Where do you keep your bike?
Discussion
Hi All.
I'm 22 and had a couple bikes when I was 16/17. Ended up in a fairly nasty accident (not my fault!), and as I'd just past my driving test, I got a car and got rid of (what was left of) the bike.
I'd like another bike, to commute on and for fun, and thinking of getting my A2 Licence, however I'm looking at moving out soon - likely to a small apartment etc (costs), so bike storage will be an issue. I'm in the midlands, where bikes seem to be disappearing like crazy, so at the moment storage is the only thing putting me off.
Most apartments have a designated car park, but I'm sure a bike left there wont last long. Short of carrying a bike into my bedroom every day, I'm stuck
Cheers
I'm 22 and had a couple bikes when I was 16/17. Ended up in a fairly nasty accident (not my fault!), and as I'd just past my driving test, I got a car and got rid of (what was left of) the bike.
I'd like another bike, to commute on and for fun, and thinking of getting my A2 Licence, however I'm looking at moving out soon - likely to a small apartment etc (costs), so bike storage will be an issue. I'm in the midlands, where bikes seem to be disappearing like crazy, so at the moment storage is the only thing putting me off.
Most apartments have a designated car park, but I'm sure a bike left there wont last long. Short of carrying a bike into my bedroom every day, I'm stuck
Cheers
I think it depends on the apartment complex to some extent, a place I used to live had a gated car park underneath the building so had I had a bike then it would have been in a secure car park and largely sheltered from the elements.
Might narrow down your flat search a bit too much though....
Might narrow down your flat search a bit too much though....
I am in similar circumstances to you: I moved in with my gf (now fiance) and had 2 bikes stolen in quick succession.
I keep my bikes at my mum's house but the 15mile journey to get them has put me off and for now I'm bikeless and imagine I will be until I get my own place so prob 12-18 months.
If the flats have a garden you can put something like a bike garage up (metal box thing) or a lockable cover with additional security such as disk locks etc. Or if you have a dedicated parking space perhaps you could install a ground anchor in your space?
Unfortunately when I was assessing my options to secure my bikes at my gf's I found the price prohibitive and ultimately have given up for now.
I keep my bikes at my mum's house but the 15mile journey to get them has put me off and for now I'm bikeless and imagine I will be until I get my own place so prob 12-18 months.
If the flats have a garden you can put something like a bike garage up (metal box thing) or a lockable cover with additional security such as disk locks etc. Or if you have a dedicated parking space perhaps you could install a ground anchor in your space?
Unfortunately when I was assessing my options to secure my bikes at my gf's I found the price prohibitive and ultimately have given up for now.
Sycamore said:
Unfortunately this is what I'm leaning towards. I think without having a garage it isn't really possible 
A garage is the obvious solution, but a decent size shed is also good. I'm guessing if you have an allocated parking space, it will be part of the site & the landlord/free holder won't want you digging it up to install a ground anchor. Similarly, it is unlikely that you would be allowed to place a shed or other structure on said parking space.Biker 1 said:
Sycamore said:
Unfortunately this is what I'm leaning towards. I think without having a garage it isn't really possible
A garage is the obvious solution, but a decent size shed is also good. I'm guessing if you have an allocated parking space, it will be part of the site & the landlord/free holder won't want you digging it up to install a ground anchor. Similarly, it is unlikely that you would be allowed to place a shed or other structure on said parking space.I design steel framed structures for work, so if anything I'd get a proper little structure knocked up in the garden.
I keep my bike in an off-road garage, in a family member's back garden. There is always a car parked up against the garage doors under an awning, so unless the car is moved it you can't get the bike out. It's about as safe as it can be without getting a ground anchor, the downside being that I have to move the forward to get the bike out every time I go over.
I'm getting my outhouse converted into a garage next year and I can't wait, finally keeping my bike at home again.
I'm getting my outhouse converted into a garage next year and I can't wait, finally keeping my bike at home again.
thatdude said:
Get a couple of them big buckets from B&Q, fill them with cement with some sort of metal contraption sunk in to which you can chain your bike to (use a couple of almax chains).
