> We just got a midrange tandem at a garage sale that actually fits us two
>> short people and I'd hate to see it rust apart in our coastal San Diego
>> humidity and early summer fog and funk. So I'd like to cover it. Who
>> makes good bike covers that won't rot apart from UV after a couple years
>> under the sun, are sturdy enough to not flail themselves to death in
>> wind gusts, and shed rain pretty darn good?
>>
>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>
> Probably nobody. Maybe a boat-builder. Try a motorcycle cover and see if
> you can adapt that. Resolve that you'll change it every few years.
>

Wow, yeah. Not a common item. I Googled "bicycle cover" +rain +uv and
the second non-sponsored hit was my OP to this NG of a few days ago.

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
Mike Rocket J Squirrel <[email protected]> wrote:

> Ryan Cousineau typed:
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > Mike Rocket J Squirrel <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> We just got a midrange tandem at a garage sale that actually fits us two
> >> short people and I'd hate to see it rust apart in our coastal San Diego
> >> humidity and early summer fog and funk. So I'd like to cover it. Who
> >> makes good bike covers that won't rot apart from UV after a couple years
> >> under the sun, are sturdy enough to not flail themselves to death in
> >> wind gusts, and shed rain pretty darn good?
> >>
> >> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> >
> > Probably nobody. Maybe a boat-builder. Try a motorcycle cover and see if
> > you can adapt that. Resolve that you'll change it every few years.
> >
>
> Wow, yeah. Not a common item. I Googled "bicycle cover" +rain +uv and
> the second non-sponsored hit was my OP to this NG of a few days ago.

I think the reason is that almost all nice bicycles are assumed to live
indoors. That's just the nature of a relatively light and often
expensive object.

Tandems are so expensive that almost any serious owner would not need a
cover. They would just have indoor storage.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

 

[Mike Elliott]

On 6/1/2007 6:53 PM Ryan Cousineau wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> Mike Rocket J Squirrel <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Ryan Cousineau typed:
>>> In article <[email protected]>,
>>> Mike Rocket J Squirrel <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> We just got a midrange tandem at a garage sale that actually fits us two
>>>> short people and I'd hate to see it rust apart in our coastal San Diego
>>>> humidity and early summer fog and funk. So I'd like to cover it. Who
>>>> makes good bike covers that won't rot apart from UV after a couple years
>>>> under the sun, are sturdy enough to not flail themselves to death in
>>>> wind gusts, and shed rain pretty darn good?
>>>>
>>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>>> Probably nobody. Maybe a boat-builder. Try a motorcycle cover and see if
>>> you can adapt that. Resolve that you'll change it every few years.
>>>
>> Wow, yeah. Not a common item. I Googled "bicycle cover" +rain +uv and
>> the second non-sponsored hit was my OP to this NG of a few days ago.
>
> I think the reason is that almost all nice bicycles are assumed to live
> indoors. That's just the nature of a relatively light and often
> expensive object.
>
> Tandems are so expensive that almost any serious owner would not need a
> cover. They would just have indoor storage.
>

I guess that puts me into the category of "non-serious" owner. "Honey, I
just bought a tandem at a garage sale! Maybe we can ride it once in a
while -- for a picnic maybe -- when we're not riding our other bikes. I
guess we need to find a bigger house!"

 

[Patrick Lamb]

On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:16:22 -0700, Mike Elliott
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> I think the reason is that almost all nice bicycles are assumed to live
>> indoors. That's just the nature of a relatively light and often
>> expensive object.
>>
>> Tandems are so expensive that almost any serious owner would not need a
>> cover. They would just have indoor storage.
>>
>
>I guess that puts me into the category of "non-serious" owner. "Honey, I
>just bought a tandem at a garage sale! Maybe we can ride it once in a
>while -- for a picnic maybe -- when we're not riding our other bikes. I
>guess we need to find a bigger house!"

Being too lazy to look, does Adventure Cycling have anything? I think
they had some covers for singles last time I browsed through their
store, but I wasn't looking for tandems, and might not have noticed.

