The daily fight with my door

[jigneshwadia]

The main door opens to the left. The metal screen door opens to the right. Both have mechanisms that make them self-closing (it’s a rental so I can’t change this.) Every day taking the bike out involves carefully switching sides around the bike to get the next door open and doing some contortion to make sure a door doesn’t slam on the bike, and 2 days a week a door slams my calf or ankle on the way in. I feel like doors are the biggest barrier to bike commuting.

 

[annedonnelly]

Sounds a pain. It would also be hassle for someone pushing a pram or buggy. Or someone in a wheelchair.

Is there nowhere else you could store your bike? Or prop the doors open for the 30 seconds it'll take to get the bike out.

 

[Jody]

Door wedge?

 

[HMS_Dave]

Lump hammer, Heat, Bin. As per my signature.

 

[vickster]

Door wedge?

This

 

[Globalti]

Blow the bleedin' doors off.

 

[mickle]

Employ a door man. Or woman obvs.

 

[12boy]

It is true the world has many things apparently designed to add to the long list of things to which we can cheerfully say "Kiss my tuchus". A couple that come to mind readily are pill bottles of arthritis medication that only be opened with the grip strength of rock climbers or food products with microscopic expiration dates.

 

[BoldonLad]

The main door opens to the left. The metal screen door opens to the right. Both have mechanisms that make them self-closing (it’s a rental so I can’t change this.) Every day taking the bike out involves carefully switching sides around the bike to get the next door open and doing some contortion to make sure a door doesn’t slam on the bike, and 2 days a week a door slams my calf or ankle on the way in. I feel like doors are the biggest barrier to bike commuting.

My wife, and four daughters, response to this would be "must have been designed by a man"

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Self closing mechanisms may well be prone to breakdown, particularly if given attention by a well meaning tenant handy with a screwdriver (learning from, their bike fettling experience, just for example). Perhaps the arm might become detached from the wall in certain circumstances.

Reporting of a broken mechanism may well slip the mind of even the most well meaning of tenants, who might well be able to fix it themselves anyway before ultimately leaving the property.

In such circumstances, a landlord might never be aware that the status of their door had ever been anything other than self-closing.

 

[Globalti]

That reminds me - maybe you can't change the mechanism but you CAN change the speed at which the doors close. Look on top of the hydraulic mechanism and you should see two screws or hex bolts. You may need to remove a cover to expose them. One will adjust the initial speed of closing and the other will adjust the last few degrees to shut, so as to prevent the door slamming. Making a note of the number of turns, twiddle away and observe the effect. If you're unsure, Google the manufacturer's website and look for instructions.

 

[Tom B]

Would a little hold back hook help?

I have a self close on my garden gate which conflicts with my shed door* and have a hook to hold back the gate.

* The only bad thing I can say about Asgard is that they was unable to alter which door opened first on my shed. If the left door opened first it would have alleviated my gate /door interference issues.

 

[Crankarm]

One door closes, another opens ................

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Would a little hold back hook help?

My first thought. 2 hooks tho'

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Employ a door man. Or woman obvs.

Or, perhaps...

I have a metal screen door at my current place which behaves differently at different times of the year. Sometimes I have to push down on its latch to get it to properly move into the door frame, otherwise I can't lock the door because the key won't turn in the lock. Other times, I have to pull up on the latch, and other times I need to do nothing to it. Bloody weather-sensitive doors!