7 Best Bike Covers 2021 | The Sun UK
FOR some bike-lovers, storing their two-wheeled pride and joy outside is a necessity, with no room in their home, shed or garage. Some may live in an upper floor flat, too, and struggle to carry it upstairs.
But with the unpredictable British weather comes wind and rain, and even occasional bouts of strong sunshine that can damage your bike – and that's where the best bike covers come in handy.
Although your bike can handle most elements while it’s being ridden, leaving it sat in damp conditions for extended stretches of time can lead to damage, such as rust or fading.
That’s why it’s worth purchasing a bike cover, as it will help to extend the life of your bike and its components.
A bike cover will generally be made out of a waterproof material that will also protect your bike’s paint job from rain, and against fade from the sun’s UV rays.
Those at the premium end of the scale will include features such as eyelets for chain locks to be thread through, while elasticated hems will keep the cover in place on your bike, even in strong winds.
Not sure where to start when looking for a bike cover? Follow our guide below to find the perfect one for you.
Aival Bicycle Cover
- (AD) Aival Bicycle Cover, £11.99 from Amazon – buy here
Aival’s offering will protect your bike come rain or shine (or snow, dust and wind for that matter).
The cover has elasticated, double-stitched hems that have been heat-sealed to prevent water leaking through joins in the fabric, and can fit almost any bike (including 29” mountain bikes).
The cover is water and UV resistant, keeping it dry on rainy, damp or snowy days – and prevents UV rays from damaging the paint work on those (albeit rare) sunnier days.
In terms of security, it features eyelets at the front of the cover, meaning you can lock your bike through the cover, keeping it protected.
Its price also includes a drawstring, waterproof storage bag that the cover can be stuffed into when not in use.
Goose Bicycle Cover
- (AD) Goose Bicycle Cover, £34.64 from Amazon – buy here
The premium grade offering from Goose is one of the more expensive single-bike covers on this list, but its additional features might make it worth the investment.
The cover is made from a 210 denier Oxford fabric that is a light, flexible canvas which has had a waterproof treatment to protect your bike from wet conditions.
Security eyelets at the front are ideal for a cable lock, and a storm strap at the rear helps to keep it in place during high winds, while front and rear elastic hems guarantee a perfect fit.
It also is available in a range of sizes to match your bike type, and quantity in your household, offering covers that protects two or even three bicycles.
For the price, a drawstring bag is also included – making it ideal for travelling or longer bike rides with a few pit-stops en route.
B’Twin Protective Bike Cover
- B’Twin Protective Bike Cover, £14.99 from Decathlon – buy here
Decathlon’s in-house brand offers up some great value products that are possible to check out in-store before you buy.
Its bike cover does as you’d expect, protecting your bike from the elements, while appearing plain and unassuming in all black, which could help keep it hidden from potential thieves.
A big selling point though is its two-year guarantee, which ensures it’ll be able to withstand a couple of tough, dusty winters at the least.
For under £15, it does the job – and even comes with a strorage pouch.
BTR Ultra Bike Cover
- BTR Ultra Bike Cover, £39.99 from Amazon – buy here
The Ultra from BTR does exactly as it says on the tin, offering up heavy-duty and resilient protection for your bike against the elements.
At 2.5kg, it’s the heaviest on this list by far. But its 210 denier polyester fabric, PVC coating and sealed waterproof seams make it perfect for keeping your ride rust-free all year round.
While keeping you protected on super rainy or snowy winter days, it also boasts UV protection and stops UV rays from damaging the paint job.
What’s more, it’s big enough to fit two bikes, while also boasting two security eyelets at the front for a chain lock and a storm strap to keep it secure in windy conditions.
BikeParka The Urban Bike Cover
- BikeParka The Urban Bike Cover, £39.95 from Wiggle – buy here
A bike cover intended for regular, daily use needs to be durable, strong and trustworthy – while also remaining lightweight enough that it can be packed away when not in use.
The Urban Bike Cover by BikeParka manages to do both those things, and much more.
Its ripstop polyurethane coating protects your bike against the most extreme elements, while the fabric also has a UPF50+ rating, meaning it will keep your bike’s painted parts away from the paint-damaging UV rays of summer.
The bottom is elasticated, for a tighter fit, as well as eyelets and a velco lock-through panel to safely and securely lock up your bike – while keeping it protected from the weather.
What’s more, it can also be packed away – parka-style – into an ultralight bag that can attach to your bike’s frame. And given its 400g weight, you won’t even notice you’ve got it in tow.
Available in a number of colours, including a jazzy camouflage, this bike cover certainly combines substance with heaps of style.
Oxford Aquatex 3 Bike Cover
- Oxford Aquatex 3 Bike Cover, £18.92 from Amazon – buy here
While all of the above are great if you only have one or two bikes to cover, things can soon start to get expensive if you’ve got a family’s-worth of wheels to keep out of the elements.
Enter the Aquatex 3 by respected accessories brand, Oxford. It will comfortably be able to store three bikes within its 2 cubic metre-plus volume, and is great for use outside, but also as a dust cover in a garage or shed.
Its 100 denier fabric construction is waterproof, while double stitching should ensure that there's no risk of leak-through seams.
Bikehut 3 Bike Storage Tent
- Bikehut 3 Bike Storage Tent, £40 from Halfords – buy here
Now, this is more like a bike tent than a bike cover – but it absolutely does the job, for a great price and is perfect if you frequently go on long cycling holidays
This Bikehut storage tent, available from Halfords, is ideal for pitching in the garden to cover the family's wheels – or for pitching and securing safely while travelling.
It's waterproof, as well as offers UV protection on sunnier days, super lightweight and easy to store and carry on your next cycling holiday with the provided storage bag.
How much are bike covers?
Bike covers range in price, but are usually quite affordable.
They start from around £5 or £10 and can go up in price to around £40 or £50.
It's worth taking into account that the bike covers on the higher end of the pricing scale tend to be thicker fabric-wise, and are usually better quality, with an ultimately longer life-span.
They also more than often store more than one bike, or are ideal for campervan storage as well as bike holidays, so could work out cheaper than buying a cover for each bike in your household.
Where to buy a bike cover?
Bike covers tend to work out quite cheap, but for a wider range of budget-friendly options, your best bet is to check out Amazon first.
Decathlon and Argos also offer budget-friendly bike covers, that you can check out instore.
If you're looking for a renowned brand, and something a little more stylish, then we'd recommend BikeParka – they do come at a cost, though.
Which material is best for bike covers?
Most bike covers are made from polyester, but not all polyesters are made equal.
It’s best to look out for the denier of the fabric – the higher the number, the thicker and therefore more durable it’s going to be – while other factors to consider include double stitching of seams and a polyurethane, or ripstop, coating.
The only thing to bear in mind is that, the thicker the denier, the heavier the bike cover – a key factor if you’re going to be removing and reapplying to your bike on a daily basis. In this instance, you might be better off going with a lighter cover.
Should I cover my bike?
If you want to increase the longevity of your bike, it’s worth using a bike cover if you can’t store it somewhere dry like a shed or garage.
A bike cover will protect your bike’s components from water, which over time will cause parts to rust and require replacing.
It can also prevent your bike from gathering dust, which can be tricky to clean and damge your bike's parts and get into tricky-to-reach places.
Plus, it can also prevent your bike's paint job fading due to strong UV rays from the sun.
Enjoyed our round-up of the best bike covers? Protect your bike from thieves as well as the elements and check out the best bike locks, here.
Keep up to date with all the latest fitness products over on our Sun Selects Health and Fitness page.
For more fantastic product recommendations, head over to the Sun Selects main page.
Source: Read Full Article