Best bike storage ideas for an office

Cycling to work is great for both the planet and the health of your employees. You can encourage this mode of commuting by making it easy and safe for employees to store their bikes whilst they’re hard at work. We’ve put together a list of the best bike storage ideas that will keep bikes dry and secure through all weather conditions.

Outdoor storage

Not all offices have the space indoors to store everyone’s bikes. Avoid cluttered hallways by investing in an outdoor storage shed for employees to use. Outdoor bike sheds will keep bikes dry and can usually be locked for extra security. However, these can take up a lot of space that you may not have access to.

For a less bulky outdoor storage solution, place some basic bike stands in a sheltered location, where employees can use their own bike locks. Without a bike shed, employees may want some extra security measures in place to protect their bikes. Installing CCTV cameras or having secure industrial gates surrounding the outside of your office will keep both cars and bikes safe from theft or vandalism.

Indoor storage

Don’t have any large spaces of land outside your building? Or do you just want to keep employees’ bikes dry and out of the unpredictable weather? Here are some bike storage ideas that will make use of all your indoor space. 

Vertical wall storage

Perfect for those without much wall space, vertical storage racks allow you to prop bikes against the wall next to each other with their wheels against the wall. This method of storage allows lots of bikes to be stored indoors, but you will also need plenty of space in the room that the bikes will be sticking out into. 

Horizontal wall storage

If you don’t have many bikes to store, horizontal bike storage can be a great way to keep bikes out of the way without ruining the aesthetics of your office. Many people use horizontal bike racks to display their bike on the wall, so if you only have a couple to account for, this can be a great option. Horizontal storage is generally much easier to lift bikes onto and back down from than vertical storage is, and the bikes won’t stick out too much either.

Ceiling storage

When we say to make the most of your space, we really mean it. You can utilise your ceiling space for bike storage with bike racks or pulley systems that are specially made to be installed onto ceilings. A standard ceiling rack will allow you to lift your bike and hang it by its wheels - perfect for installing above other storage that’s already taking up space on the floor. 

We understand some people might have trouble lifting their heavy bikes up onto a ceiling or wall rack. To solve this problem, bike pulley systems are a great way to go, making bike storage accessible to everyone. Pulleys are cost effective and do all the hard work of lifting the bike so that your employees don’t have to. Your bikes are then held securely out of the way up on the ceiling.

Floor stands

Floor stands are the most common methods for storing bikes, and are incredibly simple to install and use. If you have an empty warehouse or garage with plenty of floor space, placing a few bike racks means employees can quickly store their bikes without having to fuss around with any heavy lifting. 

Bear in mind that your employees’ bike storage should be placed in a room or building that’s secure - implementing an access control system means no unauthorised persons can access your employees’ valuables.

Include a bike repair station

Getting a flat tire can ruin anyone’s day, especially if it happens on the way to work. Make sure that your employees have a way of getting back home by providing a place for them to fix any minor problems with their bikes. Bike repair stations are especially helpful if you have a lot of employees who cycle to work, and this gesture won’t go unnoticed by those who rely on their bikes to get around.

It may not be cost-effective to invest in a bike repair station if just a few employees cycle to work, however it’s still good to be prepared. Keeping a bike pump and some basic tools around will be a great help to bike users, and won’t take up too much space either.

We understand that keeping your employees and their valuables safe is key to a great work environment. For more information and advice about how to keep your workplace protected, get in touch with our team.