I’d be interested in hearing how many people’s hallways look like the one above! Where do you store your bike at night? Leave a comment below.
I’ll start us off:
As our apartment doesn’t have any secure space for storage and I don’t particularly want to leave my bike outside overnight, my flatmate and I store our bikes in the hallway. It’s not an ideal solution, especially when you consider having to carry a bike up four flights of stairs. A neat solution would be either to switch to a folding bike or fit a Cycloc, but as we are moving out soon I don’t see the point.
See also: Bicycle storage in a cosy London home
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As seen on The Guardian, BBC and The Independent.
Beside me, in the bed.
Bike porn!
Under rain cover, locked to a pipe in my back yard. No room for it inside
Where do you live mate? might pop round with the hacksaw
2 in the bedroom, 1 in the spare room, and 2 in the garden under a rain cover.
4 in the shed, wife wont allow them inside
2 in my bedroom, my housemates bike in the shed (its an ex council block and each flat is given about enough space outside for one bike).
Before cycling my choice of flat was heavily influenced by the walking distance to a tube (unfortunately rent prices also reflect that). Now i don’t care about that, its all about where my bike is going to live… so either ground floor flat or safe outside storage.
“Oh, great place.. but tight stairwell and no lift… no thanks!!”
Check out these guys in Spain who developed a funny, funky and chunky bike storage called Flumbo (.es)
- The 2 more expensive bikes are inside, in a floor-mounted bike stand with 3 spaces called the bikeport.
- 2 cheaper bikes locked outside, in the porch.
- 1 in the shed which has been thorughly scavenged for parts.
Guests use the third space in the bikeport and my bedroom.
Locked to a big anchor ring in our conservatory. They weren’t locked originally but after some git broke down the conservatory door and nicked the previous ones I now keep them very visibly locked up at all times.
Our 2 valuable bikes get in the way in our kitchen and have to be hauled up a narrow staircase to get them out. Hence my £60 commuter bike lives outside, chained to the railings with 2 good locks and a cryptoflex. This didn’t stop some little bastard stealing the seat and seat post 2 days ago though. Grrr.
In the bathroom… only space for it in my flat
My bike is in the lounge on a turbo trainer. My son’s bike is in the Kitchen with my husband’s road bike. My husbands other bike is chained up in the garden. Our son is getting to the stage where he will require other types of bikes – but we don’t know where we’re going to put them. Thinking of putting some hooks in the walls and hanging them – our flat is like a rabbit hutch. You hallway looks wonderful!
I’m lucky to have a shed downstairs where my flatmate and me leave our bikes.
it used to be in the hallway/living room against the bookshelves/husband’s side of bedroom if he was away/on the balcony if we had guests, but now we have a front garden and a perfectly sized tree to act as a locking post!
In our stables (we’re in the sticks).
In the very useful and highly recommended (if you have the space) Trimetals cycle storage shed. Two bikes, all of my bike tools, lubricants, track pump, workstand, part worn tyres, spare tubes. Best storage solution I have seen.
My Brompton lives next to me at the dining table, my road bike locked to the gate in a secure passage between my neighbour and I
This makes my road bike very jealous so I have to tell it that the brommy is much smaller than it and needs me to be there for it.
I just lock my bikes up to the Sheffield stands outside the pub opposite my flat and hope for the best. The bikes look pretty ratty, it’s on a pretty busy road and drunk people tend to loiter until late so I hope that that all helps put off potential thieves.
I live in a shared house with people I don’t know THAT well, 6 person shared garage, I keep my commuter/everyday bike with 2 d-locks locking the wheels to the frame in the garage and leave my track bike under my bed (handlebars sticking out of the bottom of the bed, standard)
On a custom made rack (from an industrial cloth rail) and hanging hooks. ALl 5 bikes vertically stored in their own double room inside the flat =)
One in the garden chained to an old iron gate, under a rain cover. One in my mum’s garden as I can’t fit two in mine.
In covered outside storage, locked to a metal drainpipe. In heavy rain water seeps through but I have mostly solved this problem by putting an umbrella over the bike seat, which also keeps the chain set dry. Where I live has a relatively low crime rate and this set up isn’t visible from the road so it’s worked for the previous three years. But if I’m away overnight, bike comes in the flat. I think he likes it when I’m away – he gets a nice rest indoors.
Until a few days ago you had to climb over two bikes to get into my house, however I just purchased a Topeak double bike stand – very simple to install and we now have both bikes ‘double deckered’ so they take up less space. Well worth £150 and it can be taken down and moved when we move rental apartments.
I used to have them both locked against each other right outside my door, until a couple of little parasites tried to nick them. So now my old bike is locked to my neighbour’s railings and the new one inside the flat. I just about have enough room for it, but I’m not risking loosing it.
