Asgard have been the leading designers, manufacturers and suppliers of metal storage, cycle security and motorbike storage for years.  With over 40 years manufacturing experience we are pretty confident we have got it right.  The success of Asgard has spawned many copy cats – The internet is littered with products that look similar at first glance, many even cost the same.  But when the customer gets their new bike store or garden shed, they get a bit of a shock – all is not what it seems.

So another year and another Asgard copy.  We have got hold of the latest copycat product – As not to be unfair we bought one on behalf of our pervious reviewer Mr  SZ (remember he reviewed one of our 1^st ever sheds a few years ago) and gave him one of our own Asgard bike storage units and we let him do his thing!  Below are his thoughts (we have renamed the other bike shed as “copycat”.

Delivery:

Copy Cat:  Each panel was wrapped individually in plastic which is a great start. On unwrapping a number of the panels were rather badly scratched.

Asgard: None of the panels were wrapped, Instead all were delivered wrapped in blankets – Asgard tell me this is an environmentally friendly choice.  I think it saves them money.

Copy Cat: 1^st impressions:

Looks impressively big, too big actually.  On checking the website dimensions I was correct.  The unit was several inches bigger than indicated on their website.  This did mean that my concrete base was not the right size for the unit, so overhung at one side.  The colour is great, nice and discreet, a slightly lighter shade than the Asgard brown that I have seen.  I am somewhat questioning the panel effect on the unit though.  The website shows what looks like separate panels, however in reality they are not.  It looks like the unit was made then someone has scratched lines with the end of a nail down the unit.  It looks cheap and nasty and doesn’t add anything to the asthetics.

Asgard:  1^st impressions:

To reiterate my comments from a few years ago, the finish on the Asgard is excellent, a speckly green/textured effect.  The unit was exactly the size as per their website.  So it will fit on the base.

In use:

Copycat: 1^st thing to note is it looks nothing like the image on the internet.  The website shows a 3d rendering and not a picture.  2nd the roof won’t stay up.  The gas arms are painfully thin, no where near strong enough to hold up the huge lid/over sized lid.  The lid itself is really thin and wobbly, it actually bends as you raise and lower it.  When the lid is fully down, it won’t line up with the locking points, I have to thump the bike store shut each time.

The hinges at the back are mounted on the outside of the unit, with what looks like oversized drawing pins with nuts on the inside.  They look pretty flimsy to me. The hinge pins are exposed and there is a 1cm gap at the back of the unit, easy for a screwdriver to go into and prise off.  As a reasonably serious rider with a few thousand pounds of equipment, there is no way I would put anything in here of any value.

Asgard:  The roof stays up well, the gas struts are much thicker and actually seem to lift the roof for you.  The hinges are hidden from view and have blanking plates over them.  Inside it looks like a 2^nd plate covers the hinges again.  The locking points are perfectly positioned and line up well.  Oh and it looks like the image on their website, which is a bonus.

On the copy cat bike storage the roof will not close

The doors:

Copycat:  Oh dear, the doors feel like they are made from tin foil, they wobble as you open or close them. Inside there is a lift up locking bar, but it is half way down the door and really awkward to get at.  The bar lines up well with the location hole at the bottom, so once closed, the doors feel a bit stronger and the wobble is reduced.  At the top of the doors there is a real problem, if you push hard enough the doors bend inwards, a good kick and they actually open.  So, instantly I rate the product as useless.

Continuing my look at the doors, the hinges are not great either.

A: They are mounted on the outside of the doors?

B: They are secured with basic spanner fit nuts

C: The hinge pin is on the outside.

D: The hinges seem to be plastic.

As the unit is not mine to damage I have not tried to force the hinges, though I suspect they would easily be compromised with a screwdriver. 

On the copy cat bike storage the hinges seem cheap and light weight

Asgard: Reinforced doors and roof does make a difference, wow what a difference.  There is no way I’m forcing these doors open.

The hinges are hidden from view and look to be welded into position as well as screwed with multiple screws.

The downside is the unit must be dead level for the doors to close correctly, my base was a bit of a rush job so not very level.  Luckily Asgard do provide spacers to push under the unit if your base is not level.

