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My 29er Asgard got broken into last night with surprising ease - they pried up the lid slightly then just bolt cropped through the tabs that attached the lid to the walls with a padlock. Fortunately I had a ground anchor and motorbike chain inside and they didn't defeat that.
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I'm thinking about an alternative, as even if this could be repaired its complete lack of resistance to thieves isn't going to help in future.
As a result I'm looking at the Asgard 3 bike Police Approved shed which doesn't have a lid to pry open and uses a proper barrel lock and pins for the doors. Problem is, I had three 29ers in the shed and don't think they'll fit in the smaller shed. Has anyone managed to fit three 29ers in there? They're not mega long and I don't mind removing wheels if it means my bikes aren't nicked.
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Does anyone have any alternatives that would be more secure? Living in a flat in central Edinburgh means they can't live inside. I'm half tempted to build something equivalent out of breeze blocks but don't think I could make the roof or doors secure enough unless someone has some tips for that.
I'd be sending those pics to Asguard and see what they say. A minimum of a discount off a new one.
Is there anyway you could add some more metalwork to the lid and lock areas to make it more robust?.
Was it alarmed?
Fasthaggis - it was't alarmed. My new one will be. I'm sure you could add some metalwork, but I'm not sure how and where you could do that whilst also making the interface thin enough to fit a padlock through. Our garden shed is rotting anyway so what we might do is keep this as a garden shed and buy a new bike shed.
Fossy - I suspect they'll say it's user error (because UK customer service) but I'll try.
Asgard got broken into last night with surprising ease –
The only surprising thing about asgard sheds is how many people put unrealistic amounts of faith in them. I bought mine as I lived in a ground floor flat with no locks on the windows and a rubbish front door. The asgard was adding some value to that but only a certain amount.
Does anyone have any alternatives that would be more secure?
It's worth taking a step back. This safe weighs 24kg and has a Valuables guarantee limit similar to 3 very posh bikes ( OK so Mor than 3 posh bikes but bear with me)
In order to be the same size as an Asgard it would need to be 27 times as big, ie around 640kg.
It's just not realistic to expect something that big to be thief proof at that price.
Cheap, light, big, secure .... pick 3 🙂
Wow. Sorry to hear about the attempted theft. At least they failed.
Would an extra flap of steel along that front edge, partially overlapping the lock shrouds, perhaps prevent them accessing the tabs? Might be an idea for Asgard to update their design to prevent this type of attack method.
I have one myself and might now look at making some adaptions...
I’m half tempted to build something equivalent out of breeze blocks but don’t think I could make the roof or doors secure enough unless someone has some tips for that.
How about a combination of the two? - surrounded by a breeze Wall which prevents access to the face edge and therefore the lid being lifted or the tabs being attacked without removing the wall would solve much of that, easy enough to leave access to the locks themselves through an aperture in the wall and once unlocked could be lifted with an easily affixed handle or from inside.
A breeze /brick surround with a scaf pole threaded through a hole over the lid, drilled and locked at either end would also be a noisy pita to attack. It would however be a pita to use too.
In either of the above a hinged lid with a hasp to stop it flapping about would do wonders for the aesthetic if nothing at all for the security
Do you need the roof to lift? The above with a simple osb roof would actually not look too bad
In order to be the same size as an Asgard it would need to be 27 times as big, ie around 640kg.
If my maths is to be trusted the asguard(950x2300x1240) is roughly 3.5*6.5*6.5 times the dimensions of that safe (300x360x300)
So 147 about times bigger in terms of volume.
your safe would have a surface area roughly 175 times greater than the original. So assuming the same thickness and types of materials a weight of a similar order greater. So 2.3 tonne roughly.
wow never heard of one being broken into before. Sounds very much like these guys knew how to defeat it. I'll look at mine but I don't think you can lift the lid high enough to get something in the gap to attack the lock - did you only have one side locked?
Both sides were locked - they only busted one side, then they were able to pry the lid up further which meant they could open the front doors.
Asgard have offered to sell me replacement parts which is actually pretty good, the I'll do what was suggested above and get metal strip put along the front to prevent access to the tabs. I assume I'd have to find someone with a welder to do that (any ideas in Edinburgh?).
The Police approved 3 bike version looks like this type of break in wouldn't be possible, I think it's just this design with a lid that must be very easy to get into.
I'll probably get a second even bigger chain too.
Anyone got any idea about the legality of hooking it up to a car battery? If the whole thing is like a big electric fence that'd stop the casual thief (and hopefully keep the neighbours' cats off it).
