Urgent - Safe parking place in London

So, as a few of you may remember I've just moved to a new flat. My bike has been parked outside for 4 nights over the course of a week.

Today I've come home from work and discovered some **** has stolen the cover off the bike. Can't see any attempt to remove either the disc lock or the chain lock but its put the wind right up me. Don't think I'll sleep very well with it parked outside.

Now, if they had genuine intentions of stealing the bike I'm fairly certain they wouldn't have taken the cover, because its a pretty obvious red flag but who knows whether they'll go home, thinking about it and realise that if they bring Paddy's work van they'll be able to pick it up and take it away.

So if anyone has a bike shaped spot in their garage they'd be willing to exchange for a few beer tokens, even only for a week or two while I figure out what to do, I'd be massively grateful.

Edit: In London is optional, I'll settle for somewhere I can get back to London from reasonable easily.

A friend from work has just gotten back to me and said I can put it in his garage for the next day or two. Now to decide what to do with the bike in the longer term.

Going to try applying to the council for a garage but I imagine they are like hen's teeth around here. Failing that there are some push bike stores around the back of the block but I'm not 100% sure the bike would fit in those and I'd still need to figure out how to get the keys for them.

Part of me wonders whether I should just sell the bloody thing and be done with it.

[Littlepeahead]

Put a note through a few neighbours letter boxes who have garages, see if any can rent you some space, or even park on a drive, better than on street.

Garages in this part of London are pretty thin on the ground. I believe the ones at the back of the block here are council owned. I would have the second level of priority for them (being not a council tenant, but living in the block) but I can't imagine people give them up that often. Will see if I spot any neighbours with garages though.

It isn't actually on the street. More of a residential parking area...

I dont know what your drive/parking is like so this may be totatlly useless if its on road but what about making your own deterrent, in a concrete block anchor to chain the bike to? Think i saw it in here, one the the massive builders buckets with a u shaped bit of metal in to lock up to..may work if u have off road parking but im guessing not

I dont know what your drive/parking is like so this may be totatlly useless if its on road but what about making your own deterrent, in a concrete block anchor to chain the bike to? Think i saw it in here, one the the massive builders buckets with a u shaped bit of metal in to lock up to..may work if u have off road parking but im guessing not

Yeah, I've thought of that Stu, but I don't know how you make it heavy enough that it isn't just a minor inconvenience for someone who's come prepared to pick up all 180kg of bike and toss it in a van. If you do, it becomes quite an immovable object.

I'll speak to the council tomorrow about the bike sheds / garages and figure out if they are likely to ever be available. If not I'm going to spend some cash on a ground anchor, an almax chain and a couple of paving slabs.

[rictus01]

as a temporary measure you might want to find a drain at the curb, loop a decent chain through it, not only is it bloody heavy it's already fixed in.

I'd contact Richmond council when I was looking for somewhere to put my bike they had garages in Kew, okay yes they will break balls over the cost (kinda expenseive there) however its the best part of town around there and close. Not sure about where u r, as in whats okay ect never lived there.

Cheers MetalMonkey, I've just moved to Ealing so not too far from Kew. Not sure if they'll rent to someone from a different council though? Doesn't hurt to find out I guess.

Oh, and that is a good tip rictus. Will keep that in mind.