Copycat unit has external hinges, fixed only by a couple of screws

Locking:

Copycat:   Not really that good, the supplied padlock just fit the hasp, but they hang down under the shroud at the front of the unit. A “would be” thief just has to cut the lock off.  This is a really odd design.  The shroud is nowhere near the correct size for hiding the locks.  I wanted to bolt the unit down to the ground for extra security.  However the unit came with no ground bolts just 6 plastic raw plugs – the sort you use in a partition wall at home.  As I said earlier, the locking is irrelevant as a kick in the middle of the doors and the unit opens in seconds.

Asgard:  As per the roof, everything is spot on.  The padlock fits well and is hidden from view by a thick steel plate.  Your concrete base needs to be dead level though, if it’s not there is not a great deal of tolerance for the padlock hasp.  Spacers are supplied to help to level your unit if your concrete base is a bit out.

Poor quality locking mechanism on the copycat product

Bolting to the ground was quite easy.  The fixing bolts are huge, so you need a decent drill to fit them, also I think the concrete base needs to be a decent thickness.  The Asgard base is pre drilled for the bolts (one in each corner).

Copycat bike storage has exposed-screws and fixtures making it vulnerable to attack

In use:

Copycat:   This unit is a little larger than the Asgard, so there is much more room to manoeuvre bikes around in, which is excellent.  It still has that annoying bong that the Asgard has as you move things in and out. That said I could still only get the 4 bikes in, just a little easier.  The floor seems to have about 30 holes drilled into it.  I have no idea why.  Just as a side note, there was some light showers the following day and the unit filled with around a centimetre of water.

Copy cat bike storage leaks

Asgard: As I said, a little smaller than the copy cat unit.  Still accommodates 4 bikes though, still have that annoying boom sound as you move things around inside.  The floor is solid and reinforced, there was no leaking during the brief rain showers.

Summary:

It is obvious that the copycat unit has been made to look as much like an Asgard unit as possible, which it does.  Though it looks the same there is a massive difference in build quality and the level of security.  The material it’s made from is really thin, the unit doesn’t go together correctly; it is badly made and is totally unsecure.  It also leaks horrendously.  Yet it is the same price as the Asgard unit.

www.asgardsss.co.uk

]]> http://shedforce.com/2012/05/25/cheap-bike-storage-asgard-vs-the-copy-cats-which-is-the-best-bike-storage-on-the-market/feed/ 0 thejasper2010 Ironstor-bikestorage-is-faulty in every way Ironstore-bikestorage-is-poor Ironstor-bikestorage-bad-reviews ironstor-bikestorage-has crap-locks Ironstor bike storage has exposed-screws and fixtures Ironstor-bikestorage-reviews unhappy-bike-storage-customers http://shedforce.com/2012/05/11/asgard-bike-shed-competition-winner/ http://shedforce.com/2012/05/11/asgard-bike-shed-competition-winner/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 17:50:10 +0000 andyheath http://shedforce.com/?p=3242 ]]> Congratulations to Dr K who has won the Asgard customer feedback prize.  Dr K has won one of our Asgard bike chain monster locks - for the ultimate in bike lock security.  If you want a chance of winning one of our exclusive Asgard prizes, email us Asgard comments and pictures of your Asgard product. at www.asgardsss.co.uk

“I have had my Asgard bike guard now for 2 months. I feel it is well built and sturdy. The door was faulty on initial delivery but your company came back and replaced it. The second chap who came was excellent and fixed the problem with the unit lining up and in addition screwed it to my concrete base. I trust the unit with 4 of my most precious bikes so I feel it is of value. I only wish I had bought it before I was broken into! I have even considered buying another unit to go in my garden. The brown colour is unobtrusive and fits in well to my garden. I have attached a photo for you”.

Beat bike theft with Asgard Secure Steel Storage Bike Sheds Here.

Shed Bases:

This is important!!  The Asgard unit needs a decent base to sit on – if you put this on grass you may find the uneven ground will make it difficult to open the doors, as the unit has an integral metal floor, so if that floor is wonky the door action won’t be smooth.  However, I am lucky as this one sits in a car park – but Asgard supply some levelling blocks in the assembly bag as standard so there is some give and take with the floor.  The Asgard base is really heavy and has fixing points in the corners to bolt the unit to the ground – Bolts are supplied free with the unit.  I Can’t see the need to bolt it down though – This is a heavy unit. At best you may be able to knock it over – but it’s going no where.

