Asgard Bike Sheds - How Safe?

[Rednaic]

After significant research on the safest storage for bicycles we selected the Asgard unit. It is described as ?keeping your expensive bikes safe and protected from both the bad weather and bike theft.?

We purchased it on 15th of May 2020. We later found out that it would not be delivered for several months however we were happy to wait as we were confident in our decision that it was the best unit available. We paid to have a flat concrete space created for the unit as recommended. We assembled the unit on the 30th of August. Two days later, the 1st of September the unit was broken into and 2 of our bikes were all stolen.

We heard the sound of the unit being bent with a crowbar and ran immediately downstairs. The thieves were so quick to wrench the roof off that they had already removed 2 bikes and were cycling away as we made it outside.

We are shocked at the speed and ease the unit was so easily broken into. The very reason we purchased the unit was protect our bikes. It did nothing to deter the thieves who were able to get into it and steal the bikes extremely quickly. The unit did not keep our bikes ?protected from theft?.

We have lived in our home for over 10 years and never been broken into. Within two days of installing this unit we were targeted because the thieves clearly recognised the unit and knew it would not protect its contents as expected.

Has anyone else purchased one of these units or had a similar experience?

Thank you.

[exdulwicher]

Sympathies - in some respects it just highlights to thieves that you have something worthwhile nicking.

The reviews on Asgard's website are quite mixed and there are a few threads on various cycling forums about them - one here:

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/asgard-sheds-not-as-secure-as-we-think-they-are/

The weak point of most sheds is the roof - most people think about the doors and hinges, putting a big padlock on there but the roof will pop off in seconds with a crowbar.

Certainly worth a complaint to Asgard.

[redpost]

I'm about to install the police approved one, from the single track forum the 1.2mm steel looks fairly easily prised with a long wrecking bar or two. I'd expect something a bit heavier grade for ?400.

When it arrives, i'll consider upgrading it by lining it with 18mm hardwood ply drilled and screwed on from outside.

[micromacromonkey]

I have a trimetal bike shed, similar in construction to the Asgard one.

First things first: if thieves want it enough they will break into it, whatever it's made from. Second, they are built to a budget and to reinforce all the possible areas of entry it going to make it expensive and heavy and people won't buy it.

I have reinforced mine with wooden beams (40x70mm ish) bolted along appropriate places inside, for example along the edges of doors. I have also sacked off the stock padlock and fittings and attached a thick hasp, with bolts right through the 40mm thick timber behind it. I have fitted a serious padlock (see below) to this, which indicates to thieves that this is going to be more effort than it is worth and suggests to try next door.

Someone has tried to crowbar it over the last 3 years but failed due to the wood behind it.

https://www.lockshop-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/squire-ss65cs-stormproof-padlock.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrOi9t4Xh6wIVWfhRCh3wcAKUEAAYASAAEgItSPD_BwE

If you want proper reassurance you can also put a ground anchor inside, and chain the bike to that also, using a proper chain. Depending on how expensive your bike is you could look at getting a sold secure gold rated chain (used for motorbikes) which is thick enough to defeat any bolt cutters. get the padlock for this keyed alike with the one for the box, to save you hassle. This will stay inside the box usually; I had to take mine to ED leisure centre to lock my bike up when I lost the key for my d-lock, got a few funny looks as the chain weighs more than 10kg!

[redpost]

Thanks for the advice. My bike isn't very expensive, so i'll concentrate on external security that looks meaty.

Been thinking and I may clad it with decking on the outside, won't be so obvious that there's a bike in it and I have some left over 22mm IPE decking which is rock hard.

[jimbo1964]

Hmmm Thanks for this. I was also thinking about getting one of these (your post has made me think twice). I think bikes probably need to be securely chained to anchor points inside the shed. With some home alarm systems you can also add a sensor to the bike shed.

Does anyone have a Brighton Bike Shed. I was put off as they are made of wood.

[northernmonkey]

We really wanted a Brighton Bike shed because they are beautiful to look at, but when it came to ordering the lead time was almost 6 months so that was too long for us. There is no perfect answer. The more secure your shed is then perhaps its a flag that there are valuable bikes inside - whereas less secure are easier to break into so lower effort - not sure there is a perfect answer really.

What we have done is try to make it as inconvenient as possible whilst still useable for us - obviously putting a shed in the back garden is more secure, but its more hassle if you use your bikes as transport rather than a hobby - we use ours every day so need them accessible. We always lock them all together inside the shed, just so its another thing to unlock, we have a security light and a cctv camera on the shed.

One of the houses on Calton Ave has a brighton shed if you wanted to see how lovely they are in reality!

[jimbo1964]

Thanks. There are a few Brighton Sheds on Court Lane. They look nice.. I'll ask them about lead times.

[northernmonkey]

Our neighbours had a wooden shed broken into this week as did another friend so whatever you go for, additonal security measures seem sensible!

[jimbo1964]

And make sure they are insured too as it seems no shed is really safe.