Secure bike storage outside

Frannybobs

I have 2 bikes, a mountain bike worth £400 and a hybrid worth £650. The hybrid lives in the house but up till now the mountain bike has lived in my small backyard (I have no garden) in a thing called a "bike tent". It's just basically a semi-circular canvas tent, a bracket is screwed into the wall with anti-theft screws (so can't just be unscrewed out without a special tool) and then my bike is secured to that in the tent with an armoured chain lock.

This morning the zip on my bike tent had been yanked open in the middle, effectively breaking the zip. They hadn't took the bike or anything else for that matter (nothing in there of any value other than the bike), I suspect they were opportunists and when they saw it wasn't just a quick smash and grab they went......for now.

I will in the short term keep both bikes in the house. I live on my own in a 2 up 2 down terrace, I don't especially want my dining room to be permanent bike storage, as that;s the first room people come in to. I have no utility room or vestibule. When I'm not using it for long periods the hybrid goes under the stairs, but it's a pain to get in and out if you're using it several times a week. I also want to get a road bike next year (if the Cyclescheme is still going) so I definitely don't want THREE bikes in the house!!!

What do other people have? I'm thinking of a shed or lean-to - but they could easily get broken into as well I suppose - but I could put a motion sensor alarm in there. But if they do it when I'm not there I wouldn't hear it and nobody else would know what it was.

I have seen steel secure storage recommended - Asgard ones, they're more expensive than I was thinking about but it would be more expensive and hassle to replace the bikes even if it is through insurance - has anyone got one - are they better than wooden ones?

Any suggestions gratefully received :-)

Kieran_Burns

http://www.gardensite.co.uk/Asgard_Twin ... Locker.htm

I was going to get one myself when I had a house without a garage shortlisted (my bikes are worth over £3K now and I will need the 3 bike version)

http://www.garden-security.co.uk/Asgard ... Store.aspx

Oh, I just read your post properly: yes they are much better than wooden sheds which would need ground anchors to make the bikes more secure. You need to cost this in when pricing up wooden sheds as an alternative

d87francis

I put a large hook up in a walk in cupboard in our hallway which takes the road bike, and next to it I have a dangly set of canvas shelves for all my bike gear. The other bikes are locked in our communal hallway to the railings by our flats. They all have the benefit of being kept relatively clean and rust free indoors.

If I had a larger flat I'd definitely do this though:
http://www.ikeahackers.net/2008/02/stolmen-bike-rack.html

Frannybobs

Thanks both for the advice! I love that pole thingy, but I think I'm going to go with the Asgard Addition Bike store so it can accommodate three bikes as I'm pretty certain I'll get a road bike next year and I want to keep the hybrid as a commuter, and the mtb for fun - can't part with either of them!!

Halfords have £40 off so would be £515 which isn't too bad. I had looked at the Asgard Annexe but I'm thinking it might be a bit overkill and an extra £135 which I can't really afford. I don't really live in the ghetto - I've had the bike tent 3 years and nobody has so much as sniffed at it, I think it was just an opportunist.