Portable bike sheds: store your bikes safely
Are you looking for a mobile shelter for your bike that won't cost five times the price of your bikes? Of course, you still need a high quality, heavy duty shelter that is weatherproof and strong, but a brick or concrete storage shed might be the proverbial sledgehammer where you need to crack a nut.
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Portable bike shed or fixed shed?
The joy and practicality of cycling is becoming wider known. More and more people across the UK cycle for short trips of less than 15 km. In London for instance, cycle trips have tripled since the turn of the century. Bike stores are struggling to keep up with demand from new cyclists. Storage too becomes an issue, with outdoor and indoor bicycle storage solutions both posing issues. Storing a bicycle indoors is difficult for most people, who simply don't have enough room, while locking your bike up outdoors risks damage and theft.
Bicycle tents are an effective and affordable option for anyone wanting to store their bike in the garden. You may have already considered a permanent storage shed or other such garden building as an option. You have a wide range of choices, starting from a concrete or metal building, to a wooden shed or hard plastic bike shed, right through to a cost-effective, flexible option such as a bike tent. The table below shows some differences between a portable bike shed and a permanent installation.
Tent bike shed
Properties:
- far cheaper than a permanent building
- protects against wind, sun, weather & rust
- can be quickly moved, relocated & extended at any time
- available in many different sizes & designs
Possible uses:
- A year-round shelter for bikes, e-bikes & motorbikes
- Bike storage with extra space for outdoor equipment
- A practical camping tent for bicycles, other storage, or a solar shower!
Wooden or metal bike shed
Properties:
- expensive and complicated to build
- protects against wind, sun, weather & rust
- can't be moved or extended without structural work. Connected to the foundations
- can be fitted with bike hooks
Possible uses:
- Storing bikes, motorbikes, power tools and household goods
- A long-term shed for vehicles and tools
- An extra play room for children and teenagers
Our most popular bicycle storage tents
Bike sheds with 1.6 m width
Bike sheds with 2.4 m width
Bike sheds as year-round moveable bike storage
Portable garages in small sizes, e.g. with a width of 1.6 m or 2.4 m, are excellently suited as bike sheds. Especially for year-round use, mobile bike sheds are extremely attractive. They offer sufficient protection from the weather, including snow, wind, and rain for multiple bikes, a motorbike or scooter as well as offering a high level of UV protection. You also don't need to worry about rust developing, with integrated ventilation windows near the apex of the roof ensuring good ventilation inside the storage shed.
Tents in this size are not just ideal for bike storage at home, but their portable nature allows you to take them with you for bike storage on the go! A fully portable bike storage solution for camping holidays and holiday homes offers a quick and easy way to keep your bikes secure following a picturesque ride. You can read more about options for camping storage in our magazine article Camping gazebos as alternatives to caravan awnings. Another advantage of a small portable garage can be highlighted here: the space-saving design. Thanks to the small size and construction of these models, the mobile bike shed fits into even the smallest garden or camping area.
Bike storage sheds as universal storage tents
Use your portable garage not only as storage for your bicycle, but upgrade it with a tool shed! After all, it's not just your bike that needs a roof over its head, but also all your garden tools - such as lawnmowers, shovels or your wheelbarrow. Store and keep everything under one roof! However, we do not recommend choosing a 1.6 m or 2.4 m shed for such a project. Instead, opt for a larger portable garage with more floor space so that all vehicles and machines can fit alongside the cycle parking. We also advise that you have a bike rack inside the tent.
TIP: Use the portable garage in the garden at home? Why not also in an allotment garden? The portable garage can also make an important contribution here, as a shed for storing outdoor equipment and toys. Place it close to your garden beds, and you'll always have all your garden tools close at hand.
Portable garages in detail
A bike storage shed made of PE or PVC?
In our shop you'll find portable garages with a PVC and PE tarpaulin. Both tarpaulin materials are 100% waterproof, UV-resistant and stable. Bike sheds made of PE are characterised in particular by a certain lightness and are therefore easy to handle and stow away. 1.6 m and 2.4 m PE bike sheds are increasingly used for temporary use. However, if you would like to offer your cycle year-round weather protection, we recommend a 1.6 m or 2.4 m PVC shed. PVC is an extremely robust and durable material that has a dense grid inner fabric, ideal for outdoor storage. PVC has a fine inner mesh that makes it tear-resistant and flame-retardant.
Are tie downs necessary to provide secure protection for the storage shed?
We recommend that you purchase tie down ratchet straps for your portable garage. Especially with a small bicycle tent, which weighs less than a large model, additional securing to the floor is necessary. Should extremely strong winds arise, especially in the cold seasons, without a securing device you run the risk that your portable shed could be blown away in the worst case. Covering your bike alone is not enough - increase the stability of your portable garage many times over with the help of additional straps, ratchet tensioners and ground anchors. You can find tie down ratchet straps and other accessory items in our shop on our page of Accessories.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
In which colours does House of Tents offer portable garages?
Our garages are available in both grey and green. Grey and green are common colours for our industrial and storage tents and are very popular with our customers. Marquees, garden gazebos and pop up gazebos are available in more colours, but are not as well suited for bicycle storage.
Are the portable garages lockable?
You can keep your outdoor bike shed closed at all times, and lock zips together with a padlock. Open and close the storage space whenever you feel like it! Of course, industrious thieves can still find a way into the storage shed. A key advantage of using a tent for storage is that the contents are kept out of sight from opportunistic passers-by. Setting up the bike shed on a hard floor with robust concrete anchors can make your bikes more secure. Locking your bikes to a rack provides still more security.
Are portable garages only available in metal or also in wood at House of Tents?
All House of Tents shelters have metal frames. Our bicycle tents in particular have a frame made of galvanised steel poles and are therefore extremely stable.
Can the assembly be done alone or do you need assistance?
Assembly is possible with one person, but we do advise you to ask someone for help to assemble the bike tent. The poles of your garden shed are easier to handle with two people, with the apex extending to a height of 1.95 - 2.4 metres from the floor. Also, attaching the tarpaulin is much easier with two people.
Are the bicycle tents waterproof?
Yes, all our bicycle tents are 100% waterproof and always ensure that your bike is dry. The usual outdoor bike storage problems of using bike covers, or having to worry about how damp your bike saddle might be, are a thing of the past from now on. Ventilation windows near the apex of the tent ensure that water can escape, reducing condensation.
House of Tents: We Tents
Open for all your questions - our expert customer service!
Do you have any further questions on the subject, for example, about the delivery or material of our bike storage products? Would you like advice on other possible storage options before you buy, or are you thinking of laying a concrete floor and need advice? No problem! Our expert customer service team is happy to answer all your questions!
We look forward to your call:
0118 31 50 873
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