Shed X – Well it doesn’t have a base.  So…. I’m not actually sure what you are supposed to keep in a shed with no floor …. I have just locked the shed with my bike in, then picked up the side of the shed to put the spare tyre in with it.  

LH Asgard Full Metal Floor RH: Shed X No base

Now it’s assembled.

Looking around both units the difference is remarkable.  The Asgard unit is much better looking IMO (the neighbours will be jealous) Nice touches such as the integral rain guard keep driving rain out of the door joints – (I’m told that if you pay for installation Asgard will also apply Silicone around all other joints as well)  A series of hidden vents in the underside of the roof reduce condensation.  The whole unit is very substantial.  A very nice piece of kit.  

Shed X

I actually like the grey finish, but  am no expert but this is not really not in the same league as the Asgard unit.  The whole shed seems to wobble – this may be because there is no base to keep it all together.  The panels are paper thin, I can actually push the joints in with nothing buy my finger and thumb.

Shed X – A bit thin

On theplus side the gaps around the door are very forgiving if you don’t have a level base there is plenty of play in the doors.

So that is a plus (I suppose) The finish quality is generally OK the paint is smooth and even.  Some joints are sharp and at head height (eves) near the door which is a concern.

Doors:

Shed X: 

The doors are made from the same disappointing material as the rest of the shed (low grade, thin metal) The finish is very poor and again the door is attached from the outside.  The hinges are tacked on with either glue or weld.

 Asgard:

The door is immense.  Reinforced folds are everywhere.  Warning though!!  You must have the shed on a flat base, these doors look as they are precision engineered, so to get them to work properly you must have the shed level.  The hinges are internal and screwed on into something called nutserts???  I would again advise a 2nd pair of hands when putting the doors on these doors have some weight in them. – Using a 2nd person would avoid lots of bad language.

Locking:

Shed X has a traditional hasp and staple arrangement for your own padlock – However as I have already mentioned, with all the screws on the outside and the fact you can lift the shed up negates the need for a padlock as it is in effect - useless.  There is a benefit to this system though. If I ever lose my key I can lift the shed out of the way to get my lawn mower out.

LH Lock ShedX RH Integral Asgard lock

The Asgard unit has an integral drill and pick resistant lock.  Superb locking action!  A lovely touch is the ability to unlock from the inside without a key – so the kids won’t get locked inside –(though that is tempting).  Inside the unit you will find an integral lock and bolt system giving this shed no less than 3 reinforced steel locking points.   These locks will shear off if a breakin is attempted.

Inside:

Shed X:

 Inside the shed is absolutly fine.  It does what it says in the box.  There are no leaks and no sharp corners.  A few screws do stick through in the roof though, so look out if you are one of those tall types.  The external weather proof coating is also present on the inside, so rust should not be a problem internally.

Asgard.  

No leaks and a good quality internal finish.  The Asgard does has the benefit of accessory packs of hooks and shelves (at extra cost).  These (I’m told) screw into the back at predefined points and are made from the same material as the shed. The integral floor is the winner here, this will keep the moisture out as well as the thieves.

Conclusion:

The Asgard shed is twice as much to buy as Shed X.  That you can’t deny.  But for twice the money you get a metal shed with a ten year warranty, made in the UK (support local industry), with a recognised reputation (these guys sell to the Police).  The shed is of top quality, looks great and will last forever.  It is my understanding the Asgard shed is so good that it sells into local government for schools and colleges for sports equipment storage-  some 2000 or so School Storage Packs in use across the UK.  

Shed X is fine if you want a cheap way of covering up some low cost plastic patio furniture from the rain.  In honesty though Shed X really has no security benefit at all.  No matter how good your padlock is a potential thief only has to lift the shed out of the way or unscrew the lock.  For those of you who are environmentally aware Shed X is made over seas and imported in huge crates, so not great for our carbon foot print or the ailing UK economy.  

If you can afford it buy the Asgard shed.  If you can’t afford the Asgard shed then save up a little longer until you can.

Shed X – Sharp And Very Unsecure

Asgard Sheds – Smooth, Safe and Secure

We at Shed Force are passionate about our sheds~!  We can’t emphasis enough just how important good quality Metal Storage is.  Why??  Well if you have several thousand pounds of sports equipment or gardening tools you need to be sure they are safe and secure.

