I live in the UK. At my house, I don't have much space, I have a drive-way but no gate surrounding it. Here's an image:
What are my cheap storage options for a mountain bike (voodoo bizango).
Thanks
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1There are some great secure bike storage options, however most of them don't really qualify as cheap. asgardsss.co.uk/bike-cycle-storage For a cheaper option, some diy stores do some multi purpose lockers that could be used for a bike, wheelie bins, lawn mower etc.– Andy PCommented Dec 18, 2018 at 16:10
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5Make a shed from the pallets, train the cat to guard it :-)– Argenti ApparatusCommented Dec 18, 2018 at 16:20
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3An urban apartment strategy is to hang it on the wall.– Matthew GunnCommented Dec 18, 2018 at 16:50
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2There are a number of inside bike storage options, mostly involving "hangers" of various types.– Daniel R HicksCommented Dec 18, 2018 at 18:52
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1I see a garage. Is that available to you?– JimmyJamesCommented Dec 18, 2018 at 21:36
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3 Answers
You can get wooden storage sheds for bicycles for around £150 - £200.
You'll also need something to secure the bike to. You could install a ground anchor, either the screw in type:
Or the type that you embed in concrete:
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1That tyre really should be inflated or the bike hanged above ground. Commented Dec 18, 2018 at 21:57
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2@VladimirF seems to me that the tyre is fine; the shed's door frame covers it, giving it the illusion of being flat.– IMilCommented Dec 18, 2018 at 23:38
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I don't understand the type of anchor that is simply screwed into the ground - what would prevent a thief from simply unscrewing it and taking it with the bike?– anderasCommented Dec 19, 2018 at 9:03
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@anderas many of those fixings are designed to be hard to remove, if not impossible. In that design the ball bearings presumably go into the screw head after fitting. In others the screw head snaps off leaving a cone with nothing to grip. In most cases a decent bike lock will also make access to the screw heads hard - I'd use a motorbike chain with that red fitting. If used with the shed as pictured, you could carry off the paving slab it was screwed to - it needs more than that– Chris HCommented Dec 19, 2018 at 9:55
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1@ChrisH Thanks for the explanation! I wondered what the BBs were for. Now it makes complete sense to me.– anderasCommented Dec 19, 2018 at 10:19
Storing a bike outside leaves you with two problems to deal with: thieves and weather. No perfect solution for either problem exists unless you build something around your bike that starts qualifying as storing it "inside".
Against theft, use the biggest chains and U-locks that you can find to bound your wheels and saddle, use anti-theft QR skewers for axles. Lock the frame to the burliest stationary object you can find around. I do not see any reasonable candidates on your picture though. You might just want to install your own bike rack by screwing it down to the pavement with huge bolts.
Against the weather, provide some protection against the rain by covering the bike with a tarp. You cannot protect it against low temperatures outside, but direct water contact is by far the worst. Make sure the tarp is well fastened to not be blown away by a strong gust of wind.
A cage would be good enough only if it is made of steel bars 10 mm or more in diameter (otherwise it would be easier to cut it than a lock on its door). I can imagine that one big enough to fit in a bike (2 meter × 1 meter × 1,5 meter) would cost more than a decent bike rack. On a plus side, it might possibly be so heavy that it would not require bolting it down to the pavement. And then you can make a roof for it and it will become storing a bike inside.
You might still want to consider finding a place to store an expensive bike inside, like renting a storage room or an underground parking spot somewhere nearby. Or just suck it and bring it inside your home and hang it from the ceiling or disassemble it before storing.
answered Dec 18, 2018 at 16:17
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3Regarding the "just bring it inside" option: Loosening the stem and turning the handlebars is relatively trivial and drastically reduces the storage footprint of a bike.– jimchristie ♦Commented Dec 18, 2018 at 17:14
Since you’re from the UK, I’d be remiss if I didn’t suggest you get the greatest folding bike ever invented, the Brompton:
But if you already bought a bike, you might want to look into storing it in your house either horizontally:
Or vertically. The vertical stands in particular take up little room:
Finally, as @Daniel Hicks notes, it's also possible to buy and mount a pulley system that will let you lift the bike to the ceiling, either horizontally or vertically.
answered Dec 19, 2018 at 18:43
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There are also schemes for suspending the bike from the ceiling. Commented Dec 19, 2018 at 19:04