I recently moved house and have a problem many cyclists face: where does the bike go? Research shows that about 5.5 million people in the UK would cycle more if they had space to store a bike at home; only 23% of people living in flats – and 58% who live in detached houses – have an accessible place for one.
However, there are many bike storage solutions, from basic floor anchors for a tiny outdoor space to fancy high-security sheds, and even secure parking provided by local authorities. One cycle storage entrepreneur won £100,000 on Dragons’ Den for his SpaceRail. Here are some of the best options I’ve come across, for inside the home, and out.
The best bike storage ideas
Outdoors
For bikes parked outdoors, if security is one of your requirements (which it probably should be, even in a back garden), look for products that are Sold Secure rated: this means they are rigorously tested and certified to resist theft.
Also, a word of warning if you’re thinking of installing a shed: metal ones heat up in the sun, so don’t allow any part of the bike that could melt (handlebars or tyres) to touch metal in full summer sun. Strategically place cloths between the two, or install insulation.
For front or rear gardens
The fortress
If you’re lucky enough to have a front or rear garden, Asgard sheds are safe, good-looking and sturdy. Prices start at £649 for a two-bike shed. I tested the mammoth Annexe Plus E (for e-bike charging) in my front garden, which is Secured by Design (police) approved, and rated by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) for security, which means it was tested using a plethora of break-in tools.
The Plus E stores three to four bikes (essential: check your bike sizes first), with optional plug sockets for charging, shelves and hooks for gear. For an additional fee, Asgard’s staff will come and build it for you. I wasn’t sure I’d want to leave my expensive bikes in the front garden, but found the shed reassuringly safe, with its five-point locking double doors, including two deadbolts.
The design details are great, with ventilation to prevent damp buildup, and it’s big enough to obscure my neighbours’ overflowing bins. It also weighs 176kg (27st 10lb), so it isn’t going anywhere easily. I’m still learning not to make too much noise opening and closing it.
The lifting-lid shed
Trimetals’ bike sheds are sturdy and well made but aren’t Secured by Design or LPCB rated, and you need separate padlocks to secure them when closed. The 6ft 4in x 2ft 9in (193 x 88cm) model will store up to three adult bikes, and comes with a 25-year panel guarantee. This one has a spring-assisted lid that lifts both the roof and front of the shed to save ducking while getting bikes in and out. However, dealing with two padlocks may prove a faff in the rain, or if you’re in a hurry – and the floor is sold separately (£89.99).
For less fortress-like shed models, you can fit a special metal anchor to a solid floor and chain the bike to that – using the best-quality lock you can afford (see below).
The simple wooden shed
There are plenty of cheap wooden sheds available for £200-£300, but it’s worth forking out the extra for something decent if you can. Cycle insurer Bikmo recommends buying a tongue-and-groove model as overlapping wooden styles are flimsier and can warp, letting in the weather and thieves. Internal hinges are preferable because they prevent thieves from simply unscrewing them.
Middle of the range is the Apex Bike Shed from Powersheds, which starts at £434 for the 6 x 2ft (183 x 61cm) model. This should store two bikes, but as ever, do check your bike sizes before buying. Powersheds products come with a 10-year guarantee, galvanised metal parts and extra-wide doors for easy access – although the hinges are on the outside.
The fancy wooden shed
The Bike Shed Company offers premium wooden sheds for up to five adult bikes, as well as off-the-shelf and bespoke wooden buildings for gardens. The cheapest model, the Pedalbase 2, fits two bikes (again: check your own bike size against the shed measurements). As well as doors, the roof opens and stays open with gas struts – making it easy to lift the roof up high. There’s even a model shaped to fit beside a bay window. The timber is sustainably grown in the UK from FSC-accredited forests.
The on-street solution
Lucky you if you can get a shared on-street cycle-parking space near your home, as most councils don’t offer them and waitlists can be long. These hemi-cylindrical shared bike sheds, popping up in London, Bristol, Salford, Brighton, Edinburgh and Glasgow, are popular and efficient, fitting six bikes in the equivalent of one car’s parking space. A handful of companies make them, councils install them, and residents rent them. In London, one of these spots cost an average of £57.90 a year in 2022.
They’re popular: in Bristol, 40 new hangars were almost fully booked within 90 minutes. In Waltham Forest, 4,305 people were on the waiting list in June, with 150 new applications a month on average (the council plans to provide another 300 units in the next year).
You can join a waiting list solo or lobby the council with neighbours. Alternatively, if enough people contact manufacturers, such as Cyclehoop, they’ll let your council know there is demand. There’s even a jumbo model for cargo bikes and non-standard cycles.
Anchors away!
A minimalist solution for a small outdoor space, say an alleyway or similar, is a metal floor or wall anchor that you can cement or drill holes and fix into place, attaching a chain through your bike and the loop. Check here for Sold Secure-approved ground anchors. Then you can choose whether to throw a cover on the bike to protect it from the elements (see below).
