[Help Needed] Bike storage at home

lazyP

Hi, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to take a few minutes of your time with helping me with my final major project.

Just a brief introduction as to who and what I am doing:
I’m a Product & Furniture Design student currently in my third and final year at Kingston University, within Greater London. My final project is themed ‘Living with cycling’. In short, I will tackle the problem with storage of bike(s) within urban/city/town households.

The following questions will help me gauge and channel into whichever direction it takes me. Further development and insight will then follow and, finally a full working prototype. I order to make this project as successful as possible; I will need YOUR knowledge and first-hand experiences in order to do this.

This information will be invaluable towards my project and any information you give out, it will be an extensive part of my overall project.

Please answer the questions as fully as possible. The questions are as follows…

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these

2) How many bikes do you own?

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc

4) Is it a rented property?

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?

If no, why is that?

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)


If you feel comfortable, you can email your answers to: lazyperfectionist@btinternet.com

Thank you very much for taking your time out to fill this in, and again all of the information given will pay dividends towards my final major project.

Alex

Martincan

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these
commuting, fitness, enthusiast

2) How many bikes do you own?
One

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc
House

4) Is it a rented property?
Yes

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?
After obtaining the g/f's approval, in the hallway

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?
No

If no, why is that?
It's kept in my hall way at home and indoors in the office during work

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?
None relating to wear I keep mine

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)
Pick my bike up, carry it up some steep steps to my front door, rest it in the hallway as I pass through

lazyP

Thanks to everyone who has filled out my questions, much appreciated. More the merrier

rick_chasey

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these

Enthusiasm, commuting, fitness.

2) How many bikes do you own?

3

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc

Flat

4) Is it a rented property? Yes

5) Where do you store your bike(s)? At my parents place (though as of next week one will be in the communal corridor)

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions? No.

If no, why is that? None exist

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes? Other users of the building and no-where else to store it - space is at a premium when you rent in South West London.

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)


Carry up bike a few steps and dump it in the communal corridor?

MattC59

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these
Fitness and enjoyment

2) How many bikes do you own?
Four and a half
3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc
House

4) Is it a rented property?
No, mortgaged

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?
Detatched garage

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?
I have one of these installed : http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=10230 and three waiting to be installed, but the Mrs is insisting that we keep the fridge and freezer which are taking up the space "just in case" !!

If no, why is that?
Other than the fridge freezer issue, I don't really need storage solutions. the ereason I have the hooks is that they keep things tidier.

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?
Getting back up the steps to my front door in cycling shoes, or wet cold feet, in the winter, if I take them off.

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)
Ride up my drive, open garage door, negotiate the cr*p that's in my garage, lean bike against wall or other bikes, lock them all (actually, threading the locks through them all can be a pain in the ar*e), set alarm, close garage, stagger up steps like a baby giraffe on roller skates, enter house, annoy the Mrs because my cleats are marking the carpet.

Probably not a great deal of help to be honest, and my answers are somewhat tongue in cheek, so don't get p*ssed off with me

mattsaw

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these
Commuting/fitness

2) How many bikes do you own?
Two

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc
House

4) Is it a rented property?
Owned

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?
Hallway/garage

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?
No

If no, why is that?
Not needed, more than enough space available

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?
None really, grubby carpet in the hallways sometimes

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)
Off bike
Gloves helmet off
Lights off
Unlock door
Turn alarm off
Bring helpmet and gloves in
Wheel bike in
Feed cat

Mr_Cellophane

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these
All three

2) How many bikes do you own?
3 full size + 1 folder

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc
Semi detached house

4) Is it a rented property?
No

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?
Garage

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?
No, but will get a metal bike store when finances allow
If no, why is that?
Finance

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?
Getting past the cars in the drive

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)
Get off
Wheel/carry bike past cars to garage door
Walk round to rear door
Enter garage walk through and open front door
Move bike into garage
Close door
Secure bike

bigbelly

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these

Commuting, enthusiast, leisure rides with friends/family

2) How many bikes do you own?

2, road and mtb

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc

Upstairs maisonette, own front door, small hallway upstairs to dwelling

4) Is it a rented property?

