Best Small Sheds To Buy For Bike Storage

[[I’d recommend an article on how to store your bikes when they’re not in a shed

can tie into workshops/storage space

Other products available, for example wall hooks and roof elevators]]

Going out for a bike ride with the family is an amazing experience, and something that we’d wholeheartedly recommend as it’s an amazing time to bond whilst getting great exercise outside.

But if you or your family own bikes, then you know as well as we do that they’re surprisingly hard to store when they’re not in use.

Bikes are bulky. Deceptively so.

Just a couple of bikes will take up all the free space in a good sized garage, and you can’t just shove them anywhere because it’s probably easier than you think to damage a decent bike just by knocking into it with something hard.

That’s why you need to plan your storage, and one of the best ways to store your bike or your family’s bikes is with an external bike storage shed.

Bike sheds

Designed specifically to be small, simple and unobtrusive, bike sheds are the perfect choice for the active family who need somewhere to stick their bikes after a long day, but lack the excess space to keep their bikes in their existing property.

Because they’re so small (most models are somewhere between 6 to 8 feet wide and 3 to 4 feet deep) you can fit them nearly anywhere on your property.

They’ll butt comfortably up against fencing or your house wall, fitting in almost anywhere. They’re secure and easy to modify for any particular needs you have, and they’re incredibly easy to put together, making a bike shed a great family project. If your kids keep wanting to get outside and make something with you, they’ll really appreciate getting to be a part of this, because very time you open it up, they’ll know they helped build it.

When considering bike sheds, there’s not too much variation, but there are several things you should be looking for.

Size

 Like we said earlier, most bike sheds are roughly the same dimensions. However, when you’re buying a bike shed, make sure it’s big enough.

A good way of doing this is to stand up all the bikes together and see roughly how wide they all are.

Bear in mind, you can’t store all the bikes side by side because of the handlebars (it’s amazing how many people overlook the obvious until they’ve bought their shed) but it’s actually really easy to fix this issue.

First off, you can stagger your bikes backwards, so the handlebars don’t overlap, but this requires more width in the shed.

Second, you can use a ramp or bike stand to elevate some of the bikes s above the others. Even a few inches of front wheel elevation will bring the handlebars up and allow you to stack the whole family’s bikes side on. We’ll be getting into bike stands later on.

Construction quality

By construction quality, we pretty much mean one thing. Resistance to the elements. As your bikes are inside, you don’t want it leaking or water seeping in the first time you have a storm.

Good bike sheds will be constructed from treated wood or plastic, which makes them pretty much impervious to the outside world.

Security

As unfortunate as it is, a stack of expensive bikes is an attractive target to thieves, so make sure your bike shed is secure.

A lot of the time, the first step in security is simply being overlooked. It’s worth planning a position for your bike shed that puts it out of sight of casual passers by.

Secondly, don’t underestimate having more than one layer of security. For example, if your shed will be standing on concrete, you could install a ground anchor and secure all of your bikes to it. Even using a cable bike lock to hold all the bikes together can make it very difficult for potential thieves to steal them.

Bike sheds: Our top 5 picks

Dunster House 6.7×3.4ft outdoor bike shed

Our top choice, from Dunster House, a brand we know and love at Aston Sheds, is built around the idea of having a convenient place to store your bikes, but can also serve admirable double duty as extra storage around the garden.

That’s because it’s so generously proportioned. At almost 7 feet wide, there’s ample room for everyone’s bikes no matter how they’re stored, with room around the edges. The main reason we love this shed so much though is the roof. A lot of bike sheds are pent or flat roofed, which severely limits the internal space.

This is apex roofed, and at around five and a half feet internally, that’s a huge amount of extra space to play with, especially if you’re smart around it. Hanging hooks, internal shelving, this little beauty can serve double duty. Not just bike storage but garden tools or all he accessories you take with you on your excursions. The huge front double doors also make accessing all that space really damn easy, which is nice when you’re lugging bike around.

Made of pressure treated, shiplap cladding style boards, this little shed will last years if looked after. It provides everything you should be looking for, and it’s a damn reasonable price, too.

Waltons 7x3ft outdoor bike shed

Our second choice is also apex roofed, for the same reason as our top pick. A little wider but a little less deep, Walton’s outdoor bike shed is still an excellent product for the most part, with a huge amount of internal space, but there’s a couple of little issues that mean we wouldn’t recommend it over the Dunster House.

