Residential Bicycle Storage Solutions

Cyclehoop bike hangar

The bicycle storage problem

Cardiff, like many cities in the UK, suffers from a lack of safe storage space for bikes where we live. Lots of halls are too narrow for storage, and theft from sheds is endemic. Worse, lots of people live in shared housing where even these options aren’t available, and people are forced to keep their bikes in their flats, or locked up outside.

A bike hangar in the London borough of Waltham Forest
A bike hangar in the London borough of Waltham Forest

A few members of Cardiff Cycle City have been to London over the past few months, and seen cycle hangars appearing in some boroughs.

These versatile storage spaces are provided by the company Cyclehoop, who work with the local authorities to offer cyclists a secure location to store their bikes. 

For more detailed information on how it works see: https://www.cyclehoop.rentals

 

Cycle hangars in Cardiff?

Some of us had taken things further and contacted local councillors to suggest that we do something similar here in Cardiff. Four of us had identified potential spaces where we thought this system would work well.

  • A shared house in Grangetown where currently up to 7 bikes are badly stored in a narrow hallway and other rooms. Externally, there is residents parking, on-street paid parking and some free parking.
  • A community garden space in Lansdowne Road where the hangar could be sited off-road.
  • An area of extended pavement in a residential street bordering Canton/Poncanna, currently used by badly parked cars.
  • An estate run by a housing association in Cardiff Bay.

With the help of Cardiff Cycle City, we have been put in touch with the Council. We are at the very early stages of this venture, but the signs so far are encouraging as the Council officers are keen to work with us to find a good solution.

We will update further as things progress.

The future?

We feel that these bike hangars are an essential part of enabling people to choose cycling. They make cycling convenient; they cater for residents of houses of multiple occupancy, who are less likely to own a car, and they are a visible reminder that kerbside storage space is much more effective if used for bicycles rather than cars.

If you would like to see one of these in your street then why not contact your local councillor and ask them? You could even team up with your neighbours to suggest a suitable position and, of course, you could come along to our meetings for support from like-minded individuals whose aim it is to improve things for all cyclists in Cardiff!


Cardiff Cycle City is run by volunteers. If you have any time or skills that you think would benefit our cause then please get in touch!

2 thoughts on “Residential Bicycle Storage Solutions

  1. I live in Pontcanna and have written to my councillors about bike hangers including Caro Wild a couple of months ago, but I haven’t had any responses from the City Council. Would like to join this group to find a way forward. Thanks. Sinyi

  2. It’s more difficult for disabled people who want access to cycling. I’ve spent half a year and nearly a thousand looking for and building a pent roof shed with wide enough doors to wheel a hand trike into, with extra bits and pieces needed such as hasps, bolts, padlocks. Still not enough, it’s had an attempted break in already, and made me a bigger target for harassment. Decent sheds or storage facilities aren’t even made for mobility disabled cyclists yet, and don’t know what the solution is in the meantime. I feel beaten right now, upset and disappointed I can’t have my handcycle ( I was due to adopt it via a disabled persons org and they’ve tried to help as much as they can, but we’re still waiting to have secure enough storage to do it)

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