[Closed] Storing MTB next to radiator

Hope brakes will be fine. Worst case, if they were bled in the cold and you had really thick new pads in, they might bind a bit until they cooled again but really unlikely. If you're worried, bleed them inside.

Air pressure in shocks and tyres might increase a bit but no harm done.

Dropper post - just store it with the post dropped half an inch. That way, if the oil expands, it has somewhere to go. If not, then the first activation of the lever can feel really really stiff.

Turn radiator down/off 🙂

are the radiators in your house turned up so high that your blood boils and skin starts to blister when you stand near them?

if not, your bicycle will be fine

How fricken hot do you have your heating??

I take it you never leave your bike in the sun. 🙂

The problem with the dropper isn't a result if absolute temperature but relative temperature. If the post was last used outside in the cold...

Heat can certainly affect pressurised systems like forks and shocks. Leave a bike in a shop window for a while and you might end up replacing seals. I'd be looking to turn that radiator down/off.

Just keep turning it round every couple of hours, it’ll be fine

Used to store my bikes next to a radiator in my bedroom when I was a lad.  Keeps em nice and dry.

Cheers everyone!

Its a big old house with single glazing so the rads are turned up pretty high to keep the rooms warm enough. Being a shared student house, my room is the only place I can keep the bikes and next to the radiator is the only convenient place.

I just wanted to check I wasn’t going to cause any damage so thanks for the replies!

How hot do you think brakes get when flying down some Alpine descent?  A damn sight hotter than your radiator I'd imagine 🙂

You could wrap the bike in a space blanket if you are worried.

The only issue I see is that the heat will marginally accelerate the natural degradation of any rubber or plastic.

If the rad is so hot it's boiling off brake fluid or bearing grease they you should probably turn it down lol.

Yeah my worry was that bikes are exposed to warm conditions and brakes do get very hot, however this isn’t for long periods of time where as my bikes would be next to the hot radiator for three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening for the next few months...

I think the question has been answered and I’ll stop worrying! Cheers all

Turn radiator down a touch and if cold, wear an extra layer.

If the space blanket doesn't work, how about a fan? 🙂

Although I don't have an data for this, my feeling is that the biggest ballache will be tyre sealant drying out prematurely.

Open the window, problem solved.

I would think that the benefits of being nice and dry when not ridden would outweigh the lower theoretical life of bits of rubber.

Make sure you descend hard enough to get the tyres worn out before it becomes a problem 🙂

tomhoward

Just keep turning it round every couple of hours, it’ll be fine

Exactly. Do you have access to a large rotisserie?

Depends how often it’s used. As Scotroutes says, the only real problem is the seals on suspension items and dropper.  If it’s used at least weekly ideally more often, not stored dirty (unlikely if it’s in your bedroom) then you should be fine.

If concerned, get some Fork Juice or similar silicone spray and use it to treat stanchions and do the bounce test to get it into seals/get dirt out. It’s good maintenance anyway and cheap (worst case two cans a year unless overusing). Just remember to shield your rotors with junk mail to keep it off them while spraying (I notice mucoff have just launched an expensive replacement for the Jack Fulton’s flyer or old envelope...)

I can confirm that after years rigouress testing of leaving a bike covered in filth right next to an unreasonabley hot radiator (temp control nob broke off & never replaced it) for several weeks at a time with no movement (other than to move out of the way of the kitchen bin when it needs emptying) will make absolutely no difference at all to tyres, seals, dropper, sealant or anything other than  baking the mud on

I left a wet bike next to a radiator at work and the chain went rusty really quickly.

Had to strip and clean the entire drive train.

I left a bike next to an aircon compressor out on a balcony exposed to storms and sea breeze for about 5 years. Next time I tried to ride it, I had to replace all the cables, tyres, chain, grips, saddle, rebuild the brakes, and have the forks overhauled. Then I rode it down the street and the rear shock spat all its oil everywhere. On the bright side, it was like a new bike by the time I'd finished.