It’s solidly built, with pressure treated anti rot timbers that are covered by a great 10 year guarantee. Simple and easy to put together, once it’s up and standing it’ll last for legitimate years.

Therein lies the real problem with this shed. A few buyers have reported that some of the panels that came as part of their kits were warped or ill fitting, making it hard to put together without a little extra work. However, here at Aston Sheds we’re familiar with Waltons products and know that the vast majority of them come out fine.

Besides, nothing is perfect 100% of the time. If you’re unlucky enough to end up with a product that’s slightly bent out of shape, contact the manufacturers and they should be happy to send you replacement parts.

Apart from that one little niggle, there’s absolutely nothing else to criticise. It’s slightly cheaper than the Dunster House shed, too. For the price, it really is a great little bike shed.

BillyOh 6×3 overlap pent roof bike shed

A smaller, slightly more space limited option that’s an ideal choice if you’re pushed for ground room or you’re literally just going to put the bikes and nothing else away, this pent roofed shed is still a good option, but exemplifies many of the reasons that we recommend apex roofed sheds instead.

It’s well built, with a robust design that will take a bit of a beating from weather and accidents and still stay standing. The doors are offset, increasing security once locked, and the simple design means that it’s incredibly easy to put together.

However, because it’s so simple, what you see is really what you get. There’s no flash or flair with this. It’s literally just a shed that you can fit your bikes in. It’s also slightly smaller in width than our top two choices, which can affect how easy it is to get bikes in and out.

Don’t take that as a downside though. There’s still ample room inside, and considering how inexpensive it is, and how simple it is to put together, there’s a lot to recommend it for. If you literally need a storage space for your bikes and nothing else, it might be right for you.

Waltons metal outdoor pent roof shed 6.6x4ft

The toughest and most secure shed on our list, this shed from Waltons is tough enough to stand up to whatever you throw at it.

Made of sheet steel with a pent roofed design, once you’ve put it up not much will bring this down, especially if you give it strong foundations. Bear in mind though that like all metal sheds, foundations are a requirement, as it won’t stand free.

One thing we love about this is the doors. They don’t open outwards. Instead, they’re sliding, which is a huge plus when it comes to access. You can literally have the entire family clustered around as bikes are handed out one by one.

The doors are also excellent when it comes to security, with predrilled holes perfect for a strong padlock.

There’s enough space inside for four bikes, though anything after that would be a bit of a squeeze. But if stability and strength are important to you, a metal shed like this is the perfect choice.

Rob McAlister outdoor tidy tend

Here’s a question. What do you do when you’re travelling but taking the bikes with you? Whether it’s camping or a holiday park, you still don’t want to leave those expensive bikes exposed to the elements. That’s a one way trip to rust and corrosion.

For times like that, you can grab yourself a bike storage tent. Inexpensive, simple to put up and pull down, and small enough to sit comfortably on the roof rack of a car or in the boot.

Each tent holds two bikes, but if you have two, they actually zip together into one sealed unit.

Please note, we do not recommend using these as long term storage for your bikes on your property. They’re severely lacking in long term security. When you take this with you, remember the bike locks!

Bike shed accessories

Once you’ve set up your bike shed, a couple of small changes can be all that’s needed to push it from a basic standing structure to a perfect home for the family’s bikes.

One thing that makes a huge difference is a way to stand your bikes up.

There’s two methods for this.

The first is individual bike stands, like these. These are great because they’re built around each bike, so if you only take out a couple of them, you can leave the rest standing.

Not only that, but having a kickstand is hugely convenient when you’re out and about. Stop by a pub for a spot of lunch? Just taking 5 to grab some water and a family selfie? Slap those kickstands down and relax.

Or, for something a little more permanent, a bike stand like one of these slots nicely into the internal space and keeps everyone’s bikes where they should be.

Second is security

You’ll need to invest in a heavy duty lock. A closed shackle design, like this Yale padlock, is even harder than a standard padlock to break into, whilst still being inexpensive.

The best thing about bike sheds is, once you’re all set up, they’re basically fire and forget. Apart from some (very) basic maintenance, your new purchase should stay standing and protect your bikes for years to come!

https://astonshedsuk.com/garden-storage