Where do people keep bikes in the UK?

thrope

I am moving back to the UK (Glasgow) after some time in Germany where I've spoilt by everywhere having secure bike parking with easy access.

We are looking to rent an apartment in Glasgow and I am struggling to find anywhere with space to keep bikes (only 2 for me and one for the missus). What do people do? Few of the apartments are big enough to keep them inside - it would dominate the small second bedrooms we are seeing - and anyway I can't get her to agree to that.

For this last place I found a self-storage - does anyone keep a bike in there? It should be secure but I'm not of the size I'd need to fit 2 or 3 bikes.

Any other suggestions? What do you look for when looking for an apartment.

BigLights

I leave my commuter in my front hall (I'm fortunate to live in a house), my wife's el cheapo bike is chained to a ground anchor in the front yard, and my carbon roadie is in the shed in the garden.

It would be brave to leave bikes outside in Glasgow...but a lot of the old ex tenement style blocks have communal storage on the ground floor or in the gardens at the back - perhaps look out for that sort of flat? I also like those flats a lot as they're so solidly built you have very little issues with noisy neighbours.

estampida

so I live in leith... thief central some nites

I have a balcony on a 3rd floor flat

if they get up here they deserve those bikes

see e h 6 - 5 j w (not my postcode obviously)

supersonic

Three in my living room, two in the utility room, one in my bedroom ;-)

Glasgow Calum

supersonic wrote:

Three in my living room, two in the utility room, one in my bedroom ;-)

My missus would kill me!

Im very very lucky, I can keep it in the shed (secure) at home, and inside my work when I arrive so I don't even own a lock!

rolf_f

thrope wrote:

Any other suggestions? What do you look for when looking for an apartment.

You've been abroad too long. We don't have apartments here - just flats.

As for my bikes - one in the hall of my parents dahn sahf. One normally in the dining room (ie the one I'm mainly using) and three in the bike bedroom

majormantra

This is how you store bikes in a flat, elegantly:

thrope

You've been abroad too long. We don't have apartments here - just flats.

Don't I know it... I've also picked up a lot of international english expressions like "much different to" and others which I catch myself saying but I can't remember now.

This is how you store bikes in a flat, elegantly:

That looks amazing! I had a friend already suggest a gear-up floor to ceiling rack but it didn't go down too well with the other half. This photo is much better than the one he sent me though so I might try again - although the problem is that shows an enormous place which can take it easily and the small places we are looking at putting something like that in means loosing a 'real' piece of furniture like a wardrobe which is much more important for her.

It's looking like I'll be allowed one in the flat for city commuting but the mountain bike (and her quite nice mountain bike) will have to go into self-storage. I am hoping 15 sq ft room which can be had quite cheaply will take the two as well as some other bits and pieces...

redvee

One bike lives by the kitchen window, the other hangs behind the kitchen door on the wall.

majormantra

thrope wrote:

That looks amazing! I had a friend already suggest a gear-up floor to ceiling rack but it didn't go down too well with the other half. This photo is much better than the one he sent me though so I might try again - although the problem is that shows an enormous place which can take it easily and the small places we are looking at putting something like that in means loosing a 'real' piece of furniture like a wardrobe which is much more important for her.

Thanks. It's a bit deceptive actually, partly because of the wide angle lens. This is a single bedroom flat (47m sq. IIRC) but it feels spacious as the sitting room and kitchen are a single open space. I currently have four bikes in here. One lives in the bedroom and the other leans against the blueish wall, usually.

The rack is the one Edinburgh Bicycle sells btw. Another possibility you might consider is hanging bikes vertically - it can work in a box room or even a large closet. I know plenty of Edinburgh flats have such spaces - I'm guessing they do in Glasgow as well.

Daz555

Move to a slightly cheaper area and rent a house instead?

The Rookie

MajorMantra wrote:

This is how you store bikes in a flat, elegantly:

That's not bike storage but nearly a work of art (all that is required is to replace those bikes with funny shaped bars with real ones......)

passout

Three in the garage, two in the shed, one in the orangery and another four in the servants quarters.

Seriously though, I have two kids and with all the associated outdoor gear - tag a longs, paddling pools etc - I had to buy a second shed. Perhaps you need to consider somewhere with outdoor space? I guess you could hire a garage.

angry_bird

passout wrote:

I had to buy a second shed.

We're onto 5 sheds :shock:

Glasgow Calum

I can't get over how many bike people have :shock: I have 1....

supersonic

My front room not so long ago!

slc1

One in the bike shed outside and my expensive ride slung on a hook in my kitchen sliding window (don't use the slider). I call it my bike sculpture.

Headhuunter

5 in the shed....

Mikey41

Cupboard under the stairs, two bikes in there at present, my sisters MTB and my hybrid. Couldn't get a third in there though, and not really any other space to keep one.

gosport_commuter

At the bottom of the Stairs of course!

SPD shoes beneath the bike, ortliebs/helmet hung on the wall to the left, and other helmets, rainclothes, lights, sunglasses, bar bag etc in the units to the left.

dalifnei

"Where do you park your bike"

The Rookie

9 in the family, I have a bike specific shed for 5, my commuter and the lads MTB which he commutes on sometimes in another shed and the pub bike in the garage, my daughters commuter is currently at Uni ot we'd have nowhere to put it!

thrope

So I guess no one uses self-storage then?

I was thinking a 15 sq ft room would be enough to have two or three bikes (upright) and this can be had for £5 a week 5 mins walk from the place we found.