Bike Storage Shed Guide: Keep Your Bike Safe and Sound

Bike storage can be a challenge, especially if you have multiple cyclists living in your house or your n+1 bike collection is getting out of control. Not to mention having to store all the spare wheels, tyres, and other parts. Fortunately, there are several options on the market that you can even use in a home with little space. Read on to learn why a bike shed is the best solution and how to buy a bike storage shed that matches your needs.

Why Choose an Outdoor Bike Storage Shed?

There are many different storage solutions out there, both indoor and outdoor. From wall-mount indoor units and bike storage-specific furniture to freestanding storage stands and pulley systems. What makes purchasing a bike storage shed a worthy investment?

Unlike in public, bikes are much easier to steal at home. According to studies, two-thirds of stolen bikes happen to be inside or close to home. That’s because most people feel secure at home, so they don’t lock their bikes and leave them outside, and thieves are aware of this.

Due to the dirt and grime that bikes track inside and the fact that they detract from the aesthetic appeal of homes, most people also prefer not to store their bikes inside of them. Additionally, bicycles are delicate; keeping them in the main garage with other vehicles and large equipment runs the risk of damaging them and jostling them around.

Bike sheds are essential because they let you safely store your bike, biking gear, and other accessories, keeping the clutter at bay. The level of security it offers is the best aspect of having one. Your bike is safe from theft and harsh weather conditions that could rust or malfunction it.

How to Choose the Best Bike Shed for Your Home?

When searching to buy a bike storage shed online, you’ll come across different sizes, materials and models. Depending on the size, materials, accessibility, and security requirements of your home, you should choose the option that best suits your needs. Here are a few factors to consider.

What Size Should a Bike Shed Be?

The size of the shed will depend on how many bikes you’ll store there. For example, you don’t need to buy a bike storage shed that’s large: it can be highly impractical unless you plan to add more or start a collection. If you only have one or two bikes, a small bike storage shed is the best option.

Additionally, you need to consider the size of the bikes. For instance, a bike shed doesn’t need to be as large as the one used to store adult bicycles if you’re storing children’s bikes in it. Therefore, take into account the dimensions of each bicycle to accurately estimate the size of the bike storage shed you need. Here’s how you can determine the dimensions of a bicycle:

• Width: Measure the length from both handlebar ends.
• Length: Measure the distance from the end of the front tire to the rear tire.
• Height: Measure the distance from the ground to the highest point, which may be in the saddle or handlebars.

Location

You require a level area with enough room for the shed. It’s best to construct your bike shed in the backyard to keep it out of the way in front of your house and to ensure that only family members can access it. A shed in front of your house will only draw unwanted attention and increase its visibility.

The shed’s door should be facing the house, ideally close to it. That will discourage thieves because they’re afraid of being seen. Burglars can enter the home undetected if the door is facing away from the house.

Shed Materials

The next step is choosing the construction material after deciding on the bike shed’s size and location. Plastic, wood and metal are all possible materials for bike storage sheds. The cost, level of maintenance required, and functionality should all be taken into consideration when choosing the material.

Metal

Because it is difficult to break into, metal is a popular choice because it protects your bikes from theft better than wood and other materials. Additionally, it is water-resistant and can withstand heavy downpours. In addition, rodents and insects have a hard time damaging metal by bending, cracking, or chewing on it.

The most common metal used in the construction of metal bike sheds is steel. Bike sheds are typically made of powder-coated steel because it requires no maintenance throughout their lifetime.

You can paint the metal any colour you want if the colour doesn’t go with the style of your house. Additionally, since humidity readily corrodes steel, make sure to galvanise your metal to prevent rusting when exposed to moisture and rain.

Wood

Wood is affordable and simple to use. If built properly, a wooden shed blends in with your backyard and shields the bike and other equipment from the elements. Make sure you seal the cracks and use iron sheets or other materials resistant to water for the roof.

A wooden shed needs a lot of routine maintenance since it’s susceptible to insects and rodents and is vulnerable to severe weather. Consider using high-quality wood that won’t deteriorate in a few years to lower the risk of damage.

Plastic

Although a relatively new idea, building a bike shed out of plastic is gaining popularity. That’s primarily because plastic bike sheds are more affordable and almost identical to those made of metal. The drawbacks of using plastic for your metal shed include the fact that it looks extremely flimsy, might ruin the appearance of the entire house, and is impossible to customise to your preferences.

Accessibility

The bike shed should be close to the house because it should be fairly simple to put and remove the bike from there. It will be ideal if you can take each bike out of the shed without affecting the others. In the bike shed, bikes should be stored upright and upright, not sideways.

Security

Your bike sheds need to be extremely secure if you live in a dangerous area. The construction’s material choice has a significant impact on this. For instance, wooden sheds come in last place in terms of security, followed by plastic sheds. The strongest sheds are the metal ones, coming with a top-notch design prioritising security.