I need a bike shed

I don’t have a garage. My bike lives in the hallway. This far from ideal as I also have to haul it up and down a bunch of steps at the front of the house.



So I’m going to build a bike shed, get a bunch of Badge Bits done and reduce the barrier to cycling fun. I was about to go down the internet rabbit hole, but I have to cook. I figured it’s been done before, probably by someone on permies. If that’s you, please share your experience. Any thoughts . . . Oh, probably should mention, the bikes 8ft / 2.4m long.

Cheers

Here are some ideas; https://www.itsoverflowing.com/diy-bike-shed-plans/

John C Daley wrote:Here are some ideas; https://www.itsoverflowing.com/diy-bike-shed-plans/

Cheers John, just the kind of inspiration I needed to get the creative juices flowing.

I need to figure out a better place to keep our bikes too, might get vertically creative though since I have limited square footage.

Maybe like an attachment to our outer wall.

L. Johnson wrote:I need to figure out a better place to keep our bikes too, might get vertically creative though since I have limited square footage.

Maybe like an attachment to our outer wall.

Vertically storage makes a lot of sense but a little challenging with my eight foot long cargo bike. My space is also at a premium, so I was thinking about a living roof planted with herbs as it would be low enough to have easy access. I have some boring jobs to do this morning, so plenty of time to think things over. I’ve also got a growing pile of salvaged wood and some ply. I’m reluctant to use the ply but seeing as I already have it, I may as well use it. I’ll check what Badge Bits I can get first and see if it’s worth going down that road rather than a straight up Odd Ball. Good luck with your creativity!

This is a nice looking bike storage that is also a planter:


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This one has a spot for the trash can:


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Or a bike and garden tools shed:


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L. Johnson wrote:I need to figure out a better place to keep our bikes too, might get vertically creative though since I have limited square footage.

Maybe like an attachment to our outer wall.

I was trying to find a picture of the bike storage I saw at the Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth, Wales UK, but I can't find it now - Basically it was as you describe - hooks high up on the wall where one of the wheels would be looped. There was a nice overhang on the eaves which kept the weather off; OK in a sheltered former quarry in rainy Wales, less convenient for 80 mph driving rain on Skye.

I'll be interested in how many functions you can combine in one structure. Herbs on the roof are a great idea, as could be rainwater collection. What other outdoor storage would be useful to include? I'm thinking wheelie bins, possibly garden tools, kids outdoor toys, hosepipe reels, Post (mail) box, firewood, BBQ (for until you make your Rocket Stove Pizza Oven.....)

Or maybe it could be a Cob built structure incorporating a rocket stove....with a warmed bench and canopy for end of season comfort....now I'm getting carried away... :)

@Nancy - it’s good to dream!

Edward Norton wrote:

John C Daley wrote:Here are some ideas; https://www.itsoverflowing.com/diy-bike-shed-plans/

Cheers John, just the kind of inspiration I needed to get the creative juices flowing.

And here I'll come along and rain on your parade and say: Practicality trumps creative, unless you're being creatively practical!

1. Bikes have "bits" sticking out - if you don't catch the pedals on something, you catch the handle-bar, or the panier. So all those pretty sheds with 4 bikes in them, aren't going to look so pretty in real life.

2. Bikes might be short, but humans aren't, so when your handle-bar gets caught on the brake cable of the bike beside it, if you make your shelter "bike height", you're likely going to bash your head while untangling it.

3. I scrolled down John C's link and got to shed 8 before I found one where the bikes were being securely 'held'. However, that system would be a bugger for an 8' bike or a heavy bike.  #8 also had the ability to get either of 2 bikes out without having to move another bike out of the way.  Relying on most bike stands, doesn't stop parts of the bikes from interfering with each other.  So I'm totally in favor of some sort of stand/brace/whatever, that allows you to slide multiple bikes in and out easily. (yes, I recall that Edward has a "fleet" unless he sold some???)

4. Someone came up with a smart system that the local Rotary Club installed at bus stops: It's a bike height metal box with a lockable door at both the east and west end and a metal divider running kitty-corner from the south west to the south east. Thus, two bikes fit in with the rear wheel entering first, but the bikes can't interact with each other and the people needing to bike to the bus (common in our semi-rural area), have a dry secure place for their bike for the day.

5. The local University have cylindrical bike lockers with a vertical storage system like #8, but I suspect only people with light weight bikes use them. I think each cylinder held 6-8 bikes, but I wasn't looking that carefully. Most of the other covered bike storage areas have some sort of metal frame that people slide their bikes into to not only give them something solid to lock to, but also to stop one miss-step from toppling a line of bikes. That sort of frame does not always fit every bike, and are frequently made too narrow to be practical if they're fully subscribed.

6. I admit, #20 is really cool. If you've only got one or two bikes in regular use (is your son planning to bike to school this year, Edward?) and you built it in a location where either both ends or both sides could be accessed, I'm betting you could make it work well! If your son's bike is a more common length, there might even be room for a trash bin!

Now I'm dreaming of a bike shed, too!

Jay Angler wrote:And here I'll come along and rain on your parade and say: Practicality trumps creative, unless you're being creatively practical!
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(yes, I recall that Edward has a "fleet" unless he sold some???)

Rain away! I can get very carried away in the planning and dreaming department. One of the reasons I post such obvious questions or plans is to get the reality feedback I need to keep things in check.

