Winter storage

[Inspector gadget]

Winter is around the corner here in Canada. I know to keep battery in house with a partial charge but will keeping bike in a unheated shed cause any harm. Will the below freezing temperature harm the hydraulic brakes or freeze fluid in lines. Thanks

 

[CloneWerks]

Depending on your bike that's either DOT fluid or (more commonly) mineral oil so you should be good down to at least -30F. Now you can sometimes get freezing with old DOT fluid that has absorbed a lot of water, but that means you aren't doing your regular brake maintenance because DOT should be flushed from a bike pretty much every year.

 

[Inspector gadget]

Mineral oil in system . Pretty rare to get that cold in eastern Canada..Bike is new this year so have not done any brake maintanence. Other than pad change when worn is there something else that I should be looking at on brake system. Would brakes need bleed .hydraulic brake systems are enclosed and if no air in system why bleed unless changing reservoir or caliber ?

 

[CWebike]

Winter is around the corner here in Canada. I know to keep battery in house with a partial charge but will keeping bike in a unheated shed cause any harm. Will the below freezing temperature harm the hydraulic brakes or freeze fluid in lines. Thanks

I think you'll be o.k., but for peace of mind you could consider leaving a "trouble light" on in your shed, just to modify the cold slightly. I use a little device that automatically connects power to my extension cord whenever the temperature drops near freezing -- I think it is really designed for use in keeping chicken coops a little warmer. I've always been in favor of erring on the side of caution. I have a two big cruisers from magicyclebike.com that I keep in a shed and both have hydraulic brakes...so far no problems. But...it just doesn't get nearly as cold here as it does in many parts of Canada, so I feel your pain Of course, as you said, the batteries go in the house. https://www.magicycle.org/how-to-charge-an-e-bike-battery/

 

[Inspector gadget]

A light bulb going is a good idea. Will have to search around for an incandescent bulb. No heat off a led bulb.