to want my bike left unlocked in a locked shed?

[LapCatLicker]

I think I'm IANBU but DH doesn't agree. We live in a mid-terrace with a small enclosed back garden which abut another row of terraces along the back with enclosed gardens. The only way to get into our garden is to go through our house or climb into our neighbours gardens and then climb the tall fences on all 3 sides. We have a shed in our garden where we keep our bikes, the shed has a lock. The shed is only 2 years old so it's very robust.
DH and I have an ongoing feud about whether our bikes need to also be locked with a U-lock when they're in the shed, behind a locked door. I say no and don't lock my bike up in the shed, mostly because it's just one more faff in the morning to get the damn thing out and through the house when I'm in a rush. DH locks his bike to the shelving in the shed and usually locks DS's bike too. Fine with me, his bike, his rules and DS doesn't use his daily.

This morning, I come out to find my bike locked up separately which DH said was because that was what 'normal' people would do in order for it not to get stolen. He mistakenly gave me the wrong key to open the lock (he has a thing for locks, we've got dozens) and had a paddy when I came back in to tell him it didn't fit as he insisted he gave me the correct key. He was slightly chastened when he went out and discovered that no, I'm not a complete moron and can tell when a key most certainly doesn't fit. He apologised for the paddy.

I've told him many times not to lock up my bike as 1) it delays me and stresses me out in the mornings before work 2) it IS locked already and 3) Anyone who is so desperate to climb over 2 tall fences with 6 houses overlooking, break into our shed and then carry the 7 year old granny bikes back over the 2 tall fences are welcome to them.
Tell me that I'm not BU, would you lock your bike in this situation?

I would probably lock it if it would be a serous hardship to replace if it was stolen. So it depends on how expensive it is and whether you'd claim on home insurance etc.

I probably wouldn't have a bike that expensive though.

DH is pretty careful about things like this and hasn't locked his inside the shed. It was £350.

Our expensive bikes are locked up in our locked garage as it's an insurance condition.
Our commuting bikes are not. I think the limit for bikes needing to be itemised and locked vs just in the garage was £200.

Oh bugger, he says it is. Sorry. He also says sheds are easy to break into.

Yes I'd lock my bike in this situation. We have big, robust metal bike lockers and I had my bike inside a locked one of those. It was stolen. I now ensure the bikes are locked up inside whatever they're locked in because it'll slow thieves down enough that they might not bother.

People steal all sorts of things you would be surprised by. I'm sure someone would carry your 7 year old granny bike over 2 fences if they felt so inclined. Make it as difficult as possible for them.

It's your choice but we live in the same situation and ours are locked into the locked shed. But if the time saved in the morning balances against the inconvenience of replacing them it's up to you.

I would not keep a bike that I didn't want stolen in a shed, locked or otherwise, so the question is can you self insure the risk of not having the bike in the morning, and the cost of replacement. If you can justify it, then locking is not necessary, if you can't, then the precaution is wise.

From your description, your bike is unlikely to be stolen and if it wouldn't be a disaster to replace a '7 year old granny bike' in the unlikely event it was stolen, I probably wouldn't bother locking it, other than in the shed.

My mountain bike was stolen and it was locked up with a big fuck off lock and chain in a locked shed, but it was a ££££ full susser with night riding lights on it that were worth more than the average granny bike.

If DP hadn't been out on his bike with his mate, they would have had his too. We suspect I was followed home with the bike on the bike rack and targetted - power tools were used to break into the outhouse and cut the chain. Insurance paid out quickly though.

Is it insured?
I probably wouldn't lock it.

I don't lock my expensive mower - it's in a locked shed in my secure garden. It's covered by my insurance

Thanks for your replies, I possibly ABU. My bike is probably worth very little now and I accept the risk that it might not be there in the morning for the convenience of having it ready to go when I need it. It isn't even worth the excess on our insurance I bet so there would be no point in claiming for it anyway. Its worth is in my speedy commute to work (20 min) and getting a bit of fitness at the same time but there is also a direct bus. For me to have it locked in the shed is just another barrier to cycling and I would end up choosing the bus more often because I can't cope with faffy-stressy mornings.

Quite a few of my neighbours have metal lock boxes in their front gardens for their bikes, which I would prefer, but I realise that the risk of those getting broken into is much higher and agree with DH that it would be tempting fate. (even though it would be sooooooooooooo much easier and we wouldn't have to wend our way through our teeny tiny house banging into walls every time we took the bikes in or out)

If there was a way to have it locked inside the shed without having to contort myself past all the garden tools and search around in the dark for the bloody keyhole then I would probably do it. Any tips to make it easier?

