Can you damage your frame by storing your bike in cold temperatures?

[sergen]

Perhaps a very silly question - but I'm one of life's natural born worriers.

My new bike is arriving next week - a Giant TCR Composite. I'm really looking forward to getting it (actually I'm more excited than a little kid waking up on Christmas Day!), especially as it will be my first carbon frame. But my house is quite small and the only place I can store it will be in my back garden shed.

Recently it's been very cold at night - last night for example, the temperature fell to -3 celcius. Given that there's no heating in my shed I'm worried that these low temperatures could cause problems with the frame. There must be other forum users who store their bikes in an unheated garage or shed at night. Have you noticed any issues with the frame or other components?

Many thanks

 

[John M]

Perhaps a very silly question - but I'm one of life's natural born worriers.

My new bike is arriving next week - a Giant TCR Composite. I'm really looking forward to getting it (actually I'm more excited than a little kid waking up on Christmas Day!), especially as it will be my first carbon frame. But my house is quite small and the only place I can store it will be in my back garden shed.

Recently it's been very cold at night - last night for example, the temperature fell to -3 celcius. Given that there's no heating in my shed I'm worried that these low temperatures could cause problems with the frame. There must be other forum users who store their bikes in an unheated garage or shed at night. Have you noticed any issues with the frame or other components?

Many thanks

I have noticed no problems with cold temperatures for my Kestrel frame over the past 13 years that I have had it. However, storage in a damp garage last winter here in Seattle did lead to some corrosion/rust on some of the steel bolts.

 

[artmichalek]

I've heard of people riding/storing carbon frames as low as -30C without doing any damage. The only thing to be careful about is bringing it inside to ride it on a trainer (if you're going to). Condensation forms when warm air hits a cold bike. It won't hurt your frame, but could rust the chain/bolts if you don't keep an eye on them.

 

[sergen]

I've heard of people riding/storing carbon frames as low as -30C without doing any damage. The only thing to be careful about is bringing it inside to ride it on a trainer (if you're going to). Condensation forms when warm air hits a cold bike. It won't hurt your frame, but could rust the chain/bolts if you don't keep an eye on them.

Thanks for that.

I'll keep using my steel frame for turbo training to avoid that problem.

 

[bluecann]

my synapse carbon owners manual states to protect the frame from extreme temperatures. it does not give a cold tempurature but it does give a hot tempurature ("do not store in places where the temp will exceed 66.5 degrees C/150 degrees F"). it also says to allow the bike to cool off or warm up before you ride.

 

[artmichalek]

my synapse carbon owners manual states to protect the frame from extreme temperatures. it does not give a cold tempurature but it does give a hot tempurature ("do not store in places where the temp will exceed 66.5 degrees C/150 degrees F"). it also says to allow the bike to cool off or warm up before you ride.

Here's what Easton has to say about it:

http://www.velonews.com/tech/report/articles/5432.1.html

 

[MountainPro]

Snap, i have just ordered a Bianchi Carbon/Alu and i'll be storing it in the garden shed with temps below 0C. I am also like a little kid who is going to disneyland on christmas day. It shoudl arrive any day now.

The temp last week was -12C during the night.

Perhaps a very silly question - but I'm one of life's natural born worriers.

My new bike is arriving next week - a Giant TCR Composite. I'm really looking forward to getting it (actually I'm more excited than a little kid waking up on Christmas Day!), especially as it will be my first carbon frame. But my house is quite small and the only place I can store it will be in my back garden shed.

Recently it's been very cold at night - last night for example, the temperature fell to -3 celcius. Given that there's no heating in my shed I'm worried that these low temperatures could cause problems with the frame. There must be other forum users who store their bikes in an unheated garage or shed at night. Have you noticed any issues with the frame or other components?

Many thanks