Should be a good deterant. I did this when I lived in a small flat when i was at university.
Unless you're using refinforced concrete rather than cement, it'll shatter very easily. Should be a good deterant. I did this when I lived in a small flat when i was at university.
Far easier and more effective to just ask the land owner if you can fit an approved ground anchor.
Thanks for the responses all.
Unfortunately most lean towards ground anchors etc, but bike theft in my area is at a ridiculous level.
A friend of mine pulled in front of a cash machine on his bike, hopped off to use the machine, was stabbed in the leg, and the bike stolen.
Another friend chained his up to a ground anchor at a supermarket. He came out 10 minutes later and the bike was gone.
There have been a couple vans going around the west mids just throwing bikes into the back. Police are as much use as you'd expect.
Without having a garage that I can fit an automatic machine gun turret inside, I don't want to risk it. b
ds
Unfortunately most lean towards ground anchors etc, but bike theft in my area is at a ridiculous level.
A friend of mine pulled in front of a cash machine on his bike, hopped off to use the machine, was stabbed in the leg, and the bike stolen.
Another friend chained his up to a ground anchor at a supermarket. He came out 10 minutes later and the bike was gone.
There have been a couple vans going around the west mids just throwing bikes into the back. Police are as much use as you'd expect.
Without having a garage that I can fit an automatic machine gun turret inside, I don't want to risk it. b
ds I've lived in a few flats in high risk areas whilst I had a bike, and had no real issues other than the one time it was nicked (I was really, really stupid though).
The first had a designated parking space, but also had some covered areas in other parts of the car park with a few bits of unused pavement, so I kept it there (as did a few other people with their bikes). Out of the rain, out of sight, though if someone went looking for it, it'd be gone.
The second place had a communal garage type thing, accessed via keyfob. That felt fairly secure, but I got lazy and left it outside, without a disk lock, and often didn't bother with the steering lock. It was nicked.
That was with a bit of a stter of a bike. I found that with any bike remotely nice, the insurance got ridiculous if it wasn't garaged. I actually looked at this recently when I moved, and for my MT10, my insurance is about £400 garaged, or if if was kept in a private carpark/locked compound/whatever you can call those car parks, most insurance companies wanted between £7k-9k!
Basically, I think it depends on the individual place (no garage doesn't necessarily mean you can't find somewhere relatively safe), but also on whether the insurance tell you to fk off or not.
As for keeping it in the flat... I do know someone that keeps their Grom in their flat, and it's fine. If your renting, your landlord may not be too happy, and doesn't seem too smart storing a bike full of petrol in a flat.
The first had a designated parking space, but also had some covered areas in other parts of the car park with a few bits of unused pavement, so I kept it there (as did a few other people with their bikes). Out of the rain, out of sight, though if someone went looking for it, it'd be gone.
The second place had a communal garage type thing, accessed via keyfob. That felt fairly secure, but I got lazy and left it outside, without a disk lock, and often didn't bother with the steering lock. It was nicked.
That was with a bit of a s
tter of a bike. I found that with any bike remotely nice, the insurance got ridiculous if it wasn't garaged. I actually looked at this recently when I moved, and for my MT10, my insurance is about £400 garaged, or if if was kept in a private carpark/locked compound/whatever you can call those car parks, most insurance companies wanted between £7k-9k!Basically, I think it depends on the individual place (no garage doesn't necessarily mean you can't find somewhere relatively safe), but also on whether the insurance tell you to f
k off or not.As for keeping it in the flat... I do know someone that keeps their Grom in their flat, and it's fine. If your renting, your landlord may not be too happy, and doesn't seem too smart storing a bike full of petrol in a flat.
When I lived down South for 7 years in the late 90s, I never bothered with a bike as I lived in rented rooms, with no secure storage. A garage is really essential unless you live in rural low risk areas....even then a bike stored out in the open is just waiting to be stolen.....sad state of affairs really, but the truth.
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