Pat

Email address works as is.

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
Mike Elliott <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 6/1/2007 6:53 PM Ryan Cousineau wrote:
>
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > Mike Rocket J Squirrel <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Ryan Cousineau typed:
> >>> In article <[email protected]>,
> >>> Mike Rocket J Squirrel <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> We just got a midrange tandem at a garage sale that actually fits us two
> >>>> short people and I'd hate to see it rust apart in our coastal San Diego
> >>>> humidity and early summer fog and funk. So I'd like to cover it. Who
> >>>> makes good bike covers that won't rot apart from UV after a couple years
> >>>> under the sun, are sturdy enough to not flail themselves to death in
> >>>> wind gusts, and shed rain pretty darn good?
> >>>>
> >>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> >>> Probably nobody. Maybe a boat-builder. Try a motorcycle cover and see if
> >>> you can adapt that. Resolve that you'll change it every few years.
> >>>
> >> Wow, yeah. Not a common item. I Googled "bicycle cover" +rain +uv and
> >> the second non-sponsored hit was my OP to this NG of a few days ago.
> >
> > I think the reason is that almost all nice bicycles are assumed to live
> > indoors. That's just the nature of a relatively light and often
> > expensive object.
> >
> > Tandems are so expensive that almost any serious owner would not need a
> > cover. They would just have indoor storage.
> >
>
> I guess that puts me into the category of "non-serious" owner. "Honey, I
> just bought a tandem at a garage sale! Maybe we can ride it once in a
> while -- for a picnic maybe -- when we're not riding our other bikes. I
> guess we need to find a bigger house!"

Don't worry. I am also a non-serious tandem bike owner. It's just that
mine is smaller, and I have a pretty big shed.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

 

[Mike Elliott]

On 6/2/2007 9:49 AM Patrick Lamb wrote:

> On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:16:22 -0700, Mike Elliott
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> I think the reason is that almost all nice bicycles are assumed to live
>>> indoors. That's just the nature of a relatively light and often
>>> expensive object.
>>>
>>> Tandems are so expensive that almost any serious owner would not need a
>>> cover. They would just have indoor storage.
>>>
>> I guess that puts me into the category of "non-serious" owner. "Honey, I
>> just bought a tandem at a garage sale! Maybe we can ride it once in a
>> while -- for a picnic maybe -- when we're not riding our other bikes. I
>> guess we need to find a bigger house!"
>
> Being too lazy to look, does Adventure Cycling have anything? I think
> they had some covers for singles last time I browsed through their
> store, but I wasn't looking for tandems, and might not have noticed.
>

A darn good suggestion, Pat. They do have Pygmy Packs to cover a
tandem's drivetrain, but nothing for a full tandem bike. Looks like I'll
be looking on eBay for a used train shed.

Mike RJS

 

[dvt]

Mike Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
> We just got a midrange tandem at a garage sale that actually fits us two
> short people and I'd hate to see it rust apart in our coastal San Diego
> humidity and early summer fog and funk. So I'd like to cover it. Who
> makes good bike covers that won't rot apart from UV after a couple years
> under the sun, are sturdy enough to not flail themselves to death in
> wind gusts, and shed rain pretty darn good?

I haven't followed this thread, but Google found these:

<http://www.cuckoobicyclecovers.com//index.cfm?fuseaction=order.itemdetail&item_id=388&item_category_id=0&referer_id=>
<http://www.coverconnection.org/bicycle.htm> (it says "Tandem covers
available)
<http://www.co-motion.com/Coolstuff.html>

I have no experience with any of these, so I can't comment on their
effectiveness. HTH.

--
Dave
dvt at psu dot edu

Everyone confesses that exertion which brings out all the powers of body
and mind is the best thing for us; but most people do all they can to
get rid of it, and as a general rule nobody does much more than
circumstances drive them to do. -Harriet Beecher Stowe, abolitionist and
novelist (1811-1896)