Where is a good place to leave your bike when you are not riding it? I put mine in a bad place down the basement against a pole and my dad found it on the ground. So any ideas?

Hang it. From the ceiling on a single hook through a wheel, from the ceiling on a hook through each wheel, on the wall on the top tube and parallel to the wall, on the wall hanging by the front wheel, on the floor in a bike rack, leaning against a wall, etc. I can see why leaning it against a pole would not be very secure.

If your basement is not finished, simply put one or two (depending on whether you want your bike to hang vertically or horizontally) hooks in a joist and hang it by the wheel(s). Or visit your bike shop (in person or on line) and see the wide array of bike storage stuff they cell.

I hang mine by a single hook through the front wheel, and the other post recommends several other ways to store. In fact, though, as long as it doesn't fall over all the time, it can go anywhere. Bikes aren't nearly as delicate as we sometimes act like they are. Temperature, for instance, won't hurt them. Mine live in an unheated shed where the temperature varies from below zero on winter to 100+ in summer, and it's never caused a problem.

I hang my ride from the wall, vertically by the front wheel in my bedroom. These hooks can be bought on nashbar.com or performance.com. Sure the bikes are tougher than some think. Just remember it takes only one box, or heavy broom to fall on your frame and make a pretty little dent or crack in the carbon. Bikes don't do well when items are dropped on them.

I'm with Cory. My bikes hang from the ceiling on hooks in my unheated garage. In any event, try to store them away from anything with an electric motor, e.g. refrigerator, washer/dryer, furnace, AC, etc. Electric motors produce ozone when they run. This will rather quickly degrade the any rubber bits on your bike, for example, your tires.