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Storm Skin Bike Cover

8
£55.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Heavy-duty, rugged and protective cover, spot on for long-term use
Robust
Roomy
Very protective
Easy to use
Quite expensive
Heavy/bulky
Weight: 
1,160g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Storm Skin Bike Cover is incredibly rugged and protective, with good ventilation and easy-to-use locking slits. It’s also been updated since the version we were sent for testing – ours, though very roomy, wouldn’t suit the widest of handlebars, but the newer version has addressed that, we’re told.

> Buy now: Storm Skin Bike Cover for £55 from Storm Skin

Designed for a single bicycle, the cover is made from tough heavy-duty fabric, the same sort of material used for hiking backpacks. It's fully waterproof and even has taped seams.

2022 Storm Skin Bike Cover - drawstring 2.jpg

Velcro-enabled ventilation slits allow you to lock the bike to something, there’s an elasticated drawstring at the top, and underneath there’s a drawstring adjustment at the front and rear – and a hook and strap to pass underneath the bike to help reduce volume in windier weather. The whole thing packs into its own integral zipped storage bag.

2022 Storm Skin Bike Cover - folded.jpg

Thanks to handy logos indicating where the front is, the cover is a breeze to fit. It pulls over the bike effectively and the top, front and back drawstrings are straightforward. The under-bike strap is a little bit more fiddly but no real drama, and that's largely optional anyway, stopping the cover flapping about if it's windier.

The fabric is reassuringly tough, and it kept the rain out. And because of the design of the lock/ventilation openings, even those didn't let the weather in. The fabric is UV stabilised too, which should ensure its durability rather than degrading during prolonged use, which some covers will do. Storm Skin backs this up with a 12-month guarantee.

My only real issue was with the shape of the cover. In spite of being genuinely roomy, its shape meant it really did only cover the manufacturer's max stated handlebar width of 65cm. Other covers I have used have had a flatter top section above the bar, allowing you to eke out a little extra room – but not the Storm Skin.

It wouldn't have been a problem for most road and gravel bikes, but was slightly at odds with Storm Skin's claim that the cover is suitable for most machines, including e-bikes and mountain bikes, which often come with bars wider than 65cm. This seemed a shame, as I could see this being very popular for e-bikes, given the protection it offers.

However, we've been told by Nick at Storm Skin that the newer version addresses this: "We felt this was an issue ourselves and have actually improved the design since we sent you the sample. We’ve incorporated an extra panel on top to give more width. This will allow bikes with wider handlebars to use our covers."

> Best bike storage – how to keep your fleet organised

The cover’s locking ports were easy to use, making it straightforward to secure the bike effectively even when covered. I wouldn't call the cover exactly camo, but if you're leaving your bike in your garden, it'll blend in nicely – not so much in an alleyway in a housing estate.

2022 Storm Skin Bike Cover - drawstring 1.jpg

Because of the cover’s bulk and weight, I’d be less inclined to lug it around when commuting. There are covers more suited to this purpose, and Storm Skin doesn't claim it to be a portable protection option. It's not really designed to be a travel cover either, so think more of it as bike protection for long-term use at home.

Value and conclusion

At £55 Storm Skin is more expensive than most covers, but with its build quality and tough protective UV-stabilised fabric, it should last a good bit longer than many of the cheaper options.

It's more expensive than the lighter and more portable £39.95 Bike Parka Urban that I tested but the Storm Skin is tougher. 

And it's a tenner more than the BTR Waterproof Heavy Duty Bike Cover which has gone up to £44.99 since Dave reviewed it (and liked), but I'd say the build quality of the Storm Skin makes it a longer-term proposition.

Overall, it's a good choice if you regularly leave your pride and joy out in the elements and want to know it's well protected. 

Verdict

Heavy-duty, rugged and protective cover, spot on for long-term use

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Storm Skin Bike Cover

Size tested: Bag dimensions: 32 x 35 x 13cm

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Designed to be a fully waterproof protective cover for bicycles with bars up to 65cm wide.

Manufacturer says: "Our bike covers are suitable for most types of bike, including men's and women's road bikes, mountain bikes, e-bikes and hybrids.

"An elasticated drawstring allows the cover to be adjusted to perfectly fit your bike."

Length: 220cm

Height: 140cm

Max handlebar width: 65cm

Designed to fit: 1x bike

In reality, many mountain bikes and e-bikes come with a handlebar wider than 65cm as standard.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Protection from rain, wind and sun. Made from heavy-duty backpack fabric. A bike cover built to last.

100% waterproof bike cover (6,000+ mm)

Heavy-duty hiking backpack fabric

Taped seams prevent water penetrating the bike cover

Ventilation holes stop moisture build-up

Easy to fit

Fully adjustable

Elastic drawstring to help a good fit

2 carefully positioned lock holes allow you to lock the frame, front and rear wheels

UV and fade resistant

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10

Very well made with high-quality fabric and a good finish.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Did a great job as a protective cover in bad weather.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

This cover isn't going anywhere in a hurry and has a 12-month guarantee.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

Not the cheapest, but it's built to last.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Performed very well; easy to fit and kept water out.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

It's very well made and provides a very good level of protection.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

With the version on test, the shaping at the top meant that any bike with a handlebar over the stated max of 65cm just didn't fit. However, this has been addressed in the new version, we're told.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's more expensive than the lighter and more portable £39.95 Bike Parka Urban, but tougher. And it's a tenner more than the BTR Waterproof Heavy Duty Bike Cover.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes, if I didn't have a shed.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, if they didn't have a shed.

Use this box to explain your overall score

Well made and highly protective, this is a rugged and long-lasting option for protecting bikes outdoors, and thanks to the locking ports it's also secure. It's too heavy to be portable but for its intended purpose, it's very good.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 77kg

I usually ride: Liv Invite  My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

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