Bike Sheds at a Glance
Construction: Metal and timber bike storage sheds · Sizes: Compact single-bike stores to larger multi-bike sheds · Security: Reinforced doors and high-security locking options on selected models · Access: Wide-opening and double-door options available · Styles: Low-profile, narrow, pent and apex designs.
Uses: Secure storage for bicycles, e-bikes, helmets, locks, pumps and cycling equipment · Weather protection: Designed for year-round outdoor bike storage · Ventilation: Ventilated or breathable options help manage condensation · Installation: Professional assembly available on selected ranges · Bases: Base-building options available · Customisation: Choice of sizes, colours and options depending on model · See before you buy: Selected bike storage sheds on display at our Surrey show site near Guildford and Woking.
Need advice? Our experienced team can help with bike shed size, capacity, security, access, construction, base requirements and assembly before you order.
Bike Sheds for Secure and Practical Bicycle Storage
A good bike shed should make bicycles easy to store, easy to remove and harder for opportunistic thieves to access. Whether you need space for one or two bikes or a large bike shed for several adult bicycles, e-bikes, helmets, pumps, and cycling equipment, I would choose a building around the bikes you actually own rather than buying the smallest shed they will fit into.
This page forms part of our wider garden sheds range but concentrates specifically on bicycle storage. The actual products currently shown include purpose-designed GardenVault bike sheds, larger secure metal storage buildings and the timber Shoreham Narrow Shed.
Which Bike Shed Should I Choose?
If you want a compact purpose-designed metal bike shed, I would start with the GardenVault Allandale Bike Shed. It measures around 6ft x 3ft, is designed to store up to three bikes and uses 0.9mm galvanised steel with reinforced double doors, a secure Euro-cylinder lock, and a metal floor.
The GardenVault Avondale Bike Shed is another dedicated bicycle-storage product currently displayed and provides a slightly different footprint. Both are useful where garden space is limited, and you want a purpose-designed steel store rather than a conventional full-height garden shed.
What If I Need a Large Bike Shed?
If several bicycles, e-bikes and cycling equipment need to share the same space, the larger metal buildings on this page become more relevant. Clydesdale, Forestdale, Glendale and Deepdale all provide considerably more storage than the compact dedicated bike stores.
The GardenVault Glendale and GardenVault Deepdale Workshop, for example, are approximately 7ft wide and available in lengths up to around 14ft. Both use 1.2mm galvanised steel and steel floor-base systems, making them worth considering when you want a big bike shed with room for several cycles plus helmets, locks, pumps, tools and other equipment.
Clydesdale is another actual larger steel building on this page. At the same time, Forestdale is narrower but available in several lengths. I would compare the internal dimensions and door opening carefully, because how bikes are positioned can matter as much as the nominal floor area.
What About Skelmersdale, Tarrickdale and Silverdale?
Skelmersdale, Tarrickdale and Silverdale are also actual metal products displayed here and suit more restricted spaces. They use 0.9mm galvanised steel and bolt to a suitable prepared base rather than using the larger steel floor-base arrangement found on models such as Glendale and Deepdale.
These can be useful when you need secure cycle storage but do not have room for a conventional full-sized shed. As always, I would measure your bicycle length and handlebar width before choosing.
How Many Bikes Can I Fit in a Bike Shed?
That depends as much on the bicycles as the shed. Adult mountain bikes, e-bikes, children’s bikes, baskets and wide handlebars can all change the amount of practical storage space required. The Allandale is specifically described as storing up to three bicycles, but larger general-purpose buildings give you much more flexibility.
I recommend laying the bikes out roughly as they will sit in the shed and measuring the overall space. Allow enough room to move the bike you use most frequently without removing every other bicycle first.
Why Door Width Matters
A wide entrance can make everyday bicycle storage considerably easier. Before ordering, measure the widest handlebars and check the clear door opening rather than relying only on the overall shed dimensions.
Also consider the space immediately outside the doors. A wide entrance is of limited value if a fence, wall or narrow path prevents you from lining the bicycle up with it. I would mentally walk the bike from the garden gate into the shed before deciding where the building should stand.
How Secure Are Metal Bike Sheds?
A good metal bike shed can provide substantial physical protection, but I would look at the complete construction rather than the lock alone. Door reinforcement, hinges, steel thickness, joints, floor or base arrangement, and how the building is anchored all contribute to security.
The Allandale, for example, uses reinforced doors and surrounds, double-folded steel joints and a drill- and pick-resistant Euro-cylinder lock. For valuable bicycles, I still recommend securing them independently inside the building and checking any specific conditions imposed by your insurer.
Is a Timber Bike Shed Available?
