You’ve just picked up your new bike so the last thing you want to do is leave it where thieves might be knocking around. That’s why Bikmo, our official cycle insurance partner, has come up with some ideas on how you can securely store your bike at home, so you don’t have to worry about your ride when you’re enjoying life out of the saddle.

Firstly, be aware of the wording and locking requirements of your insurance provider when storing your bike (be it home insurance or cycle specific insurance) to ensure you don't get any nasty surprises should the worst happen and you have to make a claim.

1. Store your bike in your home

If you have space, a good solution to securing your bike is by storing it in your home. For some, space is a premium, but you can find some pretty nifty ways of seamlessly fitting your bike in with your furniture. Options include installing hooks from the ceiling and hanging your bike, using wall mounts or innovative bike racks. If you’re not too fussed and have the space, leaning it next to the wall works!

2.  Store your bike in a garage or shed 

If you’re lucky enough to have a garage or shed, these can be perfect places to keep your bike safe when you don’t want to bring the British weather inside. Not only will your bike be protected from most thieves in a garage or shed, it’ll also be sheltered from the weather, making it easier to prolong the life of your pride and joy. 

When storing your bikes in a garage or shed, be aware of your policy wording. With Bikmo, you don’t need to have a secondary lock on your bike inside your home, garage or shed if the entrances are locked securely but it could be different with other providers.

For peace of mind, you may want to consider some of the following:

- Additional locking - Use the correct Sold Secure rated lock for your bike, attach it through the frame to an immovable object. That way you’ll know that if someone does attempt to take it, there’s one more thing stopping them from doing so. Some of the wall mounts even have lockable features, such as Hiplok’s Airlock, making your bike super secure.

- Appropriate locking - If you have multiple bikes, lock them separately to an immovable object if you can. This makes it much more difficult for thieves. If you have the space to do this, you can get a cycle rack secured to a wall, just make sure you lock the bikes through the frame to the rack.

- Covered up - To keep your bikes hidden from prying eyes, cover them up. This way they’ll be harder for an opportunistic thief passing by to identify, and be less likely to be taken as a result.

3. Lock your bike in a cyclehangar

Cyclehangars are popping up across the UK, so there’s a chance one might be down the road from you. Most hangars are locked from the outside and you can also lock your bike in the hangar to one of the bike stands, so it’s perfect for those who don’t want to bring their bike inside or don’t have the luxury of a garage or shed. 

Although this one isn’t typically regarded by most as a home location; for us, locking your bike in a cycle hangar which is within 500 metres of your residence is considered ‘at home’, which is why we couldn’t leave it off the list!