Asgard have offered to sell me replacement parts which is actually pretty good, the I’ll do what was suggested above and get metal strip put along the front to prevent access to the tabs. I assume I’d have to find someone with a welder to do that (any ideas in Edinburgh?).
A welder could do it but you're going to destroy the paint. Coach bolts (smooth head out) would do it fine too Id think?
Anyone got any idea about the legality of hooking it up to a car battery?
Well there's the whole booby trapping stuff is illegal, even in the USA, side of things.
There's also the it's not likely to do anything - except maybe get the shed quite hot...
But it means I've an excuse to link this at least Inverse link
Reddit link (I've not followed it - it's walled and needs an account or in app (no desire to install) confirmation to view so may not be the original)
Anyone got any idea about the legality of hooking it up to a car battery? If the whole thing is like a big electric fence that’d stop the casual thief (and hopefully keep the neighbours’ cats off it).
Absolutely a don't do it. Obvs you're under Scottish laws, but in England you'd open yourself up to prosecution if someone was injured or harmed by it. You can't set out to intentionally injure someone, even if they're committing a crime at the time. You're not allowed to commit a crime to prevent another one taking place. See glass mortared onto walls or booby traps
Alternatively if it fits maybe a container lock is the way to go. That would fit around the tab, which could prevent getting a bolt cropper in at all... On second thoughts that wont work. Key would be coming in horizontally.
I would think asgard should be giving you a hefty discount on a brand new one, and have the old one back to understand how it was defeated and improve their design. they are trading on these being super secure, and it seems it isn't
We fit two commuter bikes in the 3 bike police approved one. They fit comfortably, but it would get tight with 3 in there. Internal footprint is only 1725mm x 807mm, so I think you'd struggle with 3 modern 29ers.
On the security front I've always thought an angle grinder to the hinges would be the easiest way to attack one, but it would be noisy.
Anyone got any idea about the legality of hooking it up to a car battery? If the whole thing is like a big electric fence that’d stop the casual thief (and hopefully keep the neighbours’ cats off it).
stunningly illegal (sadly)
could you remove it, and all evidence of it, before the police came?
I just took a look at mine, lifting the lid gives a gap of about 5mm, too narrow for croppers surely. Only way would maybe a multi tool with a long metal cutter which would be noisy and time consuming. don't think a disc cutter would have the depth, and tbh if you have one of those you'd just go through the dopor.
A padlock with a thicker shaft would mean the lid can be lifted up less (one of mine is an alarmed one, and one the disc ones they sell with it). would be more fiddly to fit.
What is the chain you use? A good sign if it can resist whatever tool they used to break the lid
wow never heard of one being broken into before. Sounds very much like these guys knew how to defeat it.
FFS even I could probably get onto an Asgard without much trouble if I wanted to, and I'm not criminally inclined. Just because it's a recognised brand name doesn't mean its secure. C'mon, how much security are you people expecting on a fairly lightweight metal box with an exposed surface area of around 8m^2...
If my maths is to be trusted the asguard(950x2300x1240) is roughly 3.5*6.5*6.5 times the dimensions of that safe (300x360x300)
So 147 about times bigger in terms of volume.
Agreed. Not directly relevant, but agreed anyway
your safe would have a surface area roughly 175 times greater than the original. So assuming the same thickness and types of materials a weight of a similar order greater. So 2.3 tonne roughly.
Not agreed. LargeObectInSurfaceAreaIncreasesFasterThanVolumeShocker!
How on earth would surface area change be greater than volume change?
Could you not build a cage out of the old style dexion shelving around it for example?
How on earth would surface area change be greater than volume change?
Easy. [s] Just hit the wrong buttons on your calculator.[/s] Account for the inward deflection of the larger panels under their own weight, the curvature increases the surface area whilst decreasing the internal volume.
I mean, duh, any fule kno that.
For an alternative method, use the wrong width, spot your mistake, correct the first paragraph not the second...
It was an Oxford motorbike chain.
I never expected it to be impenetrable but I did expect it to make a clang that woke all the neighbours when it was broken into (like it does every time I want to get a bike out of it at 6.30am). Looking at the cut it's definitely been cropped - it's a single cut on each side.
Asgard bike shed. Shouts 'nice bike here!'
Bin store. Who's interested in a wheelie bin?
