The Asgard Annexe Plus E is Asgard’s new, bigger e-bike (and other bike) storage offering. It’s a reassuringly solid bike shed you can trust to keep your bikes safe, even in front of your house.
> Buy now: Asgard Annexe Plus E for £915 from Asgard
In my part of East London, Asgard sheds are popping up like daisies in springtime – after all, theft is rife and indoor storage space in a city is at a premium. The company is suitably busy fitting them. Ewan McGregor had one installed for his motorbike while he was filming in London, shortly before mine. With secure on-street bike parking shelters provided by councils, aka Bikehangars, few and far between, urban dwellers who want to keep hold of their steeds but don’t want to walk them through or store them in their homes, should find these a handy alternative – albeit with a bit of a price tag.
The Annexe Plus E is big! My three medium-sized bikes – a road, a gravel and a commuter – fit comfortably facing the same way. Another one could join them, if it wanted.
This is about as high-security a bike shed as you can buy, off the shelf. It’s made (in Britain) from reinforced, galvanised steel panels, including the built-in floor, with no bolts visible or accessible from the outside. The shed feels reassuringly sturdy, too – both in terms of construction and material, with thick metal panels, solid bolts on the doors and a key-operated lock, built-in. It would take a concerted effort and some serious power tools for thieves to get inside. Indeed Asgard provides videos on its website of test break-ins, held in the controlled environment of its warehouses. You can watch (and listen) agog as a large man with a blurred-out face goes at the shed with chisel and screwdriver, to no avail.
In the videos, he attacks the doors, the lock and the side panels, with real gusto. He huffs and he puffs, but the house does not fall down. For aficionados, there’s also a list of tools and equipment used to try and break in, simulating an ‘opportunistic attack’ (including, curiously, a ‘flexible plastic coupon’). This helped gain the Annexe (along with Asgard’s Centurion and Gladiator models) the Loss Prevention Certification Board rating of 1, which is the entry level of accreditation but no doubt worth having. This means insurers will be happy to cover bikes stored inside, and some may even give you a reduced premium for it. Sheds are also certified by the UK Locksmiths Association.
There’s a metal floor to prevent lifting, which you need to bolt down to be LPCB compliant – not that many thieves would easily be able to lift its 27 stone weight, anyway. Among the rave reviews on Asgard’s website is a photo of an Asgard shed handle after an attempted break-in – paint scratch aside, the shed’s security was not breached.
Looks-wise, it’s pleasingly sleek and unfussy. There are quality design details like a rain lip over the door to prevent drips getting inside and ventilation to prevent condensation buildup, so long as the holes aren’t blocked by being up against a wall or anything.
Many Asgard owners customise their sheds – one practical measure being insulation. Being on the sunny side of the house, I probably won’t get mine wired up or store an e-bike battery in there, because there’s almost no shade and it gets very hot. Indeed, Asgard recommends siting the shed in the shade, with good ventilation around it. I have the wooden subfloor insert and have leant the backs of former wardrobes between the metal walls and any bits of bike that risked touching, just in case something melted in the summer sun. So far it’s gone through a brief heatwave without incident. You could also fit a sedum or similar roof to it, should you want. There’s also a cream colourway.
Various accessories are available, including shelves, hooks, LED lights and freestanding bike stands. You can buy a package of the above. Asgard will also install it for you, for another £250. Asgard staff came and fitted mine and were both delightful and fast.
Verdict
Top notch secure bike shed with good looks to match
> Buy now: Asgard Annexe Plus E for £915 from Asgard
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Asgard Annexe Plus E
Size tested: 3 bikes
Tell us what the product is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
A roomy, solid metal bike shed for storing three, possibly four bikes and/or e-bikes – depending on the size of those bikes. It’s aimed at the security-conscious market, those who want to store their bikes in the front (or back) garden, who might want to charge an e-bike or lights and other electrical accessories or parts in there. I found it met the high expectations set by the company’s reputation, and the marketing bumf. I honestly didn’t expect to feel safe keeping three of my bikes in front of my house, but I did.
Asgard says: “The Annexe Plus E is the same super-strong Police Approved Specification as our best-selling standard Annexe bike shed, only bigger! Store 3 or more bikes in this extended, heavy-duty bike shed. Up to 4 electric bikes can be stored in this shed (please check the size of your bikes before purchase), including e-bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, road bikes, and more! Get all of your riding gear stored safely away.
“As with all Asgard products, this police preferred specification bike store has been designed and made in Britain from reinforced, galvanized (weatherproof) steel panels. Featuring an integral, built-in, full metal floor (that can be bolted down for further security). Locking is taken care of courtesy of 5-point locking double doors (with internal steel deadbolts) and EN1303-rated pick-and-drill resistant locks. Inside the solid steel enclosure, you will find handy electrical mounting plates so you can add power – perfect for charging your e-bike overnight and ready for the early morning ride.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Not only is it police security (Secured by Design) rated, but it’s insurance tested and rated by the Loss Prevention Certification Board to Level 1, rating the shed as suitable for domestic and lower commercial settings, so long as the unit, with its integrated steel floor, is bolted to the ground.