Four in the garage at home. Two in the shed in the garden and one at London Waterloo station! Mmmm – I think I have too many.
Check this out:-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTPFrww6zdA
That is, beyond any doubt, completely awesome…..although the H&S flunkies will be trembling with indignation…….!
I keep both my bikes in my bedroom, wouldn’t have it any other way.
Mountain bike and road bike in the garage, commuter/everyday bike inside, right next to the door and ready to go. I have a Montague Boston that normally lives in the hall but gets folded up and stuffed in a cupboard if guests are expected.
On the balcony of my flat…….not covered. Is this a bad thing??
In my tiny little bedsit.
Fortunately our flat as a small front entrance (shared with the flat above) big enough to hold our two bike.
We lock the door (unfortunately the tenants above usually forget to lock it :/) so we lock them to each other even if it’s inside (still good idea as the front door lock, I’m sure, is easy enough to break open).
In the corridor of my flat but management company has written to me about not storing there.
In my locked, detached two-car garage. And yet, I still have them all locked to the jerry-rigged wall-holders I have (two flower hanging brackets on the wall so each bikes top tube is held and the handlebars don’t get in the way) – locked with d-locks which stay in the garages (meaning I have multiple d-locks for each bike, which is dang expensive).
There have been a significant number of bike thefts from locked garages in my neighborhood recently (30 in August – in just my small area), and that doesn’t include the number of bikes stolen from fenced back gardens/yards. The last one happened three doors down: someone kicked in the side door of a garage and took off w/ a multi-grand tri-bike. (still cannot believe someone who owns an expensive tri-bike wouldn’t have it better secured – and not covered by his insurance b/c the house has an alarm system and the garage isn’t included on it, which wasn’t properly explained to the person he bought insurance from).
Bike theft is a scourge on cyclists. How about we create a database of all reported bike crime to get the Police and Local Authorities to take this more seriously. It may could help highlight the revenue involved in bike crime, which may motivate them. I would love to see more thieves caught through the use of bait bikes, but also better security and preventative measures as well as a crack-down on bike criminals by Police.
I store mine in a small storage room, on the wall, secured with this mount: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_217846_langId_-1_categoryId_228853
My beloved, much modified and long in the wheel 1987 Specialized Hardrock is in the lounge and is the source of much controversy in our house. I work very early shifts and quite often leave the house at 03.30 in the morning. Everything must be ready and checked the night before to ensure a smooth and noiseless departure. The boss is currently campaigning for the construction of new bespoke accommodation just outside the back door. She means for the bike…not me…I think!
My commuting road bike lives in the hallway (drop handlebars mean the front stays straight and it doesn’t get it the way tooo much), my vintage cruiser is in the dining room, along with both the kids bikes, hubbies is locked outside the back door. I had one cheap bike stolen from where it was locked to a bolt in the wall of the front garden so reluctant to leave any of them outside, since they wouldn’t be covered by insurance and it’s awkward to get them back into the house to get out the front door. Am seriously considering some sort of ‘shed’ construction – the front garden isn’t big but it should fit the bikes if we could make it secure enough to be covered by the insurance…
In short — under the kitchen table (the bike’s a folder!).
Getting a folding bike became the only solution for me in a first-floor flat. I kept my last bike locked to the railings outside on the front step, but of course it was stolen eventually.
Its not possible to leave bikes in the common hallway downstairs inside the front door as they represent a safety risk, restricting the fire exit.
The housing association has proposed a bike shed, or shelter, outside in the shared garden, but there is little or no progress on this yet.
I keep mine in my room, I spoke to the landlord about how I would keep it clean and covered if dirty. I usually use my d-lock and cable to secure the wheels to the frame in the nope that any thieves would deem it useless if they can’t actually use the bike. Any suggestions for improvement? I am a student in Southampton, a lot of bikes go missing in the first few weeks of term and I get very paranoid about the security of my possessions…
I live in Bristol, and locking the wheels to the frame is not much of a deterrent – the bike thieves around here will have cut off D-locks within the hour with an angle-grinder.
So, you have to lock a bike to something that they cannot carry away!
I have wondered if there would be any chance of getting the council to replace a couple of parking spaces with secure bike storage – there are quite a few commuting cyclists on our street…
In Lambeth they have been successfully trialling Bike Hangars on streets. Each Hangar holds 6 bikes under shelter, and with secure ‘P’-shaped hoops inside. One parking space takes two Hangars – equalling twelve bikes.
Other boroughs are now trialling them too.
It is now to be trialled in a street in Bristol which is having four Hangars (for 24 bikes) on two parking spaces.