I'd repair the bike shed and then build a slatted style bin store around it that also locks discretely, could even get some black paint and outline a wheelie bin on the Asguard so you can see a 'bin' inside! I'd also take the bikes out for a bit incase they come back better equipped for your locks as it would appear to be a well planned/intelligent attack
How about building walls with blocks and a poured concrete roof reinforced by steel and have steel security doors - https://www.lathamssteeldoors.co.uk/ ?
spooky_b329
Full MemberAsgard bike shed. Shouts ‘nice bike here!’
Bin store. Who’s interested in a wheelie bin?
I’d repair the bike shed and then build a slatted style bin store around it that also locks discretely, could even get some black paint and outline a wheelie bin on the Asguard so you can see a ‘bin’ inside! I’d also take the bikes out for a bit incase they come back better equipped for your locks as it would appear to be a well planned/intelligent attack
^^very much this^^
I’d repair the bike shed and then build a slatted style bin store around it that also locks discretely,
sounds like a good idea.
also get an alarm on the binstore lock, rather than the asgard one - so the alarm will be going off before they get to the time consuming metal bit.
To the original question, it seems the guy who decides how many bikes go in each shed model is also the guy who says how many people can sleep in a tent and how many servings are in a christmas pudding.
3 mtbs in the "4 bike" shed I have requires careful alignment, and top & tailing them. The off set side entry door will make that harder, so I'd say 2 bikes max in that "3 bike" version.
My worry would be that they'll be back now they know you've got something unless they think it's too risky. I think I've had three, maybe four attempts on my sheds. The only time they were successful was the first. After the subsequent attempts I beefed the shed up, added a big chain, alarm and two chunky locks. They haven't bothered it for a good few years now. The last time they tried they set the alarm off before doing too much damage. They'll always look around for an easier option. With the extra security it's still only two or three minutes to get a bike out. Not sure that helps you but I reckon with any shed you just need to have as many different layers of security as possible. An alarm on its own is no good if they can just wheel the bikes out once the alarm goes off. If they then have a chain or locks to get through whilst the alarm is bursting their eardrums and waking the neighbours then they're not going to hang around.
Anyone got any idea about the legality of hooking it up to a car battery? If the whole thing is like a big electric fence that’d stop the casual thief (and hopefully keep the neighbours’ cats off it).
12V battery won't do it, you need a car ignition coil and a contact breaker in the circuit as well.
Absolutely a don’t do it. Obvs you’re under Scottish laws, but in England you’d open yourself up to prosecution if someone was injured or harmed by it. You can’t set out to intentionally injure someone, even if they’re committing a crime at the time. You’re not allowed to commit a crime to prevent another one taking place. See glass mortared onto walls or booby traps
Obviously it's only done to keep the cat off it .......
apols - Daily Fail, but look at the Asgard damage:
I have a 5x7 shed (Flexstore), but does have extra locking bars on the door i fitted.
In terms of fitting bikes in I can get 4 in my tri-metals shed - similar to Asgard. Two 29ers and two road bikes. But I do have to take the front wheels off. No hassle really.
Car battery - 12V aren't they? Not lethal. Not even noticable TBH. You could use use one for a standalone alarm?
Could they not have fitted a 3 point lock with bars? Similar to the door locks but arranged horizontally on the lifting lid with the bars engaging in the sides. Central point a cam/hook.
There would also need to be some way of stopping rainwater entering the lock and freezing it.
I have the police approved 3 bike one
No chance of getting 3 29ers in there I'm afraid. Since it's 6' long a 29er only goes in with the bars turned slightly. Even 3 smaller bike was a tangle.
I wish they'd make a longer version of the police one as it's too short for my cargo bike. Looking at this I don't fancy getting the basic 29er one! Also two padlocks is a bit of a faff to get in and out.
Better still, Asgard could sell an embiggening kit to make it longer!
apols – Daily Fail, but look at the Asgard damage:
I went to click on that link forgetting I'd installed the "Tea and kittens" plug in - it just showed me a page of two kittens instead!
Better still, Asgard could sell an embiggening kit to make it longer!
If they could manage that I'm sure they'd no longer have to mess about with bike sheds for a living 😉
Better still, Asgard could sell an embiggening kit to make it longer!
If they could manage that I'm sure they'd no longer have to mess about with bike sheds for a living 😉
My 29er Asgard got broken into last night with surprising ease – they pried up the lid slightly then just bolt cropped through the tabs that attached the lid to the walls with a padlock. Fortunately I had a ground anchor and motorbike chain inside and they didn’t defeat that.
Your security is the ground anchor and chain... all the Asgard does it keep them dry and deter casual theft.
The Asgard offers zero protection to anyone that can get through the chain, they are designed to be opened by aviation snips FFS.