When we had a stone garage separate to the house we sank a big ring into the floor and had bikes chained up with motorbike chains! Now we have a cellar garage under the house we dont chain them. PPs are correct - people will nick anything and a shed is barely any protection. I know girls that have been followed and knocked off their bikes to have them stolen. Robbers breaking into houses to get the keys for the sheds and garages while the owners slept upstairs or watched TV. Bike thieves are pretty motivated unfortunately.

We've had our bikes stolen from the shed twice and 2 more known attempts failed. We now lock inside the shed, despite high fences and multiple pad locks on the door. When we replace the shed we are getting one with extra security features and some kind of stand to chain the bikes to.

It wouldn't even occur to me to lock my bike inside my shed or garage! Tell him to leave your bike alone. If he locks yours up again, get all the locks you can and lock his up

If there was a way to have it locked inside the shed without having to contort myself past all the garden tools and search around in the dark for the bloody keyhole then I would probably do it. Any tips to make it easier

Tidier shed and better lighting? If the bike is used every day, it shouldn't be buried behind gardening tools that are used much less often. Bigger shed?

But if a lot of your neighbours have front garden bike boxes and the bikes don't get stolen, perhaps the risk is relatively low? If the front garden boxes are visible from the street, thieves might not bother because they don't want to get seen. They steal things from the sides and backs of houses because they can fiddle about with doors and locks without being seen.

If you got a front garden box, had a lock inside it, it would be much easier. I couldn't be doing with dragging a bike through the house twice a day.

I keep my bike in the locked garage. The bike is not locked.

It's up to you if you find it easier not to lock it. If it's not an expensive bike and it's not an insurance condition to lock it, then why bother?

A determined thief will steal a bike if they've managed to get into a locked shed.

YANBU I'm in a similar situation, mid-terrace house with bikes in a shed in the back garden. We don't lock ours within the shed. As I understand it, our insurance would pay out if a bike was stolen as long as the shed itself was locked.

My theory is that step-through 'ladies' frame bikes are less likely to get stolen because they are not appealing to the teenage boys most likely to steal them.

Your DH is BU for ignoring your clearly expressed wishes. It's your bike, so it's your call.

A combination lock so you don't have to fuss with getting the right key and finding the keyhole?

Perhaps you should padlock everything else in the shed, see how annoying he finds it when he wants to use the lawnmower etc and has to faff about looking for correct key - will he feel as security conscious about everything else?

YABU - my bike was stolen from our locked shed, when it wasn't locked up inside the shed. Similar set up (terraced houses though with access at back), and the thieves had gone down the street kicking in shed doors until they found something to steal. If it had been locked it would have slowed them down a bit/ encouraged them to try another shed with an easier target.

It honestly would not occur to me to lock up my bike in my locked shed. My bike is not expensive but our garden would be much easier to access than yours.

I mean... how much longer does it actually take to unlock it in the morning? If you put the key on the shed keyring, you've even already got the key in your hands... Doesn't seem worth arguing over, really, and it IS safer to lock it up (plus it could be a condition of your insurance).

Just a quick "cautionary tale" DH's bike was in our locked shed, which could only be accessed by climbing over 2 six foot walls, through other peoples gardens (we are surrounded by gardens, so the only way in is though another garden and over 2 walls)

He no longer has a bike. Our bikes now go in the more secure garage which is alarmed with the house or D locked in the shed.

I have similar set up to you. Bikes in garage which is always locked on the side that faces the street and (usually) locked on the door that faces the garden. Lived in the house for 15 years and never occurred to me to lock the bikes when they are behind locked doors. Never had one get nicked.

(Have probably tempted fate by posting this.)

Your bike your choice unless you expect your DH to be responsible financially in the very unlikely event it is stolen.

Nice one @Palace2 I would do that but I'm the chief gardener and DIYer in our house. Maybe I'll lock up his Playstation controls inside a locked cupboard and see how he likes it .
@BarbaraofSeville, this is already shed 2.0 which is bigger and has a frosted plexi window for light. You should have seen the old one, it came with the house.... 20 yrs ago! I keep it as tidy as possible for unobstructed bike access but it's still a rather tight fit.
@peachgreen, you're right it doesn't necessarily add on too much time but my motivation to cycle can be killed pretty easily.

I'll concede that a locked bike inside a locked shed is safer and with that in mind will give DH the green light to lock up my bike when we go on holiday. I'm still going to risk it during the week though.

We have a thing which hangs the bikes on the wall. Easy to lift on and then lock onto the attachment. It's on a wall rather than a shed but am sure the principle holds. Would that work?

I think you should lock your bike as the hassle of the morning you go out and it's not there you have to report to police tidy the mess and then get the bus is more of a faff than just locking it.