I put mine in our rather narrow hallway near the front door so that I can get it outside easily, but I use an allen key to loosen the headset and turn the handlebars around in line with the bike so they won’t poke anyone passing by, and I have folding down pedals for the same reason.
I keep my three bicycles in a shed in my back yard. The shed is an expensive solid built construction with bolted hinges and huge security lock. The bikes themselves are anchored then chained and “kryptonite New York U locked” together. The shed is alarmed plus I have a baby monitor set up in the shed and through to my bedroom which would wake me even if the outside of the shed was being tampered with. Oh and I have a clear view of the shed from my bedroom and an air rifle under the bed. But don’t tell the police
What—no trip-wired I.E.D? But you’re right—you can’t be too careful.
P.R.
Did you use to be in the SAS or something? Your bike parking is the most secure I have ever heard of! More credit to you – nice one.
i gues you dont take hem out too often? that amount of locks would put me off ever getting it out to ride!! lol
I’m lucky enough to have a reasonably dry cellar, I keep my various bikes hung off the wall on ladder hooks. Have to share the space with a washing machine and tumble drier though. Crowded but it works…
In the hall, though I have looked at lots of products that allow you hang your bike on the wall which might make it easier for us to get in and out of the house when the bike’s there.
BikeAway lockers – £35 a year each (I have 2). Provided by Southwark Council with a Cleaner, Greener, Safer grant. So much better than having to store them in the flat, and very secure (and dry).
I use a motorbike ground anchor. Bought it a while ago. Looks like this:
http://www.vcustoms.co.uk/motorbike_173_xena-large-ground-anchor_5627.html?gclid=CIrC-8bq37ICFRPLtAodzGYA4g
Had my seatpost stolen once, so now have a cheap wilko’s cable lock through the saddle.
Check out our website for innovative indoor cycle parking! Including the home shelf and the vertical wall rack
Hi Harriet. You have not left a website address!!!
In the back garden shed. The bike is secured to a steel framed shelf unit with a kryptonite New York U lock. There are four other bikes in there with mine, so a thief would make an awful lot of noise trying to it. The shed is close to the back of the house. The bike is left in the kitchen overnight on the days I use it for commuting. I usually commute up to 4 times a week, depending on what shift I’m working. I love cycling home at 2am after a late shift.
In the back garden shed. The bike is secured to a steel framed shelf unit with a kryptonite New York U lock. There are four other bikes in there with mine, so a thief would make an awful lot of noise trying to steal it. The shed is close to the back of the house. The bike is left in the kitchen overnight on the days I use it for commuting. I usually commute up to 4 times a week, depending on what shift I’m working. I love cycling home at 2am after a late shift.
I lived in the loft of a farmhouse in Holland and I used to bring my Peugeot road bike up to the loft where I suspended it above my bed with a piece of rope.
get one of these!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BICYCLE-PULLEY-HOIST-CYCLE-STORAGE/dp/607454574X/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1351191265&sr=1-1
i havent got one yet, but im certainly buying one / designing my own one for when i finish rennovating my 1 bed flat. i plan on putting it above the staircase in th big void in th sky, lol
http://www.x-fix.nl/ This Dutch company manufactures the X-fiX, a custom headset part, which let’s you quickly rotate the steer a quarter of a turn with a knob just above the head tube, without losing the initial position of the steer. Unfortunately, information is only in Dutch and there is no price mentioned. They do have an e-mail address.
Thanks maupie! While reading the comments I was thinking how to design what the X-fiX does so it’s great to see that it’s already made.
I just emailed the company regarding pricing and purchasing, and will post their response once received.
Might make the bike unrideable, but wouldn’t the thief steal the bike, and strip the parts off it, and then sell the parts? Or have I misunderstood?
It’s for slimmer storage, not a bike theft device. By turning the handlebars, the bike isn’t in the way so much, or blocking a path for indoor storage.
i think you misunderstood, rotating the handlebars 90 degrees means the bike can go closer to the wall for better storage…. nothing to do with making it difficult to steal……
AHA! Fairy-nuff….we have a pretty average hallway, and even visitors who are, shall we say, very well nourished, are not impeded by one bike hanging (front-wheel removed & bars turned in) and two more in line along the floor leaning against the wall…..but of course some folks prefer more space.
Dunno if I’d want to keep messin’ with the stem, but each to his own>
P.R.
heres my storage solution
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151622428221449&set=a.10150487014706449.416906.634756448&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash3%2F603839_10151622428221449_1350562769_n.jpg&size=538%2C718
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151621888486449&set=a.10150487014706449.416906.634756448&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-prn1%2F547084_10151621888486449_1877009978_n.jpg&size=538%2C718