Thoughts on shed storage for bikes please..

[wafter]

I really need a shed to store my bikes and garden-gear in. Given my anxiety and likely value of the gear I want something secure and obviously decent quality, long-lasting etc.

I like the look of Asgard items and when all's said and done their 5x11ft "Centurion" looks like the least-worst fit in the garden; although external factors notwithstanding I'd have preferred the 7x7ft model as this seems like a more useable space (large enough to turn a bike around inside, for example).

I'm interested to hear from anyone else using a similarly-sized shed to store bikes and other stuff; any experiences of Asgard products and any other thoughts people might have about this subject - such as base construction / size, proximity to the adjacent fencing or anything of the myriad other things I've doubtless failed to consider...

Ta!

 

[Mike_P]

Very secure but can get very hot inside or suffer from condensation
https://www.asgardsss.co.uk/how_to_keep_your_shed_cool
Have a dehumidifier in mine

 

[wafter]

Very secure but can get very hot inside or suffer from condensation
https://www.asgardsss.co.uk/how_to_keep_your_shed_cool
Have a dehumidifier in mine

Thanks - that's a great point that I'd not investigated further (other than giving the mention of vents on the site a knowing nod). Irritatingly it would need to be tucked into a corner to an extent and wouldn't be super-shaded; although I could possibly shutter off the fence to the south end for shade and was considering the possibility of nailing some solar panels to the roof.. which I suppose could be a reasonable way of feeding a dehumidifier

 

[Mike_P]

Mine is a 2 bike locker with no base. The "vents" consist of small holes which are pretty useless beyond being able to feed a mains cable through one. Did have to drill hole in one side for the outlet tube from the dehumidifier. Have a Lidl waterproof flourcescent light in it.

 

[Drago]

What's the layout and situation re your garden? The best defence is to prevent Johnny Scumbag getting to your shed the first place.

For example, I have sensors that prevent anyone covertly accessing my property. The only way a sheetbag can even get close to my campervan without me being alerted would be to abseil in from a helicopter.

 

[wafter]

Thanks both - evidently lost the notifications that you'd replied!

Mine is a 2 bike locker with no base. The "vents" consist of small holes which are pretty useless beyond being able to feed a mains cable through one. Did have to drill hole in one side for the outlet tube from the dehumidifier. Have a Lidl waterproof flourcescent light in it.

Thanks - I wonder if the ventilation in the full-size sheds is any better.. IIRC there are proper louvred vent panels at the top although I wonder how effective these would be with (apparently) nothing similar at the bottom to allow air in..

How do you find the quality generally?

What's the layout and situation re your garden? The best defence is to prevent Johnny Scumbag getting to your shed the first place.

For example, I have sensors that prevent anyone covertly accessing my property. The only way a sheetbag can even get close to my campervan without me being alerted would be to abseil in from a helicopter.

It's "interesting" - long skinny garden, 6ft wooden fence to the north (long side) bordering neighbour's property (which apparently has no side access), short fence and hedge bordering end of neighbour's garden to the east, side-gate and main building to the west. Flies in the ointment are low-ish, open fence to the south (which adjoins my opposite number's garden on the same development) and non-lockable side gates both to my garden and that of the opposite flat.

So, in summary there's non-lockable access to the garden from the front, although the property is set back and the gate isn't obvious. Otherwise it's surrounded by other gardens with - as far as I can tell - no direct access.

The non-locking side gates are non-negotiable for reasons I won't bore you with.. so security has to come from being out of the way / the shed itself. I'm looking to possibly plant hedges / put up some more "robust" fencing along the south side to make this route to my garden less appealing.

Thankfully the crime rate in the area is pretty low..

 

[pippy]

...I'm looking to possibly plant hedges / put up some more "robust" fencing along the south side to make this route to my garden less appealing...

If a hedge is planned you could do a lot worse than electing to plant Pyracantha as its thorns prove to be an excellent deterrent against ne'er-do-wells!

Small point and very probably nothing you should worry about but, just for fun, here is a snap showing the damage to top-tube transfers on my Holdsworth, housed in our rear garden shed, caused by hungry snails over the course of a recent winter;

Philip.

 

[Tom B]

I have a 12 year old as guard centurion it's still great, my only complaint is that it's faded a bit, but I am assured it will buff up if I tried harder. We live in a decent area of the Manc/ Lanc Borders we have a garden with an 8ft fence and locked gate but both could easily be climbed especially as the neighbours leave bins out in the scally ally that surrounds the houses.

I was convinced to buy asguard when I saw three of their sheds at a school. someone had tried to break into them and mangled the doors but didn't get it.

Asgard supplies new doors.

I use mine at least daily for bikes, it also houses my tools, spares, garden tools and lawn mower.

I have 2x 2ft fluorescent lights and some power points to charge lights, Garmin, and to plug the Lawn Mower into.

I built a concrete pad to my shed on, it's about 9-12" thick, which is way too thick but that's how it ended up when I landscaped and it wasn't worth filling with stone as the concrete was cheap. The shed is bolted down, I haven't bothered with ground anchors for the bikes.

I've got a couple of ducts installed intending to put some Cat5 and CCTV in and on the shed, but it's never happened. I tried a blink Mini camera but the signal can't escape the metal Faraday cage that the shed creates.

Turning bikes around inside the shed isn't an issue I can now whip them in either way, in the dark without faff.

Very secure but can get very hot inside or suffer from condensation
https://www.asgardsss.co.uk/how_to_keep_your_shed_cool
Have a dehumidifier in mine

For me the heat soon dissipates once the doors are open. Condensation does build in winter the metal surfaces are dripping but it doesn't seem to cause issues for anything other than hydroscopic garden chemicals.

I fretted about tools and while I wouldn't store power tools beyond the lawnmower in there in winter condensation isn't an issue for me.

I did consider a dehumidifier, but thought that with the vents and lack of sealing I'd basically be trying to dehumidify the world..

At the end of the day you have to accept you can only go so far, you are securing a bike something that is while potentially valuable is replaceable.y bike gets ridden in rain, snow, in mud, on salty roads as well as in the sun, a bit of cold and condensation isn't a huge issue.