It’s a well known formula:
Bike + Indoor storage = Unhappy coinhabitants + messy corridor
Having recently taken part in the much despised game of “find a new place to rent” one of the things I was looking at, as estate agents showed me around, was where I could potentially store my bike.
Would I be able to fit it in that lift? Does that bike storage outside look safe enough? Carpets in the lounge! There’s no way I can store my bike here!
It’s a tricky one to overcome and there are all manners of solutions vying for the attention of cyclists.
A Trimetals bike shed?
Expensive, and I don’t have space for it.
Not too expensive, but I don’t know how my landlord would feel about that. Plus, the bike would have to be stored outside in the elements and would-be thieves can repeatedly see it in the same place, making it a tempting target.
An inventive solution and great with my high ceilings, but I don’t have a garage and I doubt the landlord would be too pleased.
Fantastic idea, that would fit nicely at home, though not so great when I’ve been out riding on a rainy day.
A wall mount such as the Clug or the Cycloc?
An attractive petite solution, not too expensive, as long as the wall holds. You can find out more about the Cycloc and the various other storage solutions they sell on their website.
In the end I decided on the most simple solution of all:
Popular among bike shops in London, it’s a great little solution as it doesn’t mean screwing anything to the wall, it’s cheap at around £15 and means that my bike isn’t resting against the wall damaging the wallpaper.
The solution you end up choosing will depend on your setup and we’ve spent plenty of time on London Cyclist exploring the options.
What about long term storage?
Let’s say you’ve got a second road bike that you don’t use day to day in London, but only occasionally to take part in sportives. Or a mountain bike that you take out once every 6 weeks.
A new solution might be of interest called Store Cycle. I’ve exchanged a few emails with the founder Ian and I like the direction that it’s going. For just £7.00 per month, they’ll store your bike and deliver it back to you for another £7.00. It’s pretty cost effective and it means clearing up some space at home.
It’s a lot more cost effective than most self storage, which costs in the region of £50 per month or more in the outskirts of London.
Other solution: Folding bike.
And it doesn’t have to be a Brompton, even though it makes a lot of sense in a city.
You missed one very simple solution: fit a kick stand to the bike! Then you can stand it up anywhere….
Or more simple than that… a folding bike you shove away beneath your desk 😉
Great ideas; just what I was looking for – thanks.
Nice to see you’re so thoughtful of your landlord but do remember you’re spending a small fortune to rent the flat and have the right to enjoy the space. So if you need to put something up on the wall, so be it — as long as you return things the way you found them when the time comes! … of course unless you’re given the flat for free 😉
What about those long coated hooks from DIY stores? Could hang the bike from them.
I’m glad I don’t have this problem any longer. I hope you told the agent you needed bike storage. It’s only by asking that more will start to provide.
Have you seen this great looking clean design for bike storage from Cactus Tongue, British made as well: http://www.cactus-tongue.co.uk
nice but ouch the price!
I did the same thing on the cheap in my garage. £30 for big hooks = 4 bikes on the walls, accessible but out of the way (to allow for the other 6 bikes ahem)
and all I use daily is my brompton which is inside under the stairs inside…..
Any ideas for storing a tricycle?
I’ve started using one of these, cost about £40 and it’s storing my and my gf’s bikes in our living room.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0039KANCI
It’s called the Gear Up Lean Machine gravity rack, not super pretty but nicer than stacking bikes against the wall in a corner. There were other more aesthetically pleasing options at a higher price point, think Saris does a decent one.
I have an CycleOps indoor trainer sitting in a quiet part of the lounge, facing the TV of course.
My bike is parked in the trainer when not out on the road, and if the weather is bad, I just jump on and pedal indoors while watching some distraction. Its not the prettiest option but it’s practical and convenient.
I rent a ground floor flat with a lockable bike shed. This took a while to find, but they are out there
Landlords should think about placing at least a lockable shed in there disgusting backyards.
What I hate that like right now, I’m looking for rent, and there’s next to no properties at descent price with a garage or at least something.
Adverts highlighting double glazing and heating that should be obvious, but more than 99% of the properties completely lack insulation, any sort of storage rooms.
Where do you place your bike when as soon as you step in the flat there’s a bloody carpet, extremely narrow corridor and stairwell starts sooner than the length of a bike?
I cannot refrain mentioning that 95% of the properties to let are in the ‘what the hell do they ask a deposit for? Landlords should spend two month of rent or more for renovation?’ condition with unfinished walls, extremely worn-out carpets, mould, and when they say it’s been professionally clean, every hole is still full of bugs.