Light carpet solution found

[Catrin]

I am in a lovely new apartment that I really, really like. Nice and open, lots of light, vibrant accent walls in living room and bedroom, and the walls are pretty sound-proofed!

My bike lives along a wall in my bedroom on a separate rug that I've laid down for her. The carpet is beautiful, but very light in color and it LOOKS brand new. It is not, but it looks like it. My front door opens to the outside, no hallway carpet that could 'wipe off' my tires on the way in from a ride.

When I came in from my short ride Sunday, as soon as I got inside I flipped my bike over. I didn't think about moving the rug out of the bedroom before leaving but will do so in the future so that the tires do not touch the pretty carpet. Then I wiped the chain, got the pink stuff from the LBS and sprayed it on the tires and wiped them off. This would also be a good time to check the brakes as well, though I have yet to do that.

If nothing else this means my tires are checked after every ride for foreign objects or other damage. Anything I get on this carpet is going to be very noticeable, and of course winter is coming. My thought is that using this bike wash (can't think of the name, it is quite pink and I am not at home yet) might be better than water as it will likely clean more stuff off the tires than just water. I didn't spray much, just enough to get my rag wet and applied elbow grease. When I was sure the tires were clean I then rolled Ms. Explorer to her resting place.

I couldn't think of another solution to this, and will be interested to hear if there are any other approaches to this. I figure the quicker I clean the tires, the less the chance of getting dark tire tracks on the carpet. At some point she has to hit the floor...

[OakLeaf]

You might just get a cheap carpet runner. You could take it up when you have company, leave it there the rest of the time. That's what we did when we had dogs - put a runner between the door and the path they took as soon as they came in.

The other thing I do - maybe you already do, maybe you've seen people at the LBS do it - is wheel the bike in on one wheel. It's a whole lot easier to maneuver through hallways and doors and such - plus you've only got one tire track to worry about. Won't work if you have luggage - otherwise hold the handlebars at the tops or the hoods (I don't remember - did you stay with the drop bars?) and just flip the bike up so it's vertical and balancing on the rear wheel. Then you can walk behind the bike instead of beside it, plus you're turning corners with a much narrower profile.

[Owlie]

+1 on the cheap carpet. Walmart has some that are approximately bike-length for $5. You also might want to consider moving your bike closer to the door. Mine's moved from the giant closet to my room to the living room to the dining room. (My building has a rule that bikes have to be brought in through the back door. Easier to get in and out, and less floor to clean!)

[Catrin]

You might just get a cheap carpet runner. You could take it up when you have company, leave it there the rest of the time. That's what we did when we had dogs - put a runner between the door and the path they took as soon as they came in....

I hadn't thought of this one, will look into it. Also didn't think about wheeling it on one wheel. I don't have road bars but can't see how that would make much of a difference.

There really isn't a good place for the bike to live closer than the bedroom...but perhaps a little time with a tape measure might prove me wrong...