Since we started the blog (and our sister website) we have been asked “Why bother spending all this time and money looking at sheds, it’s just a shed – isn’t it”

Well NO.

So, to prove our point we got a local guy to build an Asgard Shed and another shed from a local garden centre.  Just to see what he thinks are the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Our man was selected on the criteria of:

No real practical skills – Never built a shed before – Has no interest in sheds (at all) – He lives in a flat so he needs to lock up bikes etc. in a communal garden area – So security is an issue.

Hopefully this short blog will tell you why you should look at quality and longevity in your Metal Shed not just a cheap short term fix.  In this short article we will compare a shed at around the £220 (We will call this shed X) with a mid level shed Metal shed from Asgard at around £450.

Overall Construction- First Impressions:

Shed X is made from quite thin feeling corrugated steel. The steel is then painted with a special paint to give some weather proofing against the elements.  The entire unit is supplied flat packed for self assembly – all screws and fittings are supplied, as are detailed assembly instructions.  All components are wrapped together; the weight of the entire flat packed unit is light and nice and easy to move around.  Finished in a light grey colour - A good start.

Asgard is constructed from thicker feeling steel which is coated in a weather proof polyester paint giving a tough weather resistance.  The Asgard unit is also supplied flat packed (for home assembly) - (An assembly option is available at extra cost from Asgard).  All screws and fittings are supplied with detailed illustrated instructions.  The unit is delivered by an Asgard delivery van as the weight of the unit is considerable.  Each panel is individually wrapped in blanket during transportation to ensure there is no damage and to reduce packaging waste. The delivery guys carried the unit through to the build point.

Assembly:

Shed X is really easy to assemble.  The panels are light and easy to handle.  There are very few screws in the unit, so assembly is swift and easy.  It is worth

 noting the panels on this shed don’t have the best finish, sharp corners are every where so a pair of gloves are recommended.  In general the shed feels a little cheap  (but then it is) and rather oddly there is no base?

Asgard  

Very intuitive to assemble, the instructions aren’t really needed – The panels are handed and have a sticker on them for the man who would rather go blind than read instructions (me!).  There are a lot of screws in this unit so an electric screwdriver is essential.  The weight and quality feel of the panels is immense, the roof of the Asgard weights as much as the entire weight of shed X. (I must admit putting the roof on myself was tricky as I am (ahem) a little short.  I would get a helper next time.  The finish of each panel is near perfect, no sharp edges anywhere and despite the vast number of screw holes – EVERY SINGLE ONE lines up!  – which is pretty amazing.  The Asgard unit takes a little longer to assemble (45 mins on my own + the odd rest) simply because there is a base in this unit and so many screws.  When I say base I mean a real base!!  It’s rock solid – all the side panels link into it internally, so it really is a tough little cookie.   Again I recommend gloves – Asgard has no sharp bits, but these panels are very heavy.

I am no expert in sheds, but I did notice that all the fixings on the Asgard are internal so once the unit is locked up you can’t get in.  Shed X has all the screws on the out side – which I really don’t understand!?!?  If I am a burglar all I need is a 50p screw driver to break in.  However it does make shed X really easy to put together where with the Asgard you have to be inside the unit to screw it together. 

When selecting your garden storage area, be it a garden shed, garage or storage cupboard; always ensure it has adequate room for not only tools and equipment, but also for you to move around freely.  Having to climb over things to get what you need puts you in a hazardous position.

Have a nice trip.

This may sound obvious but you would be surprised! Never leave any tool lying around on the floor and make sure all entrances and exits are free from trip hazzards.  A nasty fall onto a sharp garden utensil can have fatal consequences.

“Always keep the area clean, tidy, and serviceable”.

Never leave garden tools on the ground when being used out in the garden.  One of the greatest causes of injury are rakes left lying around with their tines facing upward.  A rake handle slamming into your face with sufficient force to cause severe injury.  Comical as this may sound, this is a common garden injury that is definitely no laughing matter.

These Are Tools Not Toys.

Never allow children to play in your storage area. This area contains tools not toys.  It is very easy for a child to injure themselves or someone else while trying to use your tools as part of their fun.

Ensure your garden storage area is lockable.  This will not only reduce the possibility of theft, it will additionally stop children having access to hazardous tools, sprays, and equipment.  Look for a good quality metal shed with a good quality locking system.

