Bike Barns are outdoor secure multi-bike parking shelters. They make riding a bike more convenient by providing secure bike parking right at your doorstep.
Bike Barns’ design has 25+ years of continuous improvement to make it highly secure with a proven track record for durability. They are burglary-resistant as certified by SKG-IKOB — a Dutch certification organization for the building and real estate sector, and Politiekeurmerk Veilig Wonen (Police Hallmark for Safe Living) — an endorsement by the Dutch police and insurers as a product that protects against theft. The Dutch are light years ahead on all things bike!
Bike Barns’ innovative design incorporates:
- a fully enclosed unit that protects bikes from theft and vandalism;
- sides composed of strong expanded metal with solid steel bar reinforcement that allow for security as well as air flow;
- a powder-coated corrugated metal lid;
- gas spring arms for easy opening and closing of the lid;
- a high-security lock;
- hot-dipped galvanization of all metal components to ensure longevity;
- a proven functional lifespan of 25+ years, even in coastal areas;
- protection from the elements to keep bike seats dry; and
- an attractive design with a lower profile than most cars.
We offer two models that fit either four or six standard size adult bikes.
Whether you’re a homeowner looking to free up space inside your home by moving your bikes outside, you’re a business owner wanting to encourage biking to work, you’re from a municipal government aiming to increase bike trips, or you’re a residential property manager aiming to retain existing residents and bring in new ones, Bike Barns are the solution for you.
Select your group below for more specific information.
I’m a:
Homeowner
Business Owner
Municipality Representative
Residential Property Manager
Renter
Need more information? Contact us.
HOW IT WORKS
Open & Close
Bike Barns are easy to open and close due to their innovative design.
To open the lid:
1) lift the rain protection flap covering the lock
2) insert your key or login to our smartphone app
3) put your foot on the bottom bar
4) twist the key or place your smartphone next to the lock while stepping on the bottom bar to release the gas spring-activated lid
To close the lid:
1) pull the bottom bar or easy-reach cord down
2) step on the bottom bar to lock the unit in place
High/low bike racks are included inside the unit for space efficiency and additional security. They improve space efficiency by elevating the handlebar of every other bike such that the bikes won’t bump into each another, allowing their frames to be parked closer together.
SPECIFICATIONS
There are two models of Bike Barns — one for 4 bikes and one for 6 bikes. The 4-bike unit is 6′ wide x 7.7′ deep while the 6-bike unit is 8.4′ wide x 7.7′ deep.
There is a 5-year warranty on the powder-coated lid and 10-year on the remainder of the unit, outside of normal wear-and-tear.
A level concrete or asphalt surface is advised for installation for the lid. For slightly unlevel slopes, the unit’s adjustable feet allow for slopes of up to 1 foot over the length or depth of the unit; however, additional security bars would be needed to prevent a thief from crawling underneath.
High/low bike racks are included inside the unit for space efficiency and additional security. They improve space efficiency by elevating the handlebar of every other bike such that they won’t bump into each other, allowing their frames to be parked closer together. Also, the racks allow a bike’s frame and front wheel to be secured using a standard U-lock.
Need more information? Contact us.
HOMEOWNERS
Whether you don’t have enough space indoors for all your family’s bikes or your condo has a lackluster bike room (or no bike room at all), Bike Barns are the perfect solution to make biking easier for you by putting your bikes outside where you will use them.
Generally, no permit is needed for placement in your backyard; however, rules for back and front yard use vary, so it’s best to check the local regulations of your municipality.
Need more information? Contact us.
BUSINESSES
Outdoor bike racks are good for short-term parking under a couple of hours, but simply aren’t enough to protect bikes from theft and vandalism for employees with long-term bike parking needs. What better way to encourage your employees to bike to work than providing a safe and secure place to park their bikes once arriving at the office? Bike Barns do just that. Healthy, active bike commutes assist employees arrive to work energized and ready to tackle the day.
Need more information? Contact us.
MUNICIPALITIES
Outdoor bike racks are good for short-term parking under a couple of hours but simply aren’t enough to protect bikes from theft and vandalism for residents with long-term bike parking needs. Due to this, many experience bike theft and vandalism which discourages their use of a bike to get around. According to a study of Montreal residents, 50% of all active cyclists who responded have had their bike stolen and 7% of victims never replaced their bikes. Similar percentages are likely true for other North American cities. The problem that Bike Barns solves is they provide a long-term multi-bike parking solution for municipalities that want to offer secure places for residents’ bikes, thereby encouraging cycling for transport.
Your residents may experience hurdles that ultimately dissuade them from using their bike or using it more regularly. Some of these hurdles include:
- Not wanting to store their bike outside for fear of it getting stolen, vandalized, etc.
- Living in an older multi-family building that doesn’t have an elevator, making it a hassle to carry bike(s) downstairs to the street, and then back up when returning home.
- Living in a home that’s too small to store bikes.
- Feeling uncomfortable and vulnerable when to accessing one’s bike in a common bike room that’s dark and isn’t accessed often.
Bike-friendly cities in the Netherlands like Rotterdam and Utrecht have used Bike Barns for decades. Bike Barns are a type of fietstrommel (“bike drum”) which is spreading throughout Europe to many big and small cities, including Dublin, London, and Paris, where the municipalities want to encourage bike use and decrease bike theft. These cities have created networks of tens or hundreds of units and rent the parking spaces within the units to the public for a small fee. Customer rates in the Netherlands and the UK are between $5 – $11 per month per user which assist in the funding of the operational costs for the cities.
Municipalities install the bike drums on public right-of-way (both on-street and on-sidewalk) right where their residents live, making it convenient for them to access and regularly use their bikes.
High/low bike racks are included inside the unit for space efficiency and an additional level of security. They improve space efficiency by elevating the handlebar of every other bike such that the bikes won’t bump into each another, allowing their frames to be parked closer together.
Consider a Bike Barns program in your community to:
- Increase your bike mode share by making it easier to bike with secure bike parking at your residents’ doorsteps;
- demonstrate progress towards bike infrastructure improvements to your citizenry and elected officials;
- improve bike parking for many, including lower-income communities in older apartments with no elevator or bike room;
- improve the orderliness of parked bikes with a compact parking solution;
- implement within a matter of months; and
- assist your Bicycle Friendly Community status (for U.S. municipalities).
We also provide operations and maintenance services, such as:
• mobile app for the digital lock,
• subscription management,
• 24/7 call center,
• cleaning and maintenance, and
• graffiti removal.
Need more information? Contact us.
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES
There are many reasons why residential property managers may want to provide Bike Barns to their residents, including creating order of parked bikes, lack of a bike room, adding an amenity, decrease indoor wear and tear of the building, etc. Due to Bike Barns’ compact design for either 4 or 6 bikes, property managers have great flexibility as to where to install them. In fact, the 4-bike unit can fit within the width of a motor vehicle parking space.
Need more information? Contact us.
RENTERS
If you’re a renter, consider sharing this website with your municipality’s Department of Transportation as well as your landlord. More and more municipalities around the world are providing secure bike parking to their residents. Learn how many innovative municipalities do it and ask your local government to follow their lead.
Need more information? Contact us.