Anyone here have any experience witht the "Cycle Shell" bike shelter?

[old new biker]

I live in an apartment now, without a garage. I stored my bike in my son's garage over the winter, while trying to sell my house. I will be getting if back on the road in a week or to, and need shelter for it. I have a shared driveway and a back yard for possible placement.

I have looked at the Cycle Shelter, Cycle Shed, and the CYCLE SHELL. The Cycle Shell looks promising as it has a solid floor, requires no assembly, other than to anchor it down, and looks to be very easy to park in and pull up over the bike.

Curious if anyone here has or knows anyone that has had any experience with this product. The cruiser version goes for around $380 plus shipping, and the tourer, for bikes with a raised rear trunk, goes for around $425 plus shipping.

Check it out here: http://www.cycleshell.com/index.html

All comments welcome,
Thanks

[Motorcycle Forum]

[old new biker]

Well, I pulled the trigger on a Cycle Shell.
After a lot of reading about the Cycle Barn, Cycle Shelter, and Cycle Shell, it seems that the Cycle Shell, is by far the best way to go, in lieu of building a solid shed.

They want you to order by phone so that you get the correct size, so when I called, Mark, the owner answered and was very pleasant to deal with. I was told that these units were made to order, and he confirmed that, and that they are assembled right there from American made products. I also asked him about replacement parts (see the last paragraph below) and he stated that he sells parts basically at cost.

All owners of the Cycle Shell that I was able to read about in various forums as a result of several Google searches, probably about a dozen, seemed to be very happy with the product, while most of the owners of the other two were not so pleased with their purchase. The Cycle Barn has no floor, while the Cycle Shelter only has a fabric, tarp like floor, and both require a fair amount of “PITA” assembly. The only complaint that I saw about the Cycle Shelter was by a guy that had purchased the Cycle Barn, was not happy with it, and just assumed that they all sucked. I ignored that complaint for obvious reasons.

The Cycle Shell is American made, has a solid rotationally molded floor, and requires no assembly. It comes folded in half, so you lay it on the ground, unfold it, park your bike on it, and close it down over the bike, even with hot pipes. They even include 12" long anchors to anchor it down if you choose, and I will. The open half, once pulled closed, has two latches, and Velcro all around, that presses against the vertical edge of the hard floor for complete closure.

Many owners also said that it stood up very well to fairly heavy winds, and even snow. One guy said that a tree branch fell on his and broke one of the support hoops, and when he called the company, they sold him a new hoop and a 2' by 2' piece of the fabric, if he should need it for $25.

I will post back my thoughts, once it arrives and I have had a chance to use it for a bit.

[Water Warrior]

Seems like lot of money but what can you do ? You need to keep the bike away from the elements and playful hands of others. Looking forward to your user review after a few weeks,days,whatever occurs first.

[old new biker]

Seems like lot of money but what can you do ? You need to keep the bike away from the elements and playful hands of others. Looking forward to your user review after a few weeks,days,whatever occurs first.

Yes, it does seem like a lot of money, but I have a very nice, upstairs apartment, with a laundry room, for a very nice price, and my wife really likes it, so it’s kind of a wash in the end.

I do hope to find a house to rent, with a garage, by the time the snow flies, and I don’t hold great hopes for a nice large tight garage, like I used to have. So, if the garage is not as large, or as tight as it would need to be to truly protect the bike, I can put the shell in garage, and keep the bike covered from dust and rodents, as well as things that might accidentally fall into it without having to mess with a cover.

I also spent the extra $50 for the large Tourer version, so that when I have a larger bike, hopefully a C90 or LC 1500, by the end of this season, or beginning of next season, and if I put a trunk on it, I won't have to be concerned about it fitting. After all at $375 for the cruiser version, the extra $50 for the Tourer seemed like a no brainer.

[fear_cartaidh]

I have been very pleased with my cycleshell. I'm sure you will be too. I also live in an apartment with no covered parking. Around here we get freak snowstorms and a monsoon season where it rains daily. My cycle shell keeps the M dry and warm. It takes me less time to park than with a traditional stretchy cover and doesn't mar the paint.

NMc

[old new biker]

I have been very pleased with my cycleshell. I'm sure you will be too. I also live in an apartment with no covered parking. Around here we get freak snowstorms and a monsoon season where it rains daily. My cycle shell keeps the M dry and warm. It takes me less time to park than with a traditional stretchy cover and doesn't mar the paint.

NMc

I am still waiting, but it should be in later this week.

[skase98]

I saw these online and was curious since I don't have any place to park but the driveway. I've thought about getting a nice shed, too, but the appeal of something that can go with me if I go somewhere (as in moving away) is nice, too. I was concerned about wind, though. It gets pretty ferocious here and I live right across the street from a park so there is nothing stopping those westerlies. I hate to spend $400 on something that the wind will destroy in a week. That's happened to every type of canopy we've ever tried. I hope you like it and look forward to a full review!

[old new biker]

I saw these online and was curious since I don't have any place to park but the driveway. I've thought about getting a nice shed, too, but the appeal of something that can go with me if I go somewhere (as in moving away) is nice, too. I was concerned about wind, though. It gets pretty ferocious here and I live right across the street from a park so there is nothing stopping those westerlies. I hate to spend $400 on something that the wind will destroy in a week. That's happened to every type of canopy we've ever tried. I hope you like it and look forward to a full review!

Just an FYI about the Cycle Shell.
Mark, the owner, is pretty much a one man show, and is not good about communication, plus he is dealing with some family health issues, which takes up even more of his time. He makes these units to order, so you do have to wait around a week or so to get into the que.

