Bicycles are a common means of transport with its most remarkable benefits such as health improvement and environmental friendliness. In recent years, people are driven more to a healthy lifestyle, which encourages the habit of exercising. Adding to this, cycling has been regarded as an exercise that is advisable to different age ranges. According to reports and surveys conducted, cycling reduces stress, enables joint mobility, as well as muscular and flexibility.
As a result of the increasing number of people taking up cycling, the amount of bicycle supporting products sold has gone up too, including bike covers. In this article, we would be going through the benefits of bike covers, thoroughly explaining why you should have one if you have done cycling for whatever reason.
1. More About Bike Covers
Bike covers or bike body covers are categorized as bicycle supporting equipment. The bike cover is often made of polyester and can prevent your bicycle from direct UV rays and rust. It is no donut when saying that this equipment is necessary whether you store your bike outdoors or indoors. It is an affordable and practical investment for anyone.
2. Classifying Types Of Bike Covers
The Outdoor Covers
Outdoor bike covers are durable, waterproof, and they are designed to protect your bicycle from problems, which can be listed as UV rays, rust from the rain. Outdoor covers would take the responsibility of ensuring that your bike is not damaged, and its paintwork can stay for as long as possible. Outdoor covers are known as bike tents. They are large enough to cover your bicycle but also lightweight and can be packed down small when necessary.
The Indoor Covers
The indoor bike cover is lightweight and created to protect your bike from scratches, dust. Additionally, the indoor covers would prevent family members from getting smeared by the chain oil as they pass the bicycle. The indoor cover is similar to the outdoor as it can be big enough to be a bike tent but also allows you to pack down tightly.
The Materials
Most bike covers are made of polyester because this material is durable, weatherproof, and affordable. However, the factor that differentiates the covers is the thickness, which is D stands for Denier. That's why you see the polyester is divided into various kinds such as 210D or 600D.
So how does this D affect your cover? The factor D here, as we know, represents the thickness. The higher the D figure is, the more durable and weatherproof your bike cover will be. Also, the thickness ratios with the weight.
There is one more note on the material. There is no product that is completely waterproof. This results from it being exposed to the rain or snow for a prolonged period, and it starts to leak. Hence, it is best to store your bike in a high and dry place if possible. In the other case, you should get a thick cover for your bike's sake.
3. Benefits Of A Bike Cover
Protect Your Bike From Direct UV Rays
Most of the products you have purchased may have this line in its preserving instruction: Keep away from direct sunlight. This is explicable because your bike or any items in your house when left under direct sunlight for too long, starts to have scratches and the bike material becomes more vulnerable.
The UV rays are well-known for their ability to disinfect, but if exposed to them for a prolonged time, it would create certain damage. Some people argue why they should invest in a bike cover when they store their bikes indoors. The answer to this is that the UV rays can go through glass and any open space you have to get in. It is only in the case you store your bike in a dark day and night that you don't have to worry about the UV.
Otherwise, having a bike cover is not a bad idea at all as it protects your bicycle from UV. If you have to leave your bicycle outside for storage, you should purchase a thick cover to prevent it from UV as well as other harsh weather conditions.
Prevent The Rust
Rust happens as your bike reacts to air and water on and off. So it is evident that rust would appear if your bicycle stays outside and usually has to put up with the rain. Such a weather condition is not only harmful to the paintwork but also creates rust and shortens the lifespan of your bike.
Why do we mention shortened lifespan here? Whenever an item goes rusty, it tends to become more of a drone to collapse rather than solid, especially those that have to stand the pressure, which under this circumstance is human weight. Since it collapses faster and more easily, you can get serious injuries if unfortunate. This leads to downgraded usage experience with health risks at the same time.
When your bike starts to downgrade, you will have to spend a lot of money on preservation and maintenance. In any situation, it is never a good idea to spend a lot on repairing and preserving instead of preventing it in the first place.
Reduce The Risk Of Your Bike Getting Smuggled
Getting your bike stolen is not pleasant to anyone. But how can a body cover save your bicycle from being smuggled? That sounds strange even to us at first too. According to reports, in 2020, more than 180 thousand bicycles were stolen in the United States alone. While the Amsterdam Police reported that in their country, more than 80 thousand bikes were smuggled. Many people still think that bicycles are of low value, and why would someone take a bike if they can smuggle a car or motorcycle?
However, the figures above have proven to you that bicycle smuggling happens a lot. So how does a cover reduce this risk? A bike cover would help your bike stay far away from the thieves pretty much. A cover would best be combined with a bicycle lock for the best protection. If the thief cannot see your bike, he will have less motive to steal it as he does not know how valuable it can be nor he knows if it's locked or not.
Increase Storage Space
This is true for anyone who has a small garage and it already runs out of space for your car or motorbike. This also applies to those who do not own a garage. In these situations, a bike body cover would help you reduce the space needed and maximize the space you have for other more important items.
As we have mentioned in the previous sections, covers have two main types as outdoors and indoors. The outdoor covers are thick, durable, and weatherproof. As you don't have enough space to store your bicycle in your house or the garage, you can bring it outside, put a lock and a cover on. Your bike may not be stored in the best condition, but it is fine to do it this way. It is then safe and protected from the weather and the thief. It still catches dust, and you need to clean your bike once or twice a month. However, once or twice a month and spending 10 minutes is not the worst. It's much better than spending on a whole new bike!
Conclusion
That's all we have in this article. Having a bike cover is a practical and cheap investment for your bicycle. Keeping your bike from getting rusty or damaged by the UV rays is a way to sustain its lifespan, and increase your user experience, so why not get this bargain? We hope you have found some useful information about bike maintenance. Thanks for having us!