Diamond-secure
The Ankr by Hiplok is pricey, but it’s Sold Secure Diamond rated – the top bike security rating from the benchmark for quality bike protection. For your money, you get a “maximum security” steel ground and wall anchor for a bicycle or motorcycle. A rubberised cap helps prevent frame damage, and there’s a 10-year warranty. Perfect if your bike thieves are particularly determined, and/or armed with angle grinders.
Silver-secure
The Anchor10 from Oxford Locks is a Sold Secure Silver-rated wall and floor anchor made from hardened steel. Design features include bolts protected by a ball bearing that are covered when a lock is in place to evade theft. It’s been “five-minute-attack tested”, manufacturers say.
The outdoor bike cover
While it’s not ideal to leave your bike exposed to the elements, sometimes outdoors is the only option. Dutch cyclists leave theirs out all year round, as a rule. Bike covers come in various designs and price points and can be a low-cost solution to minimise rust and wear. Cheap options start at less than a tenner, and exceed £70 for premium covers for larger cycles. A price point somewhere in between is probably your best bet.
The classy overcoat
The BikeParka Stash is a classy, fitted cover that hugs your bike’s front and rear wheels, with extra cinch straps to avoid water gathering. As a rider of medium-sized bikes, I found two that fit under one cover. Made from ripstop waterproof material, it features sealed seams, adjustable toggles and brass eyelets to help keep your bike snug and dry. As with all covers, beware of windy days: mine became a sail and my bikes fell over, scratching each other. There’s also a cargo bike parka for £85.70 and a long tail bike with seats cover for £79.95. Use it mostly in the winter months, and it’ll last longer (less UV damage), but BikeParka guarantees it for one year in full sun and more than three in the shade. Colleagues say theirs have lasted several years outdoors, compared with months for cheaper products – imagine leaving a tent out 24/7, while regularly wrestling it on and off an awkward metal object, for comparison.
The sturdy skin
StormSkin’s premium cover is bulky, and it will set you back, but it’s sturdy and will resist all but the most determined horizontal water spray. Reviewers have found it the most protective at-home cover (though it’s not especially portable, due to its size), with slits for bike locks, front and rear, so you can secure it at a bike stand.
The heavy-duty backpack fabric is, StormSkin says, up to nine times thicker than rivals’ products, and made from 100% recycled fabric. It looks good too, with a palm print pattern. It just takes a while to get the bike all tucked in.
The budget option
The Oxford Aquatex cover is a budget pick, but still a good choice to protect your steed(s) from the elements. There are three sizes, fitting up to three bikes inside. Made from 100-denier polyester, double-stitched, it’s a no-frills option, with no cinch pulls, just an elasticated bottom. It’s roomy enough for a larger bike, but this also means it flaps around in the wind more. If you have a pigeon or rook problem, perhaps it could double as a scarer.
Indoors
There are plenty of hooks and shelving systems available for storing bikes indoors, on a wall. Pretend your bike is a piece of art; maybe it is. Many of the below would also work in a garage or sturdy wooden shed.
Tyre hook
The smallest bike hook is the tiny plastic Clug, from Hornit. The manufacturer claims installation is as easy as putting up a picture – with two screws – although it leaves one wheel on the floor. It’s a smart and popular option, and means you can also line up your bikes, like books on a shelf. Measure your tyre width before ordering one of the five sizes (23-32mm to 70-81mm). Make sure your tyres stay pumped, or the bike could fall – or go for the Clug Pro, which holds the wheel in place with a small, strong thread and magnets. Mud pads are available to protect walls.
Rubber hooks
For something simpler, cheaper and more versatile that will fully elevate your bike, simple hooks with rubberised covers are available for a few quid. As this YouTuber recommends, attaching them to a wooden 2 x 4in or 2 x 6in baton rather than directly to your wall offers you stability, longevity and more bikes stored per metre. It will also help minimise damage to your walls from the large screws that accompany these hooks.
No-drill options
Topeak sells a few no-drill bike storage options. For a smaller footprint, the Dual Touch wedges between the floor and ceiling using an adjustable pole with a clever foot pedal clutch. There are mounts for two bikes, stacked in double-decker formation, but it can hold four, weighing up to 72kg, or 18kg a bike – depending on bike size and ceiling height.
The key is finding a ceiling joist to wedge it under – I found mine by referring to an old photo from the time the kitchen ceiling fell in. Once installed, the Dual Touch is as sturdy as anything. My e-bike’s step-through frame is too awkwardly shaped, with most of its 25kg weight around the back wheel, so hanging it on two hooks wasn’t possible. My hybrid and road bikes hooked on easily, though. There’s also a free-standing option, with a tripod foot, requiring a little more floor space – popular at bike expos.
Laura Laker has been writing about cycling for more than a decade. Her book, Potholes and Pavements: A Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network, explores the state of cycling in the country
