If you live in a climate with all four seasons, or a place that experiences a lot of rain, you probably have been concerned about storing your bike outside.
Water will ruin your bike’s bearings and get into all sorts of nooks and crannies. Not only will it cause rust on your bike, but it is a dirt and grit magnet that will prematurely wear out your components.
So, the real solution here is to store your bike indoors, like in a garage. But what if that isn’t an option? Some people need to lock their bikes outdoors by necessity and not by choice.
Well, in that case, there are companies out there that cater to this need by making bike storage sheds. There is a wide range of options both in their level of permanent-ness and also by their price.
In this article, we will take a look at some options you have to protect your bike from the elements if you don’t have any other choice but to store your bike outside. So, let’s dive in!
One of the cheapest options is going to be tent-style bike storage shed. These are not all that permanent but will achieve your goal of protecting your bike from rain or snow, and harsh sunlight.
You are still going to want to keep your bike locked to something since these types of shelters will do little in the way of protecting your bike from thieves.
YardStash III
The first tent-style shelter we are going to look at is called the YardStash III. You can buy it on Amazon at the following link. This shelter will be pretty quick to set up.
All you need to do is thread the rods through the sleeves in the tent and anchor the tent down to the ground with some tent stakes. The size of the tent is quite generous- it is 74 inches wide, 30 inches deep, and 65 inches high.
While you won’t be able to stand in this tent when you are putting your bikes in, you should have no problem fitting at least one if not two adult-sized mountain bikes with room to spare.
The doors are D-shaped and zip completely up so that no rain or snow can get in if the wind is blowing strongly to the side of the enclosure.
The fabric offers UPF 50 protection for your bike, which will keep any rubber and plastic components safe from UV-degradation, not to mention how it will also keep your bike’s paint from cranking due to the sunlight.
One other nice feature is that it has a little window that will open to allow you to feed your cable lock through so you can keep your bikes securely locked to a pole or a bike rack.
YardStash IV
The second tent-style shelter we are going to look at is called the YardStash IV. It is a bit more expensive than the previous one and can be purchased from Amazon here.
While the YardStash IV looks very similar to the YardStash III, there are a few key differences. The first difference is the fabric it is constructed of. The YardStash III has a vinyl roof and polyester sides, that’s what allows it to have a lower price point.
The YardStash IV is fully constructed from vinyl, which is going to offer better water resistance and overall better protection from the elements than a polyester-based fabric. The second difference is that the YardStash IV is 2 inches deeper and 3 inches taller than the YardStash III.
If you were worried about the space of the YardStash III then this version will definitely allow you to fit two full-size bikes, with room to spare most likely.
The roof is also designed slightly differently, which is supposed to be better and handling snow than the YardStash III, so if you live in a climate that gets a lot of snow this should definitely be something you take into consideration.
Custom Shed Kit with Peak Roof
If you are more of a handy person and are looking for something a little more substantial than a bike tent, you might be interested in building a small shed to store your bikes in.
Luckily, there are a few sellers out there looking to make your life a little easier by selling kits with all the brackets needed to build your own little shed.
One product that definitely would make your build easier is this one from 2x4basics, and it is a pretty good deal. With this kit, you will get all the brackets needed to build your own small storage shed, which would be perfect for a few (4, maybe 5) bikes.
You will need to supply your own lumber, but even after factoring the cost of 2x4s and plywood, this should not end up costing more than about $200 all in.
One nice thing about building a shed using these bracket kits is you do not need to cut any complicated angles for the framing, just straight 90 degree cuts are needed, so you can even use a handsaw if that is all you have access to.
If you are worried about convincing your significant other that you need a shed like this to store your bikes, consider storing some other things in there as well like a lawnmower or some rakes and shovels for the yard. This will make it a more appealing option, and everybody will be happy!
Bosmere Trimetals Bicycle Storage Unit
If building a shed doesn’t sound like it is up to your alley, but you still want something strong to keep your bikes safe and provide more protection than a bike tent, then we have the product for you! The Bosmere Trimetals Bicycle Storage Unit is exactly what you have been looking for.
It is constructed of galvanized steel with a PVC coating to provide years of rust-free service. This small storage unit can be bolted to the ground for maximum security and has multiple padlock positions to lock the doors shut and keep your bikes safe. It is 77 inches wide, 35 inches deep, and 52 inches tall.
It is reasonable to expect to store 2 full-sized adult bikes in here. With this bicycle storage unit, you definitely do not need to worry about any rain or snow getting on your bike and harming it.
If you choose to attach it to the ground and lock the doors then you do not even need to worry about locking your bikes up, since they will be securely contained within its steel enclosure.
It is a little spendy, but it is a serious investment for a serious cyclist. This unit can be purchased on Amazon from Bosmere at the following link.
Suncast 5’ x 3’ Horizontal Stow-Away Shed
So, maybe $1000+ is a little more than you were looking to spend, but you don’t want to build a shed and you want something that is a little higher quality than a bicycling tent.
Well, in that case, you should take a look at the Suncast 5’ x 3’ Horizontal Stow-Away Shed, which can be purchased on Amazon from the manufacturer here.
The beauty of this shed is its inconspicuous design; nobody will know if that shed has bikes inside of it or just some gardening supplies. This means it will not be a major draw on local thieves’ attention, and so your bikes will be safer than being out in plain sight.
The dimensions of this unit are 65 inches wide, 38 inches deep, and 50 inches tall. So, you should be able to fit at least one if not two adult-sized bikes in here no problem.
It is made out of plastic, so it will not fade in the sunlight like a painted shed would and will still offer more protection than a bike tent.
One nice feature about the Suncast unit is that the top opens up as well as the side doors, so you should have no trouble positioning your bikes in there after a good ride.
Final words
Well, there you have it. Hopefully, you were able to learn a bit more about the different options available for protecting your bike from the outdoor weather and have found a few options to think more about.
While an outdoor bike storage shed is a bit of an investment, that investment is offset by the money you will be saving on maintenance since there will be less water getting onto your bike rusting the components and attracting dirt into the different bearings and your chain.
Jake V is an avid cyclist from Wisconsin. Over the last 12 years, he has explored the worlds of road biking, mountain biking, cyclocross, and urban riding. He currently has too many bikes (if that is even possible), but his favorite would be his Colnago EPS or Cinelli Tutto, depending on what kind of riding is in store for him that day. When he is not riding bikes, he likes to go sailing, skiing, and enjoy a few craft beers.
