Author Topic: Bike shed solutions/ideas? (Read 13009 times)

Hedgetrimmer · « **on:** 29 February 2016, 02:32:20 pm »

Got the new shed installed today

So now I need to figure out the best way to actually make it accessible for the bikes

(yes, I knew this was coming). Here's the problem that needs solving:

As you can see, there is a rise of about 2-3 inches on the bottom jamb that needs to be bridged with some kind of ramp. The gravel at the shed base as it stands is almost level with the edge of the existing patio slabs, maybe just slightly higher. I'm thinking of extending the paving slabs right up to the shed base, but they can't be sloped to the top of the door jamb obviously. So I'm going to need some kind of ramp. Should be enough room that it doesn't need to be a particularly steep incline, but will need to be easy to move around. So before I just go and get someone to make me a wooden ramp (crap at DIY myself), I wondered if anyone might have seen anything readily available/be able to come up with some ingenious solution?

esetest · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 February 2016, 02:37:49 pm »

How about having the door jamb removable or hinged .

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 February 2016, 02:44:53 pm »

Quote from: esetest on 29 February 2016, 02:37:49 pm

How about having the door jamb removable or hinged .

That would only partially solve the issue because the jamb itself is just the top piece of wood. There'd still be about an inch of rise to get the bikes up onto. Also, the jamb is rising that inch or so above the shed floor, so got to get over that when getting the bikes out again, which your idea would solve. Hmmm.......

tex · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 February 2016, 02:45:00 pm »

My son in law made this out of, off cuts for me, works a treat

tex · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 February 2016, 02:45:59 pm »

Another

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 February 2016, 02:54:35 pm »

Quote from: tex on 29 February 2016, 02:45:00 pm

My son in law made this out of, off cuts for me, works a treat

Yep, that's the obvious solution that I had in mind from the start, but just wondered if anyone might have other ideas, as I'm not very good at coming up with stuff, and maybe there are other ways too? I like the way he's made that so you can approach it from an angle though, good thinking.

tex · « **Reply #6 on:** 29 February 2016, 02:59:13 pm »

Yes , it flips over so you can go in from either way, we looked at all sorts, the best easy solution would be a bike or car ramp , the type for loading on a small truck.

chaz · « **Reply #7 on:** 29 February 2016, 03:01:36 pm »

I would remove most of the jamb, maybe leave 100mm at each side to screw it down, then get some scaffold boards to make a ramp about 4 wide, batterns on the underside to keep them together and bed them on the gravel so the doors clear them, treat them with preservitive and they should last years. You can buy 2nds for around £1 a foot?

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 February 2016, 03:13:37 pm »

Quote from: chaz on 29 February 2016, 03:01:36 pm

I would remove most of the jamb, maybe leave 100mm at each side to screw it down, then get some scaffold boards to make a ramp about 4 wide, batterns on the underside to keep them together and bed them on the gravel so the doors clear them, treat them with preservitive and they should last years. You can buy 2nds for around £1 a foot?

But the doors drop almost to the level of the concrete base, i.e., beyond the top surface of the shed floor level, so you'd still have an inch or more of rise to get up. So, short of taking a bit off the bottom of the doors....Hmmmm...... $:\$

dickturpin · « **Reply #9 on:** 29 February 2016, 03:36:10 pm »

why not lay some flags on a slight slope as a permanent access?

taylor · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 February 2016, 04:28:45 pm »

slab to the level of the shed floor leaving a 40mm gap so no water runs in the shed, then cut the jamb away apart from about 100mm each side and bolt them down. don't forget you can cross cut a slab to suit most levels.. have a look around where you live they have disabled access everywhere same thing really.

caretaker · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 February 2016, 05:37:31 pm »

i rest a round steel tube in front of mine. the bike rolls over it easier. then chuck it back in the shed.

Mick-H · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 February 2016, 05:51:16 pm »

How's about

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alloy-Folding-Aluminium-Motorcycle-Bike-Motorbike-MX-Van-Loading-Ramp-/131552409527?hash=item1ea12277b7:g:OoMAAOSw9N1VnN6W

red98 · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 February 2016, 06:31:10 pm »

Mmmm...tricky one that mr trimmer...the doors dropping below the shed floor is your biggest problem...how about a "hinged bridge ramp "( just made that up, good init

) screwed to the shed floor, open doors fold down ramp, a ramp up to clear the door jamb and then a smaller one down to the shed floor......or , fix the small ramp inside the shed and just have the bigger one hinged....

oh....nice shed

...but whats the hole in the floor for, to let the flood water out ?

fazersharp · « **Reply #14 on:** 29 February 2016, 06:46:22 pm »

Quote from: taylor on 29 February 2016, 04:28:45 pm

slab to the level of the shed floor leaving a 40mm gap so no water runs in the shed, then cut the jamb away apart from about 100mm each side and bolt them down. don't forget you can cross cut a slab to suit most levels.. have a look around where you live they have disabled access everywhere same thing really.

