Re: [CR]Max. % Humidity for Bike Storage Area?

Angel,

I just posed this question to my wife (over the phone while she was at work - I hope that I have been able to get down all that she said). She was a professional conservator specialising in metals - she worked for the Canadian and the Welsh governments - for over 15 years, and has forgotten more about storage and storage conditions than most people know.

Anyway she said that optimum humidity would be 20% or lower to prevent rust - but it is more complicated than that. Largely because humidity changes with temperature - therefore avoid rapid changes in temperature to avoid corresponding rapid changes in humidity (as temperatures go up humidity (moisture in the air) will fall but, as air cools, it will lose water via condensation) - I think I have it right. If you have a bike in a cool space with a source of water, condensation may form on the metal and even in the interior of the tubes. Basements are therefore not usually a good place for the storage of bikes as there is a steady source of moisture through the surrounding ground - they are also usually cooler as warm air rises.

Best scenario is to keep sources of water as limited as possible, to keep temperature as constant as possible (i.e. not too cold), to use a dehumidifier ...

There is a problem with below 20% humidity for leather and rubber though ... but that may be a different story.

Hope this helps? If you want further info. I will get her to reply herself as it is a very complicated issue to get right at times.

Paul Williams,
Ottawa, ON, Canada