That said, I ordered my Cycle Shell on Tuesday May 11, and it was supposed to be made and shipped by the end of that week, so that I would have it around Thursday May 19. That came and went, so I called him on Friday and couldn’t get through.

I was able to get him on Tuesday May 24, when he told me that it had shipped, and he emailed me a tracking link and number. The link, however did not work, and I finally got through again today Friday May 27, and talked to a girl named Cynthia, who tracked it from there end, and found that it has been logged into Chicago O’Hair Airport. She also said she would make some calls and find out if there was any chance it would show up today, but that looks very doubtful. I will, likely, not have it until next Tuesday, after the holiday.

Now, I still believe the Cycle Shell to be, hands down, the best of the fabric type enclosures that I know of. To my knowledge, it is the only one fabric style enclosure on the market that has a heavy duty solid floor that easily, seals up around the edge with a simple press on Velcro seal. It also requires no assembly other tha, to unfold it, put it on the ground, and anchor it down, if you choose, and it is all made right here in the states. All of the other units that I have looked at, have either a fabric floor, or no floor at all, require a fair amount of assembly, and can’t really be anchored down. Several of them are made in China, and are very cheaply made.

Even though it takes some waiting, and effort to get any info back from them, I believe that this is the best shelter of its type, on the market, and is worth what it takes to get it. Also, I have read dozens of reviews, and the Cycle Shell owners are the only ones truly happy with their shelter.

[skase98]

I'm looking forward to you getting it and seeing how you like it! Especially since it seems my bike has a problem with ambient moisture creeping into electrical bits. I hope it shows up today as a surprise so you can play with it all weekend.

[old new biker]

I'm looking forward to you getting it and seeing how you like it! Especially since it seems my bike has a problem with ambient moisture creeping into electrical bits. I hope it shows up today as a surprise so you can play with it all weekend.

I hope so to, so I can get my bike back to my place, but I am not holding my breath.

[old new biker]

I received my Cycle Shell Tuesday, and got it home and set up last night, and I have to say that I am very pleased with it.

The hardest thing about setting this thing up was getting it out of the box. It was packed very well. The package was also longer and wider that I thought it would be. I have an 06 Subaru Outback, and I had to stuff it in, at an angle, and then tie down the end gate with bungees.

This is a very nice, well thought out design. You simply unfold it, drag it into position, pound in the anchors, park the bike, and close it up. It is very well constructed and seems durable enough. The floor is strong but light weight, the bands are thick and strong, and the fabric seems durable, and is stitched up very well at all attachment areas.

It comes with 3 accessories as follows:

1) A small wheel chock that screws down to the floor, with supplied screws, once you figure out the perfect parking position for the bike. You aim for it as you ride in, and it stops you at that point (obviously, you park a bit to the right of center so that when the bike leans over on the kick stand, its mass is centered in the shell cavity area).

2) A small piece of deck plate to support the kick stand, that screws to the floor with supplied screws.

3) 4 anchors (like the big heavy duty tent stakes you buy at the camping supply store) with a cone under the head that holds it up so you can get a pry bar under the head to pull them out if need be. There are 4 anchor points recessed into the floor so that with the cones in place, the head of the anchor is roughly flush with the top of the floor.
NOTE: He provides 2 anchors, and since there are 4 anchor points, I asked for 4 anchors, and he through in the extras for free.

As I said, this is a very nice design, and closing the shell up goes as follows:

A) When you have the bike in position, you pull the end up and over the front of the bike, and it pulls right down into place. It is kind of like a covered wagon, accept that all the bands are attached on a single pin at the center of the floor where it folds in half.

B) There are two areas at the closing end, either side of center, where the perimeter hoop is exposed from the fabric. Each of these exposed hoop portions drops between two small, raised sections of the floor that have holes through them. I pin that is attached to the floor with a short piece of thin metal cable just inserts through these holes, and holds the shell down and closed. NOTE: These pins are held in place with the skirt detailed below.

C) There is a loose skirt all around the perimeter of the movable half, that has a Velcro strip all around, which mates up to a Velcro strip around the vertical edge of the floor. You simply run your finger around this edge, thus sealing it up, and locking the hold down pins in place.

D) Beyond this, there are two straps and double rings, like helmet straps, on the outer end, either side of center that you use to snug it all down and secure.

Granted, this is not nearly as easy as pulling into a garage, and hitting the garage door button, but it is simple, and secure, or as secure as a fabric shell can be, and there is no assembly required, other than to screw down the small wheel chock and kick stand plate.

[skase98]

Sounds great so far! If you ever get any photos, I'd love to see it 'in person.' And then to see how it holds up will be very interesting, too. Is there really no worry whether the bike is hot or not? Or is there some ventilation? I was just thinking about a hot bike on a cooler day and condensation forming. Are there any limitations or recommendations on where to place the shelter? Great review so far - thank you for posting it!

[old new biker]

No. The bike can be completely hot, and Yes the shell is ventilated.

If you search around, you will find reviews that say the Cycle Sell does stand up to substantial wind, and even snow.

I will try to get some pics up as soon as I get a chance.

[Water Warrior]

Sounds like an impressive bike garage. Looking forward to pics of the entire set-up with/without the bike parked inside.

[fear_cartaidh]

When folded down it looks a lot like a covered wagon or ice fishing tent. This is the medium size. I only screw with the pins, the velcro and straps I don't bother with unless it will be there a few days. I don't anchor mine down so the wind can cause it to blow around a little in the parking space when it is empty. Like I said I am very happy with this thing.

NMc