Yep this would be my solution also, a slow rise of the slabs from the ones already there along with cutting the bottom of the doors off flush with the new slab level.

BBROWN1664 · « **Reply #15 on:** 29 February 2016, 06:49:10 pm »

just a paving slab or two outside the shed door to make a small step would fix the problem. Doesn't need to be elaborate, or smooth. Just needs to work.

Failing that, a piece of 4x2 laid across the width of the shed.

red98 · « **Reply #16 on:** 29 February 2016, 06:59:31 pm »

Another thought.....might be good idea to reinforce the floor of the shed, a lot of weight in two small areas when the bikes on the centre stand, parhaps a piece of sheet steel, nothing too thick or it will be harder to lift the bike onto the stand...

Hedgetrimmer · « **Reply #17 on:** 29 February 2016, 07:37:30 pm »

Quote from: red98 on 29 February 2016, 06:31:10 pm

Mmmm...tricky one that mr trimmer...the doors dropping below the shed floor is your biggest problem...how about a "hinged bridge ramp "( just made that up, good init ) screwed to the shed floor, open doors fold down ramp, a ramp up to clear the door jamb and then a smaller one down to the shed floor......or , fix the small ramp inside the shed and just have the bigger one hinged....

oh....nice shed ...but whats the hole in the floor for, to let the flood water out ?

All sounds a bit complex

I thought about similar actually, but then you have all that ramp gubbins on the shed floor getting in the way when the bikes are inside.

The hole is for a ground anchor

The problem I see with trimming the bottom of the door is that it weakens the security of the doors, because then they will just be closing against the jamb, which is merely screwed into place. And if some of the jamb does need to be removed, worse still. Also, there is a securing bolt mounted at the bottom of the door which locks by sitting behind the jamb. Still thinking... $:\$

red98 · « **Reply #18 on:** 29 February 2016, 07:53:33 pm »

Agree with you on modifying the doors, probably not a good idea to cut/remove the jamb either.....how about a pop up ramp, open doors, raise ramp , remove bike......and you thought my last idea was complex

......thing with a standard ramp will be moving it out ot the way to shut the doors and then having somewhere to put it when not in use.

sinto · « **Reply #19 on:** 29 February 2016, 08:25:22 pm »

How about similar to this but hinged along the entrance to the shed. Could also be bolted with padlocks giving extra security.

esetest · « **Reply #20 on:** 29 February 2016, 08:51:47 pm »

Looking at your doors , cutting them shouldn't be a problem , you could replace the bottom vertical offcuts with a hinged horizontal one , then as you open the doors they lift up . You could use a piece of conduit on the inside of the jamb to protect it , the bikes will just run over it , you could hold the conduit in place with saddles .

chris.biker · « **Reply #21 on:** 29 February 2016, 10:35:05 pm »

A drop down / drawn bridge ramp the width of the door way would be good, in the up position it could be bolt at the two top corners and used to add security to the doors. Also with the floor possibly needing more strength to cope with the weight of the bike, putting extra boards down could be used to raise the floor to match the door jib, this would remove the bump as you push the bike out.

fazersharp · « **Reply #22 on:** 29 February 2016, 10:35:14 pm »

Quote from: Hedgetrimmer on 29 February 2016, 07:37:30 pm

The problem I see with trimming the bottom of the door is that it weakens the security of the doors, because then they will just be closing against the jamb, which is merely screwed into place. And if some of the jamb does need to be removed, worse still. Also, there is a securing bolt mounted at the bottom of the door which locks by sitting behind the jamb. Still thinking... $:\$

I dont think you need to worry too much about security as for a start they are thin wooden doors and that little bolt (held in place with 10mm screws ?? ) one little tug and it will just fall off.
Better -20mm ply covered with a sheet of galvanised steel with any attachments being bolted all the way through with a rounded head on the outside.
Or get yourself on ebay and buy cheaply a set of upvc patio doors, there are always some on there when people take them out for an extension.

tommyardin · « **Reply #23 on:** 01 March 2016, 08:49:43 am »

Grab yourself a piece of 10mm alluminium checker plate from a metal supplier/fabricator about 750mm wide by 600mm long and drill about an 8mm hole in either end of the 750mm wide side about 30mm from the edge and countersink the holes, get a couple of 8mm stainless steel countersunk screws about out 50mm long, put them through the the checker plate wind a couple of nuts and washers on the back. Rest the bolts on the bottom timber plate/door threshold where you want to position the ramp and clout the two screws with a hammer just hard enough to mark the threshold, drill two 10mm holes in threshold on the marks, now the ramp will locate in the holes so not move when you push or ride the bike into the shed and when not in use the flat piece of checker plate will stand against the wall just inside the shed. Jobs a Gudun.

taylor · « **Reply #24 on:** 01 March 2016, 09:22:40 am »

there are so many options here nick, I,ts a case of how you want it to look the round steel tube is a good one. you could grab a lump of turf and stamp it in front of the door. it would work.