Storing bikes on a boat.

[Curmudgeon]

Use lots of Silicone spray. Make sure you soak it into the cables for the brakes and the derailleur. Those will rust first.
Actually I'd go the expensive route. Carbon fiber frame, titanium components-- anything to reduce the amount of steel on the bike.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by Chuck Baier

You will have to deal with rust and corrosion no matter what you store them in. The ride ashore in the dinghy will often be a wet one and assembling on the beach will expose it to salt air much more than stowage in the cabin. Go with the least expensive and least intrusive while stowed in the cabin.

Yeah, but if it's in a Pelican that won't matter. The case is completely air/water tight. I could practically lay on top of the case and paddle myself to shore.

I can't see how assembling/disassembling them on the beach for a matter of a few minutes each time is going to expose them to any more salt air than hours of riding near the shore.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by bruce in oz

i live on a yacht to go cruising, not bike riding

True, but what about biking for the purpose of free shore transportation.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by Zach

Folding Travel Bikes using S and S Machine Bicycle Torque Couplings™

Get your bike modified with those...

Cool, but for what those things cost, I could stock up a lifetime supply of tires and tubes, and they can't be retrofit to aluminum or carbon frames anyway. Besides, like I said earlier, I should no problem fitting 2 cases on board.

[svHyLyte]

Dude--If you've already got all the answers, why bother us with your BS? Why even ask the opinions of those that have been there, done that, gotten the T-Shirt? No one gives a damn what you do. If a Bear farts in the woods and there's no one there to hear it..did he? Do what feels good to you and report back, if it feels good to you--or not. Frankly Charlotte, I (we) dont give a damn.

[c.spots]

You're right, the bike won't rust if it is in a pelican case. Just don't ever take it out.

[exranger]

I don't get it, you ask a question then shoot down everyone's experienced comments with some sort of haughty comment about how you biked around the Sahara on this bike or toured Siberia on that one, no folding bikes, only carbon-fibre this and that.

If you have the answers, go do it. And just for kicks, let this forum know how much the guys at the marinas you end up in laugh when you tell them your $4,000 french built titanium 75 speed bike was just stolen by a 12 year old.

[Therapy]

Grun,

If you get a rigid case I suspect you will not be able to maneuver it into an aft berth on a Gemini.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by exranger

I don't get it, you ask a question then shoot down everyone's experienced comments with some sort of haughty comment about how you biked around the Sahara on this bike or toured Siberia on that one, no folding bikes, only carbon-fibre this and that.

If you have the answers, go do it. And just for kicks, let this forum know how much the guys at the marinas you end up in laugh when you tell them your $4,000 french built titanium 75 speed bike was just stolen by a 12 year old.

Sorry, if I had a little bit of an attitude, but in the initial post, I specifically said I was not interested in folding bikes.

Then I immediately got a bunch of responses about folding bikes.

Also, my question was only on how to store them on board. I once again got a few responses about exposure when off the boat causing them to rust. Not trying to be a #$% just pointing out that even without living on board, they're going to potentially get exposed to rain every now and then and that I do a fair amount of miles near the water.

I also wasn't trying to brag about my tour. Simply pointing out that the bike has some sentimental value and I don't want to part with it.

Actually it's a bottom of the line carbon frame, but the point is, I'm not willing to give it up in exchange for a folding frame. Sorry I guess that make me a pretentious #$@$.

[Therapy]

Personally I don't think it needs any kind of bag.
Just spray it with corrosion-x and toss it on the berth after taking out the mattress.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Dude--If you've already got all the answers, why bother us with your BS? Why even ask the opinions of those that have been there, done that, gotten the T-Shirt? No one gives a damn what you do. If a Bear farts in the woods and there's no one there to hear it..did he? Do what feels good to you and report back, if it feels good to you--or not. Frankly Charlotte, I (we) dont give a damn.

WOW, thanks for really adding to this!

I know I'm a newbie and don't know don't know ****.

I'm simply responding to the little bit that I do know. Like Pelican cases are air tight and they're going to get exposed to salty air even if I wasn't living on a boat.

Funny though, even the guys with the T-shirts aren't 100% consistent. Some people in here would have you think that as soon as a bike comes within a mile of the water it's going to disintegrate, while others say they've had full size bikes on board for years with little or no problems.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Grun,

If you get a rigid case I suspect you will not be able to maneuver it into an aft berth on a Gemini.

Oops, I know exactly what you're saying. I didn't even think of that before. You need to bring it in one way, but then turn it to lay on it's side.

Originally Posted by Therapy

Personally I don't think it needs any kind of bag.
Just spray it with corrosion-x and toss it on the berth after taking out the mattress.

Maybe just one, for the bike that isn't going to be used as much, then just toss the other on top of it.

[dacust]

I think some people forget there are all kinds of nuts. Boat nuts and bike nuts are two kinds that come to mind.

Most people in here are boat nuts. Could be that grunzster is both a boat nut AND a bike nut. Plenty of people think we boat nuts are nuts and put way too much time and money into our boats. Why is it so hard to understand someone wanting their nice bike on board? Makes perfect sense to me.

I keep my Specialized mountain bike AND my Austro-Damlier street bike on board. Why? Because I really like bikes. Having ridden nice bikes, I can't STAND riding a mediocre one. To me, the hassle is worth it. I spray them down with silicone. No covers, and I don't disassemble. They just take up a huge share of the salon. I bring them back home if I'm going to have more than one guest on the boat. (Note: I have a power boat with a 10' wide salon.)

Speaking of nuts, I think it was somewhere on this forum I saw someone using a davit to hoist their Harley off their boat!

So, come on. Nuts of the world unite! grunzster wants their bike on board and is looking for suggestions. They have already thought it through and have their own ideas, so it's not surprising that they would shoot down some ideas. But being smart, they are just looking around in case someone has a better idea. And from grunzster's last post, they HAVE learned something from your posts so far.

-dan

[Efraim]

A few years ago I spend the summer on a boat in the Med with my bike.

Here's my experience and suggestions with bikes on board.

-aluminum doesn't rust is pits. I don't know what what your BB is made of, but if it's aluminum, be careful, disassemble and check often.
-do no use synthetic grease, in my case the combination of synthetic grease (Pedro's) and salt, turned the grease to glue.
-spokes, if your spoke nipples are brass, change them for SS. When building your wheels grease the threads (with real grease), and check them after every ride.
-do not take your bike out of the pelican case...ever!
-areas where I found trouble: BB, pedal threads, brake bolts, spoke threads.
I'm pretty fastidious when it comes to bikes, however no matter how hard I tried, I could not keep salt water from my bike, and believe me I tried.
I would take my bike from boat to shore almost every day in a big plastic bag, wipe down the bike before and after a trip to shore, but no matter what after a few weeks tiny specks of rust would show up, even on SS components, it was manageable but a nuisance.

[s/v Moondancer]

My West cheapie rusted out after 9 months...The more expensive Dahon which is 5 yrs older has fared much better.