Yes. The Shoreham Narrow Shed is the timber product currently displayed on this page. It is only 3ft wide and available from 4ft to 12ft long, making it particularly useful along a side passage or narrow strip of garden.
Timber gives a more traditional appearance, and the Shoreham includes professional fitting within its applicable delivery area. Because it is narrow, I would plan bicycle orientation carefully and check the precise door arrangement before choosing it for several bikes.
Do Bike Sheds Need a Proper Base?
Yes. A firm, flat and level foundation is essential. Some GardenVault models bolt directly to a concrete or similar solid base, while larger products such as Glendale and Deepdale use a steel floor-base system. The Shoreham timber shed also requires a suitably prepared level foundation.
I would never position a substantial bike shed directly onto lawn or soft soil. Movement underneath the building can affect door alignment and security, and make the shed less pleasant to use. Our garden building base guide explains the main foundation options and why getting the base firm, flat and level matters before installation.
What About Wet Bikes and Condensation?
Bicycles often go into storage wet, particularly through a British winter, so ventilation matters. Metal sheds can develop condensation when moist air meets cold steel surfaces, so good ventilation and a dry, properly prepared base are important.
Do not block ventilation openings and avoid allowing plants or dense vegetation to grow directly against the shed. I would also let particularly wet cycling equipment dry where practical rather than keeping unnecessary moisture permanently inside. Our guide to preventing condensation and moisture in sheds explains why wet equipment, ventilation and base conditions can all affect moisture levels inside a garden building.
Can Bike Sheds Be Professionally Assembled?
Assembly services are available on the metal buildings currently shown, while the Shoreham timber shed includes free fitting within the applicable delivery area. Installation arrangements differ by model, so check the specific product before ordering.
Correct assembly matters particularly on a security-focused steel building because the doors, locking system and anchoring all depend on the structure being level and square.
What If I Need Storage for a Motorcycle as Well?
If you need to store a motorcycle rather than bicycles, or want a building designed around wider access and heavier equipment, compare our motorbike sheds. That range includes larger steel storage options and buildings intended specifically for motorcycle access and security.
My Experience With Garden Buildings Goes Back to 1979
I’m Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. I left school at 15 and started my own business in 1979 trading as Marina Sheds. I learnt the garden-building business hands-on by making sheds, selling them, delivering them and dealing directly with customers, so I have always looked at how a building works in everyday use rather than simply how good it looks in a photograph.
I sold Marina Sheds in 1990, although unfortunately I did not receive all the money which was due from the sale. It was a difficult business lesson, but I stayed in the garden-building industry and carried on.
In 1992 we expanded beyond sheds to include summerhouses, garages, garden rooms and log cabins. That wider direction led to the name Titan Garden Buildings. My son Craig joined me in 1992 after studying carpentry at Guildford College from 1990, bringing his own practical carpentry and construction knowledge into the business.
We sold Titan Garden Buildings in 1998 and in 2000 formed 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. Rather than being tied to one manufacturer’s products, Craig and I wanted to compare quality buildings from different suppliers and give customers a genuine choice.
Craig now runs the day-to-day business, and I remain involved to support him and the team whenever required. You can read more about our story on the About 1st Choice Leisure Buildings page.
Why Does My Experience Matter When Choosing a Bike Shed?
My own manufacturing background was primarily in timber buildings. Still, more than four decades in the garden-building industry have taught me to judge any storage building by its construction and how well it suits the job. For bicycles, I pay particular attention to door access, usable internal space, floors or bases, ventilation and security.
If you need storage for one or two bicycles, there is little reason to buy a huge building simply because it is available. If several valuable e-bikes, children’s bikes and cycling equipment all need to go inside, spending more on a large bike shed with easier access may be money very well spent.
How Do I Choose the Best Bike Shed?
Measure your bicycles first, including their length and handlebar width, then decide how many need to be accessed independently. Measure the proposed site and access route and consider whether you need extra room for helmets, pumps, chargers, locks or garden equipment.
If you are unsure whether a compact bike shed, a purpose-designed metal bike shed or one of the larger steel buildings is right for you, please ask us. Between Craig, myself and the team, there is a great deal of practical garden-building experience here, and I would rather help you choose enough space at the beginning than see you discover afterwards that everyday access is difficult.
Can I See Bike Sheds Before Buying?
Whenever practical, I recommend seeing garden buildings before making a final decision. You can visit our Surrey garden building display site near Guildford and Woking, where around 80 representative buildings are normally available, and similar bike-storage products can be inspected.
Photographs and measurements are useful, but seeing door openings, locks, floors and steel construction in person makes the differences between products much easier to understand. I started selling sheds in 1979 and still believe that understanding what you are buying is one of the best ways to make an informed decision.
From £715
