acadiaME

I just moved into a new apartment and unfortunately it's on the 3rd floor. I have my road bike and mountain bike up in the apartment with me and they are fairly easy to carry down the stairs. However, I also have an Xtracycle that I use for my commuting around town, and not only is it heavy but also unwieldy. It's just a major pain to carry up and down three flights each time I use it. There is a basement I can store it in, but I'm wondering if there's any solution for outside storage. It would have to be secure, and somewhat small (but big enough to fit the xtra in of course)..oh and of course not too outrageously expensive! I am thinking something like a bike locker or shed of sorts...does anything like this exist? My guess is it'd be too good to be true and be inexpensive as well..

Cheers!

wahoonc

No clue how much a bike locker would sell for. I used to use a big anchor bolt set in concrete to lock my outside bike to with one of the super heavy chains. I also kept a tarp over the bike to protect it from the weather and away from prying eyes.

Aaron

Torrilin

I'd just store it in the basement. Most of the time, you're not allowed to alter the property if you rent, or the alterations automatically become the landlord's property. And a bike locker that's solid enough to keep your bike safe certainly counts as "alteration"... and it won't be cheap either.

(law varies from state to state, and sometimes even by city... check your lease and check what your local law is before making a decision.)

Nightshade

The least costly,but effective way to store outside. The use of covers is often underrated.

sauerwald

Resurrecting an old thread here -

I am being relocated from Maine to California (bay area). My wife and I have two cars now in Maine, but I ride my bike far more than I drive the car, and was planning on selling my car and not replacing it once we move to CA. Many of the apartments that we are looking at in CA provide two parking spaces, in a controlled access garage - more than secure enough for a car, but I would not feel comfortable with leaving my bikes down there. Ideally I would find some sort of a shed or locker that I could put in a parking space, and use to securely store my bikes (I have 3, plus a folder in my stable). Cost is less of a concern than security. Anybody have any ideas?

gwd

When I lived in a dump the slumlord was very agreeable to paying for improvements, if I did the work. I just submitted the bills with a reduced rent payment. She didn't even come check up that I actually installed the stuff. If I didn't install the tp holder, what else would I do with it? Maybe the landlord will pay for a shed if you do the legwork and install it. I was just looking at an apartment with a friend and a selling point was that a storage unit out back "conveyed" with the apartment. See, once you move, the landlord can jack the rent up because of the shed you installed. Just like when I moved from the dump the slumlord probably jacked the rent up because of the new paint, towel holders etc.

ken cummings

How much would a real junker of a car or minivan cost? A non operational piece of trash. Have it towed to your apartment parking and leave your bike/bikes locked in the vehicle. Maybe paint the windows black to hide things. Even have a massive chain from the car frame to the bike in case someone breaks in.

Roody

It's hard to believe that his landlord or his neighbors would allow a junker jalopy with painted windows to stay there very long.

gwd

This is a nice idea. My last car ended up being more like a storage shed but to park it I needed valid registration inspection etc. I was once late on the inspection because I had forgotten about it. I was biking everywhere and didn't drive. Then I noticed a stack of tickets under the wipers. A meter maid came by once a day and wrote me a new ticket each day. Of course I immediately cranked the thing up to get it inspected. On the way to the inspection station a cop stopped me and wrote another ticket. I showed him the pile of tickets on the seat and said I was on the way to the inspection station. He replied:"It doesn't matter, the inspection station is closed on Sunday anyway." They might not be such sticklers in California as they are in Virginia.

bmclaughlin807

Ah... fond memories. I once had the police take time out from chasing an armed robber to write me a $5 parking ticket because my truck was facing the wrong way.

I miss Virginia!

enine

Most apartment places won't let you "store" a car, even a lot of cities/towns won't let you keep a non driveable vehicle parked for too long even if beside your house. I sent my old 200,000 mile truck off to the junk yard when I moved because there was a law against having a non drivable vehicle but I was grandfathered in at the old house since it was there before the law was made.

You can get things like this https://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid...at=HPCat100684 at places like home depot or lowes or target. Sure a plastic box isn't that secure but neither is a shed made of tin can thin sheet steel or thin plywoon or chipboard. The idea is that whatever is inside is out of sight so the casual theif just passes it by. The real pro theif is going to get into any kind of shed so it doesn't really matter what you use.
The bench looking one may be ok with the apartment management, you could chain it to the porch outside your apartment maybe.

gerv 

This sounds like the most reasonable solution. Even if I could get something like an outside bike locker, I'd be reluctant to store an xtracycle in it... that would be just too tempting for thieves.

Artkansas 

Its all in how you do it. Make sure that it is registered, insured, and the tires are inflated. And I recommend tinting the windows rather than painting them. Just as dark, but looks more professional. My wagon has been awaiting its resurrection for years .

Smallwheels

In my state (Montana) it costs about $350.00 per year to register a car. After so many years the fee drops to much less. Since I sold my car and haven't lived here long I don't know much more. In California someone told me it costs hundreds of dollars per year to register a car. Is that true?

In Louisiana there was a one time registration fee and annual inspections that cost $11.00.

In my apartment complex there are two wooden sheds built on parking spaces. They are used by tenants. It seems like a good idea if you intend to stay there a long time or just have plenty of money to spend.

Roody

Well, to make a possibly bigoted statement, Arkansas might have a higher tolerance for semi-abandoned vehicles than other states. Around here the cops will notice it eventually (probably when a citizen reports it) and put a red sticker on it. If it hasn't been moved in 24 hours they will tow it away and send you a big fat ticket.

But the idea of using a car as a storage shed really does appeal to my darker carfree nature.

Artkansas 

The police have no power, it's on private land. The landlord states that is should be driveable, which it is.