Unlike other metal or indeed wooden sheds on the market, you don’t need to buy extra locks, or lock the bike inside the shed. There’s one door lock, which operates a rigid bolt system that fixes one door, top and bottom, and two dead bolts, also top and bottom, on the other door. That steel shrouded lock is EN1303-rated pick and drill-resistant. The shed comes with two keys, and a barcode tag for ordering more. The hinges are reinforced, there are additional roof clips to prevent thieves from forcing the roof.
There are holes for wiring up plug sockets inside the shed, either side of the door. You’d need a qualified electrician to fit these, particularly as rain and wiring are a risky combination.
Some users report paint fading after many years in full sun, which is probably natural – and re-paintable – otherwise more than one user quoted on Asgard’s website referred to a ten-year old shed that was still going strong, aesthetically and in terms of use. If anything does go wrong, there’s a 10-year warranty. Mine hasn’t yet gone through one winter, so I’ll have to report back later on that.
At 176kg, or 27 stone, according to Asgard, this is no lightweight shed – the heavy-duty, thick galvanised steel is all part of its security. No one, short of a crane operator or the Hulk, is likely to be able to lift it.
Given you can get a (decent) wooden shed without any of the security features for not much less than an Asgard, I’d rate the value as very good. That said, once you add shelves, hooks, flooring, etc, the costs can escalate. This is, however, a premium product, with users reporting good customer service, parts replacement options and general aftercare, and, well, you get what you pay for. If you value your bikes and want to avoid their theft, I’d say it’s worth splashing the cash. Ditto for something that clearly lasts a long time.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
The shed performed very well, securely keeping my bikes inside, free from weather or theft. It looks great in situ, too.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
It’s a good quality, reassuring presence in the front garden, which saves me from dragging my bikes indoors and into the back garden, while keeping my bikes safe from weather and thieves.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Trying to be quiet when unlocking the bolts first thing in the morning or late at night, as metal on metal is very clangy. I’m sure some strategically-placed foam would stop this racket.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes – very much so.
Would you consider buying the product? Asgard sheds are worth buying, if you can afford them.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes I would.
Use this box to explain your overall score
An excellent premium product among a stable of Asgard products that are popular with good reason. Cycle theft is a blight, weather is a bike destroyer and this shed niftily prevents both of those things from taking their toll.
About the tester
Age: 43 Height: 167cm Weight: 62kg
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I’ve been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding:
9 thoughts on “Asgard Annexe Plus E”
Again another product that’s
Again another product that’s out of reach for most wonderful non real world article road.cc
Born_peddling wrote:
I don’t understand this comment, what do you mean? It seems like a very effective, decent value & quality bike storage unit for people who don’t have gardens, garages, spare rooms etc in their home. Certainly cheaper than moving house in my opinion.
Born_peddling wrote:
Many people state that having nowhere to store bikes is one of the biggest blocks to them commuting by bike. A couple living in London and commuting by train from Zone 3 to Zone 1 would pay well over £4000 a year for their travel, so for anyone thinking of switching to bike commuting they would only have to ride in the summer months of a single year for the savings they made to pay for this. That’s quite real world.
I agree- looks excellent to
I agree- looks excellent to me, and I would get one like a shot if I lived in the appropriate circumstances
Plus, the reviewer says in
Plus, the reviewer says in the very first line that “Asgard sheds are popping up like daisies in springtime”, which doesn’t really chime with them being unattainable for ‘normal people’.
Financially – I think there’s
Financially – I think there’s a Sam Vimes point though – it might save you money overall, but you need to have £1k up front (or access to finance) to buy it, whereas public transport can be PAYG.
Spatially – it could still be out of practical reach for those who live in flats unless they can persuade the landlord to install / accept one.
I am however in the market for one in the near future and this looks great.
Fair point, although in that
Fair point, although in that case I would say commute to work by bike and put up just for two months with having the bike(s) squashed in the flat (I’ve lived in some tiny places, there’s always been room for a bike somewhere even if it’s in the bath!), put the train fare you would’ve spent away somewhere every day/week/month and at the end of the two months you have saved enough to buy one. Of course much more difficult for renters although a landlord with a long-term view or to consider installing one if requested, raise the rent by £10 a week (or maybe come to an agreement with the tenant that they pay half and the landlord pays half) and it’ll be paid for in under two years and you’ve got a real asset that would attract additional rent in future.
Asgard sheds and stores are
Asgard sheds and stores are excellent products. We have had a bike store (actually used for garden equipment storage) for over 10 years. Looks as new and has had zero maintenance in that time.
Self- assembly was ok. If doing it again I’d try to have multiple electric screwdrivers and sockets/bits to save time (there are lots of screws!).
Ours is bolted from the inside into concrete paving slabs. It would need a crane to lift it. We also added some lining board to reduce the likelihood of scratches and avoid metal-metal banging. I think Asgard can supply boards, we had our own from another project.
If you can afford a decent bike (motorbike, mower, power tools,….) then you can afford one of these.
We have an Asgard shed, and
We have an Asgard shed, and overall, it has been brilliant.
I’d strongly recommend that you make sure the base it is going to be put on is perfectly level, as small slopes can make levelling with the tabs supplied a time-consuming process. A concrete slab is probably best.
If you have one and live next to the sea, the 10-year anti-corrosion warranty does not apply. So regular upkeep is necessary to prevent rust.
But even with that, I would still buy one again.