I bought it!

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?

In the small hallway on the ground floor.

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?

MTB folds in half (Dahon matrix) and roadie hangs up vertically from front wheel hook on the wall.

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?

Water dripping off them when getting home from wet ride. So changed the flooring to vinyl. Generally a jigsaw puzzle to get all the bikes in with room for pram etc.
No where to wash / maintain bikes indoors. Have to do it on front door step.

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)
Balance bike on edge of front step. Helmet off, gloves and glasses into helmet. Keys from side pocket of rucksack, unlock door (turn off alarm). Helmet onto side shelf.

MTB - fold and stow into it's allocated space.
Road - pick up vertically and hang from front wheel

Shoes off.

Drip dry clothes on front radiator if it's been raining.

geebee2

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these

Mainly keeping fit, enjoyment. But also to get about sometimes.

2) How many bikes do you own?

2 ( well 3, but my mountain bike is crap and I hardly ever ride it ).

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc

House

4) Is it a rented property?

No

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?

Garage

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?

Errm... not sure what you mean. I don't think so. Well, I hang them in the garage.

If no, why is that?

No idea what these are.

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?

The garage is quite full. Wife has 3 bikes, son has 2 bikes, daughter has 2 bikes.

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)

Unclip foot from pedal, dismount. Take off gloves. Take key out of back pocket, unlock front door. Get garage key, open garage door, take off helmet, put on shelf, places glasses into helmet. Remove spare tyre and levers from back pocket, place in helmet.
Pick up rag, do some basic cleaning (depending on whether I'm in a hurry).
May involve going into house to get hot water.
Pick up bike, put it on rack in garage, do more cleaning, lock it (if it's my good bike).
Close garage door. Lock garage, go into house.
Clean floor in house before wife notices marks on floor.
Remove overshoes, cycle shoes.
Sorry, I left out quite a lot of detail about cleaning.

Ollieda

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these
commuting / fitness

2) How many bikes do you own?
2, one for commuting, one for fitness/competing

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc
Shared house

4) Is it a rented property?
Yes

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?
Both stay in my room leant up against a radiator

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?
No

If no, why is that?
My landlord (and many others I have encountered) considers "bike storage" to be a small, damp garden shed round the back of the house that has a broken lock - although the door is so weak and filmsy a lock wouldn't stop anyone. Ok for a very cheap bike you don't mind getting stolen!

Being a rented house I am not allowed to screw/bolt anything to the walls in order to hang my bikes up.

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?
Lack of space / floor space taken up by bikes

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)

Get off, open door, Take bike through house to back garden to wash (if needed), bring bike into my room, slot up alongside other bike, remove items like co2 pump/canisters and release some pressure from the tyres (as bike is kept next to a radiator I always worry about having fully pumped up tyres and co2 canisters getting too hot!)

wiffachip

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these
commuting, fitness, enthusiast

2) How many bikes do you own?
Seven

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc
House

4) Is it a rented property?
No

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?
garage

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?
No

If no, why is that?
aren't any

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?
fitting seven bikes and a car in a smallish garage

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)
winter - clean bike, eat, sleep,drink
summer - eat, sleep,drink

neilo23

1) What do you use your bicycle for? I.e. commuting, fitness, enthusiast, or all of these
Entusiast, fitness

2) How many bikes do you own?
3

3) What type of dwelling do you reside in? I.e. house, flat, studio etc
Flat

4) Is it a rented property?
Yes

5) Where do you store your bike(s)?
In the cellar at work (across the street)

6) Do you use existing bike storage solutions?
No (there are none)

If no, why is that?

7) What are the problems/pain in the backside/hassles do you deal with when storing your bikes?
Not having enough space for them at home. Having to walk down stairs to get them. Not really that much hassle.

8 ) Imagine you have arrived outside your home, what are the step-by-step motions do you go through? (In as much detail as possible)
Ride across the street to my workplace, take off shoes, negotiate the stairs to the cellar, lock up bike, put on "normal" clothes, go back upstairs, go home, stretch, eat, go to work / vegetate in front of the tv.