Bike locker for home use?
April 13, 2011 8:09 AM   Subscribe

Where to find/how to build an outdoor bike locker for use at home?

I'm looking for a bike locker like the ones they have at transit locations but for home use. Storing my bike inside is incredibly awkward and there simply isn't any room for a hanging bike rack or any other such thing on the main floor (we have a very VERY small house--indoor storage requires a trip down a narrow staircase with lots of twists and turns on the way). I know that if I keep my bike outside on the back deck it will rust very quickly, so I'm wondering if there is anybody who sells a single outdoor bike locker, or any way to construct one? We have a space about 5 feet wide and 12 feet long in the front of the house where such a thing could conceivably go. I'm in Toronto.
posted by Go Banana to Home & Garden (10 answers total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: We don't have a garage and needed something similar for our two adult bikes and two kids bikes. This might be overkill for what you need but we ended up with this. It's about chest high, the doors can be padlocked and open out and the top slides back to make access easier. Sorry I can't find the brand but I think it's Suncast or Rubbermaid. We bought it at Home Depot last summer.
posted by victoriab at 8:32 AM on April 13, 2011


Ahh..found it. The one we have is by Rubbermaid.
posted by victoriab at 8:35 AM on April 13, 2011


Response by poster: victoriab, that Rubbermaid thing is exactly what I had in mind--but it's too wide. I need something more like three feet wide. Just went and measured the front and 5 feet was an overstatement.
posted by Go Banana at 9:07 AM on April 13, 2011


Do you have height restrictions as well as width/depth restrictions? I have one of these in my garage to hold two bikes, and it seems like it would be a pretty simple matter to construct a shelter around it if you're a construction-savvy person (which I am not). I'm not at home right now so I can't measure the depth of it, but I'm pretty sure it's not more than three feet deep.
posted by pdb at 9:19 AM on April 13, 2011


Response by poster: I'm only storing one bike--Mr. Go Banana's bike is too fancy to stay outside (and he doesn't commute daily like I do). I'd really like something that's no bigger than it needs to be.
posted by Go Banana at 9:21 AM on April 13, 2011


I'd suggest calling a few local fence and shed companies and see if they offer a narrow garden shed (with the entrance at the narrow end). It looks like the company I linked actually builds the shed onsite for you so maybe a local company offers something similar (if you're not handy).
posted by victoriab at 9:31 AM on April 13, 2011


Here's a couple shallow shed options:

Rubbermaid vertical storage shed (this one is 32 in deep)

Suncast Vertical tool shed
posted by SomeTrickPony at 9:33 AM on April 13, 2011


I don't know how much carpentry you feel like doing, but Bike Hacks had an article recently: Tips for building a bike shed.
posted by Lexica at 7:39 PM on April 13, 2011


If you have something to chain the bike to, and don't need a lockable shelter, just a rain covering, you might want to try something like this one that a friend of mine built. I think it only took him an afternoon to put together.
posted by MsMolly at 11:55 AM on April 15, 2011


Response by poster: Thanks for all the answers! I've actually ended up ordering this from the old Home Despot. I'll have to take the front wheel off but I think the dimensions should work out well and it's quite narrow. Thanks to victoriab--I never thought to search garden sheds online.
posted by Go Banana at 3:03 PM on April 15, 2011


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