April 22, 2016

How to Safely Store Your Bike in the Garage

Don’t Skimp on the Garage Door If You Want to Protect Your Home

With many bikes costing hundreds of dollars, and high-end bikes easily reaching into the thousands, as an owner you want to make sure that your equipment and investment is safe from damage or theft. While damage can appear to be negligible on the surface, from small scratches or dings, even minor damage can be expensive to repair, so you need to use the best safety and security features you can find.

Secure it

Buy an anchor, and make sure it’s a good one. Lock your bike to it securely, so that in the event of theft, any would-be klepto’s can be dissuaded from using your bike as a get-away vehicle. Many bike anchors are also used by motorcyclists, meaning that the anchor could be covered by insurance, depending on your circumstances. If you are one of the many people approved for insurance, even in the worst case scenario of a break-in you’ll still be covered.

The one downside to anchors is that installation can be a pain, depending on the space in your garage, and could be expensive. A cheaper, and still secure way is to install a simple bike rack. If you have multiple bikes, you could buy a full rack and install it yourself with no more than a drill and a quiet afternoon.

If, ultimately, you are unable to install something to secure your bike to, either through space issues or costs, you can secure it to a pre-existing installation, like a pillar, with a decent bike lock. If you choose to go this route, be sure to secure it to something solid and difficult to interfere with.

Keep it out of the way

When you’re pulling up into your garage, you don’t want to hear the screeching and grinding of your bike getting chewed up underneath it. You may consider investing in hooks to hang it on your wall. You can still use anchors and chains to turn away thieves, and putting it on your wall, off the ground, keeps it away from any drivers who may not be expecting a bike to be sitting inside the door of your garage.

A quick Google will show you the many, many, many ways to hang a bike safely, securely and stylishly, turning a security feature into a status symbol and talking point for guests. Installation is usually easier than installing racks on the floor, but talk to a professional about your own specific case. Make sure that whatever you choose to install is feasible, taking the bike(s) and space requirements into consideration.

Get a good door

So, you’ve got your bike all snug and secure, hanging on the wall in chains of pure titanium. But you left the door open, and now someone else is peddling off on your bike.

Prevention is better than the cure. Even if your bike is insured, you still have to file reports and paperwork and buy a new bike. By making it as difficult as possible to break in at every step of the way, you can keep thieves away and your belongings secure. Many may even be turned away by a strong door that looks intimidating enough to not be worth the risk.

If your garage door is old, worn out, and covered in rust and holes, then any opportunists could take it upon themselves to relieve you of your bike, any tools you may have and perhaps even enter the main house to help themselves to whatever they feel like having. By ditching an old door, you can install a new door with top of the line locks and other security features.

As well as security, using the right door can save you money on home heating. If the door is old and rusted, a new door can trap heat and keep costs low. Modern doors are specifically designed to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer by using double-skins.

Need a new garage door?

Replacing your garage door is a great way to enhance the front of your house on a limited budget. Garaga doors are the industry standard for style, durability, insulation and energy efficiency. Build your dream garage door today!

Tags

Add new comment

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.