If you have children around your home objects like knives, edging shears and Secateurs are best stored in a locked cabinet or drawer where they are safely out of harms way.

Garden sprays and spraying utensils should also be out of reach and secured safely away in a metal storage shed unit with some type of locking mechanism.

Hooks = safety

In your good quality, LOCKABLE metal shed make sure you get some hooks and hang all your tools up away from little fingers.

TIP.  Hang them with the sharp end pointing inwards.

If you have paint, poisons and chemicals – get some shelves and keep them off the floor.  Children drinking paint, is not a good thing.

Do you know what’s in your shed??

Tip: Try to label where your tools hang.  If you do this any tool that is not where it is supposed to be will easily show up and can be located and returned to where it belongs.  It additionally makes it easier to locate, as you will know precisely which tool you are looking for. Also if anything sharp is missing you can find it quickly before it falls into the wrong hands.

If correctly set out your storage area can make gardening so much easier.  Your tools in a proper place and right where they should be when you need them, your safety ensured by following a few simple commonsense pointers and your enthusiasm bursting to get out and create.

Information from safe gardening UK - Metal sheds from Asgard

Shed Security

• Put away all tools and equipment. Ensure all outside sheds and store cupboards are securely locked when not in use.

• Bring tools inside if you do not have a shed or garage.
• Use suitable plants to enhance perimeter protection such as thorny shrubs.
• Install outside security lighting, which comes on automatically at dusk.
• If you have a burglar alarm why not extend it to cover outbuildings and sheds.
• Photograph valuable garden plants or ornaments.

• Mark your property with your postcode and house number this makes stolen property easier to trace and it can be positively identified as yours.
• Check that your household insurance policy covers theft from your garden and outbuildings.

• Regularly check fences and gates are in good repair and check for any overgrown areas where someone could hide
• If you have a local Neighbourhood Watch scheme, why not join in? Or start a new one.

Protect your garden tools with an Asgard metal shed

When choosing metal sheds it’s a good idea to check the following:

Does it have an integral base? A metal shed with no base is no use. A thief will lift the shed (even if bolted down) and simply crawl under the side.

How does it lock? Hasp and staples are next to useless. In the same way as with a wooden shed.   A thief will just knock the hasp and staple clean off the door without touching the padlock.

How is the unit fixed together? So many imported sheds are self-assembly – which helps to keep the costs down – BUT they are often screwed together from the outside. All a thief needs is a screwdriver. The thief then just unscrews the door or panel to gain entry.

Is your garden missing a shed?

Depending on the make of the shed they can be made from a variety of materials, but most commonly either wood, plastic or metal is used and this affects the quality and weight of the shed unit.  Although plastic and wooden sheds are very common, they are usually lightweight and can easily be lifted and moved around.  This affects the security of the storage unit, which is why many people opt for a metal garden shed.  Metal garden sheds vary in design, but can be manufactured using galvanised steel panels, like the Asgard Shed range.

However, be aware that some metal garden sheds are made from very thin sheets of corrugated metal, which can be very flimsy and offer very little security.  Click here for a comparison of 2 garden sheds with and without a metal garden shed base.

So this is why it is important to ensure your garden shed not only provides shelter and protection of your property from the elements, it also provides security from theft.  You can improve on security by looking for garden sheds with floors.  Garden sheds with integrated floors means that the unit is robust and is difficult to break into as a thief wont be able to simply lift the shed and crawl underneath.

The integrated metal floor also means that the unit can be secured down into the ground by either bolting it down or using ground anchors to the concrete floor below.  Fixing the shed base to the ground offers the highest level of protection as it means the shed itself cannot be lifted or moved around or broken into easily.  We recommend choosing a metal garden shed with an integrated floor, such as theAsgard Centurion Shed for maximum security for your garden.

The Centurion Metal Garden Shed comes with an integrated metal Floor.

The Centurion is a large all-metal garden shed providing superior multi-use outdoor storage for large items of garden or play equipment.  Heavy, galvanised (weather proof) steel panels, a built-in metal floor and large double doors make theCenturion Garden Shed ideal for storing even the largest and most valuable of your garden equipment.

All metal garden sheds from Asgard come with an integrated metal floor, as well the option to increase the security of the unit with a ground anchor.  To view a range of garden sheds with floors, visit the Asgard website at http://www.asgardsss.co.uk/.