Securing bikes in garage

[stackie]

So, nice bikes have really accumulated in my garage. Three for me, one for daughter and one for son. And another on way for daughter.

I hang them from ceiling mounted hooks with a piece of pipe mounted to wall that the down wheels hit to keep the tires from marking up the wall.

It seems like there has been a spate of garage thefts in our county recently.

We have frosted glass on garage doors to decrease visibility. No man door. I’m pretty fastidious about keeping doors closed unless necessary to be open. But sadly, bikes do get washed in driveway, so they are paraded around once in a while.

1. I could put some simple locks on each down wheel to the pipe which would slow people down a little. Thinking the Z lock by hip lock. Basically a cable reinforced reusable zip tie. I don’t want to spend $80 per lock for6 bikes though. And big locks are a little ungainly think this is worth the effort? I don’t have any tools in garage that would cut the z locks. Might just slow someone down enough to leave them alone.

2. I can mount a ring camera high in the corner which would capture thief on camera. Not that thieves or police seem to care.

3. Anything else the hive would recommend?

Thx in advance for your opinion.

Jon

[batman1425]

IMO, if you aren't going to lock up the frames, it isn't worth locking them up at all. Wheels are too easy to remove.

A friend in this situation mounded metal rings to the studs next to each bikes in his garage with 3" lag bolts and put a heavy duty fabric covered chain through the frame and the ring next to it, secured with a master lock. Mounting the ring high meant the chain was mostly supported from the ring and not puting a bunch of weight on the frame. Depending on placement, you could lock 2 bikes to the same ring with a single chain and can also trade out the chain for the vinyl coated cables from kryptonite et al. if you prefer that for a lighter and less likely to damage frame option.

For added convenience, you can buy padlocks that can be keyed to your existing house key or put on their own common key for easy access for all family members. All in you are probably talking 40ish dollars in parts per setup, including the cable and lock.

[OtayBW]

I just moved to a place that has an electric garage door opener. Never had one before. I've got 5 bikes in there, and just about every morning I open the door, jump in my truck, and drive away, forgetting to close the door.

So, for me, the start for securing bikes in the garage would be to remember to close the damn door before driving away!!!

[pasadena]

common!
You can get a auto garage door closer at home depot. It will shut it after you drive out.

Originally Posted by OtayBW

I just moved to a place that has an electric garage door opener. Never had one before. I've got 5 bikes in there, and just about every morning I open the door, jump in my truck, and drive away, forgetting to close the door.

So, for me, the start for securing bikes in the garage would be to remember to close the damn door before driving away!!!

[gbcoupe]

Originally Posted by OtayBW

I just moved to a place that has an electric garage door opener. Never had one before. I've got 5 bikes in there, and just about every morning I open the door, jump in my truck, and drive away, forgetting to close the door.

So, for me, the start for securing bikes in the garage would be to remember to close the damn door before driving away!!!

What size frame do you ride?

[steelbikerider]

I put a couple of 3/8 eye bolts with a 1 " diameter eye into the studs. I run 2 - 6 foot cables through the frame. It won't stop a determined thief but it keeps the bikes from rolling away if I leave the door open. I also run a u lock through an eyebolt for my best wheelsets not on a bike.

[buddybikes]

looks interesting

https://hiplok.com/product-category/secure-storage/

[gbcoupe]

Originally Posted by steelbikerider

I put a couple of 3/8 eye bolts with a 1 " diameter eye into the studs. I run 2 - 6 foot cables through the frame. It won't stop a determined thief but it keeps the bikes from rolling away if I leave the door open. I also run a u lock through an eyebolt for my best wheelsets not on a bike.

This sounds like a good way to go. I'll do that or something like, when we move and lose the basement.

[.RJ]

put a GPS tracker (like Tile) in the seat tube of all of the bikes and make sure they're covered to full value on your homeowners insurance policy.

If someone came looking for them they'll likely take them unless they're bolted to the wall. The rest isnt worth worrying about.

[Ken Robb]

I used to secure my motorcycle with HEAVY case hardened chain and HEAVY Master padlocks with case hardened shackles. When I lived in an apartment I wrapped the chain through the frame and around a concrete pillar. When I bought a home it lived in my patio behind a locked gate and the chain was looped around a gas pipe. Happily no thief tried using a cutting tool on a gas pipe. If you figure out how you want to mount the chains you can buy whatever length you need from an industrial supply business. You might like to have 2 or 3 separate chains to make locking/unlocking easier.

[Ken Robb]

There have been quite a few cases of illegal entry to garages "secured" by typical electric openers. The crooks bend a hook in the end of a stiff wire (coat hanger?) and thread it through the gap at the top of the door, hook the T-Handle emergency door relief and pull on it to disconnect the opener from the door. Then they just lift the door up for entry. It's probably a good idea to remove the handle or tape it up so it can't be snagged from outside the garage.

[Morgul Bismark]

Originally Posted by OtayBW

I just moved to a place that has an electric garage door opener. Never had one before. I've got 5 bikes in there, and just about every morning I open the door, jump in my truck, and drive away, forgetting to close the door.

So, for me, the start for securing bikes in the garage would be to remember to close the damn door before driving away!!!

Chamberlin makes a WiFi garage door opener that gets connected to the MyQ app on your phone. You can then use the app to check the open/close status of the garage door along with the history of open/close times. The app also lets you open/close your garage door remotely.

[C40_guy]

I locked bikes in my last garage with big-ass eyebolts and heavy cables.

Here's a couple of other thoughts...

• Change your Strava settings so your start/finish location is obscured
  
• Use motion sensor lights to surprise people, outside and inside
  
• Use a motion sensor outlet to turn on a radio when someone enters the garage
  
• Put alarm signs on your windows and in your front yard
  
• Get replacement value insurance and document everything with extensive video
  
• Move

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by Morgul Bismark

Chamberlin makes a WiFi garage door opener that gets connected to the MyQ app on your phone. You can then use the app to check the open/close status of the garage door along with the history of open/close times. The app also lets you open/close your garage door remotely.

We have this system. Only weird thing is bc you can open and close the garage door from anywhere in the world when you close it via your iPhone it’s beeps for about 3 seconds warning anyone in the garage that it is closing. Kinda annoying, however we don’t use openers anymore which I think is more secure.

[ti_or_die]

+5 on this: “Change your Strava settings so your start/finish location is obscured”

I never start my Garmin close to my house as well. I never store my bikes in the garage; they are in the basement with two-tiered bike rack systems.