Yes, I still have a fleet and the pandemic bike I leant my cousin returns next week. He’s bought a bullitt cargobike just like mine and still grins everytime he gets on it. I do need to ‘shed’ some bikes though. I have my 1995 mountain bike frame that cost me £6000 new. Everyone thought I was crazy but they were spending that on second hand cars that cost £500 a month to keep on the road. I have another mountain bike that I haven’t used since I bought my cargo bike. The returning bike is a Brompton folding bike that I used a lot in Singapore as it worked well combined with public transport. Then there’s my son’s bike but he doesn’t use it and alas his new school is down a very busy road and across a massive eight lane stroad which gives me the willies. And I still have my Rad Runner ebike that I use with a trailer for hauling really long stuff that wont fit on the bullitt.

For now, the shed just needs to house the one bike, my cargo bike.

Some really excellent points Jay - thank you.

Edward Norton wrote:

Rain away! I can get very carried away in the planning and dreaming department. One of the reasons I post such obvious questions or plans is to get the reality feedback I need to keep things in check.

Thanks for your understanding! When we first moved to the current Island, the boys were 5 and 2 1/2. I had to take the little one with me to get the second to school and back and the first was give the choice to walk or learn to ride a two-wheeler, as it's a rural area with trails and hills. He didn't like walking a mile, so he learned to bike. The little one was in a bike trailer - the bike I had then wouldn't have worked well for a bike seat as it would have put the center of gravity too high. We had a covered area by the barn so at least I could park the bike and trailer under cover. The children's bikes had an area sheltered by a small deck. Eventually, I added some panels on the lower north side of it to help protect it in storms, and the entrance/exit is a head banger for me at 5'4". Even though the trip was only a mile, it was a difficult mile. Eventually, the Municipality upgraded the trail significantly, but by then the kids were both independent riders. Even later, they built  bike paths on both sides of the road in front of the house. I would still not have wanted 5 year olds on it, but it was/is a great improvement in bike safety.

It's amazing the effect of having even a few people set the example. When we first arrived, there were rarely more than 4 bikes in the school bike racks. 7 years later, it was hard to find a spot open. The first principal insisted that no one would participate in "walk/bike to school" events - everyone would keep using cars or the limited school bus service. The program was quite effective. I helped with it for a couple of years and inadvertently was using peer pressure and kid pressure to get the adults on board.

However, all that meant was I've had loads of experience with the good, the bad, and the ugly of bike storage systems. Identify your needs. Security? Weather protection? Sun protection? Ease of use? Time frame? Costs? And good luck with your planning!

Hi Edward, complete topic derailment but what are thoughts on the cargo bike vs ebike and trailer?

Back on topic, I'd want a bike shed where all of the commonly used bikes are and where you don't have to untangle all the bikes to get one out.

I've been getting more and more excited about cycling recently. I'm slowly trying to build up my endurance, improve my maintenance routine, and hopefully one day get a cycling club started.

Sooner on the list is the aforementioned bike shed. I spent some minutes thinking about this today.

In my case I will be building up against the side of my house. I believe I'm going to build a sturdy but free-standing structure, possibly anchored to the outer wall. I will almost certainly build it to hang the bikes vertically, and with enough room for at least four bikes, possibly five, and maybe some basic supplies too, such as pumps and a bike maintenance stand. It will probably look something like a bigger version of #8 from John's link above.

I am currently pondering some options:
- just a roof,
- walls with gaps,
- full on walls with an open front,
- full on walls with lockable doors.

Just a roof, frame, and hangers is easiest and cheapest. It keeps the rain off except in a typhoon. I'm a little worried about wind in a typhoon though.

I don't know why many bike shed walls have gaps, but I see many built such a way. Is there a benefit other than just saving on materials?

I am also thinking about the particular means of hanging the bikes. I see a lot of hooks, but I wonder if there is some danger of the wheels coming untrue from hanging on a hook, or spokes getting damaged.

L Johnson wrote:

I don't know why many bike shed walls have gaps, but I see many built such a way.

I'd guess it's because bikes often come home wet, and often have parts that can rust - gappy walls would give air flow to dry the bikes while still keeping the worst of more rain out and keeping them more "out of sight" if one was in a high bike theft area (there's a shop in Vancouver who begged their customers not to park their bikes in front because so many were being stolen!)

L Johnson wrote:

I'm a little worried about wind in a typhoon though.

Definitely something to research - there should be some local knowledge about building typhoon proof out buildings from Japanese farms. A fellow in Florida posted pictures showing how his entire chicken coop and attached run flipped over, tying its fencing into a crumpled mess when Hurricane Ian went through. (The chickens all lived and found temporary accommodation in another shed on the farm.)

L Johnson wrote:

I see a lot of hooks, but I wonder if there is some danger of the wheels coming untrue from hanging on a hook, or spokes getting damaged.

I have a friend who used to hang his bikes. I can ask his opinion if you need it.  I'm tempted to assume that it's OK when I see so many systems using a hanging system, but I'm sure some of the bike sites would have reliable info.

I hang my bikes. I've used two types of hangar: one that hooks under the frame with the bike sitting sideways and the other that hooks under the front wheel with the bike hung vertically. Both of these worked well for different spaces but, for ease of access, I think the hook on the front wheel is the quickest to remove/replace the bike. I have never felt that it will damage the bike wheel, even with fairly narrow road wheels.

I dug out some photos of my vertically-hung  bike shed, from the house I used to live it. It has a space for storing logs on the left-hand side. At first, we (my partner and I) wanted to have a living, green roof over the log store and I've attached a photo of that. It looked beautiful but we tried to re-use compost bags for the lining and, well, it leaked. We eventually replaced the roof with a pitched one and it gave us a little extra storage, although it was less pretty.

I have never witnessed awe from visitors observing bicycle  hanging systems.
But the multiple use concepts I find awesome.