Bike ramp into cellar (planning...)

[GuzziPaul]

I have a hydraulic bike bench, at the most it raises the bike 750mm. There is no way I would move the bench when the bike is on it. The bench itself must weight 100kg, the wheels are small and with a bike on, top heavy. As it's not bolted to the floor the rear wheels pull ot as out riggers, however I still put chocks of wood under them to make it more stable.

[Yorick]

You need one of them industrial window cleaning cradle jobbies on ropes

[Silly Car]

I’ve always thought a tail lift from a van would make an ideal bike lift, might make for cheaper electric solution to a hydraulic lift.

[Gimlet]

I don't reckon you have enough room to get a gradient you could ride up. I stayed in a house in France last year that had a basement garage/rooms. The horizontal length of the ramp was about 8m and it was still pretty steep, I couldn't push the bike up the slope.
I would suggest the first job would be a bit of maths/trigonometry.

Measure the head clearance you need when sat on the bike (2m?)so you know how deep you need to go, that will give you one side of the triangle, then the angle you reckon you could ride up, maybe 30 degs?. With that you should be able to work out the hypotenuse, which will then give you the adjacent, which will tell you how much garden you will loose.

I agree. Even with a long enough gradient you'd probably need a 3 metre long level landing at the bottom of the ramp to get through the door.

Put the workshop where the living room is now and move the telly and the family into the cellar. They won't mind. And you'll have the kitchen sink next door to use as a parts washer as well.

[GuzziPaul]

I’ve always thought a tail lift from a van would make an ideal bike lift, might make for cheaper electric solution to a hydraulic lift.

Best idea yet, there must be loads of them available cheap in scrappies near by.

[Silly Car]

I’ve always thought a tail lift from a van would make an ideal bike lift, might make for cheaper electric solution to a hydraulic lift.

Best idea yet, there must be loads of them available cheap in scrappies near by.

*proud*

[Dutchman]

So did some measuring today, and looks like (as various of you have said!) the lift idea will be the best one. A ramp, at my max preferred slope of about 16 degrees would extend 4.5m from the house. The lift option OTOH should only extend approx 2.5m out and together with a nice lid/hatch will make much less of a mess of the driveway.

Lift will need to raise the bike 116cm, counting from the floor of the cellar.

Vague to-do list:

Me to do:
Take up laminate floor
Check drainage situation
Come up with a better floor option
Install extra layer plasterboard on ceiling plus led lighting (currently got GU10s which I'm not a fan of) & smoke detectors
Get 60min fire door installed
Dig out gravel from in front of window
Remove window & concrete wall below it.

Get someone in to:
Install door (roller shutter?)
Dig out 'pit' for lift
Have retaining walls & concrete base pad built to form pit
Backfill & make good drive around pit

Then prob me again:
Make and install hatch/lid
Install lift - if tail lift by fixing it to one wall of the pit. If scissor lift on concrete base

Have I missed many important bits out? Obviously this is a bonkers plan but at least it keeps me entertained. Progress will be slow though!

[GuzziPaul]

Parrallel to the house work I would suggest get the lift purchased, then the door and shaft can be dug and shuttered to suit.You're going to need power at the lift location so take that into consideration when doing the house work.
A powered roller shutter maybe, plus controls at both the top and bottom or a remote? I would suggest any external controls (if not remote) could be isolated for extra security.

[Dutchman]

It begins.

The laminate floor is gone...

There was a layer of foam underneath, as I believe is standard, and under that a layer of blue polythene which I assume was intended as a damp proof membrane. Whoever put it in just put it in flat though rather than extending up the walls, so not the most effective. Will take it up tomorrow and see what lies beneath. Looks like a reasonable concrete floor where I've pulled it up. Not flat mind.

Stage 1 by Nic Holland, on Flickr

Stage 1 by Nic Holland, on Flickr

20200416_192559 by Nic Holland, on Flickr

Stage 1 by Nic Holland, on Flickr

[demographic]

You'll need a door casing with two fire seals in it and a solid core door, also a door closer but not a bloody awful Perco finger nipper. Perco does make some OK closers, just not the ones I've had to fit.
Usually a closer with an oil filled damper to slow the door closing down.
I usually set the speed for about seven seconds from open to 90 degrees to fully closed.
Obviously thats a bit down the line but it's handy to know whats to do.
Then usually seal round the casing before the backmold goes on with intumescent caulk so fire cant get past it.

The door usualky gets a 3mm gap on the sides and top which is the thickness of a pound coin.
Oh and 3 number 100mm stainless steel ball fire hinges are a requirement round these parts anyway.

[Dutchman]

You'll need a door casing with two fire seals in it and a solid core door, also a door closer but not a bloody awful Perco finger nipper. Perco does make some OK closers, just not the ones I've had to fit.
Usually a closer with an oil filled damper to slow the door closing down.
I usually set the speed for about seven seconds from open to 90 degrees to fully closed.
Obviously thats a bit down the line but it's handy to know whats to do.
Then usually seal round the casing before the backmold goes on with intumescent caulk so fire cant get past it.

The door usualky gets a 3mm gap on the sides and top which is the thickness of a pound coin.
Oh and 3 number 100mm stainless steel ball fire hinges are a requirement round these parts anyway.

Thanks for this - all stuff I have no idea about so really useful.

[maccecht]

Here's a thought. Dig a rectangular slot big enough to install retaining walls at the end and sides. Long enough for the biggest bike you think you will ever own. Put a base in door etc opening inwards.
Put one of these it it with the table extended to take the bike. Make a removable ramp for the cellar so you can run the bike on and off the table may need a small ramp at the top as well due to table height. Some nice railings around the top of the hole and a gate. Jobs a goodun. What you spend on the table you save on ground works obviously bear bones of a plan but perfectly doable
https://www.equip4work.co.uk/britruck-s ... -duty.html
Should have read all the thread I am a bit late sorry.
Add drainage to your list if you make the retaining walls go above the drive levels that will help at the sides but you will need a sump and a sump float activated pump to keep the pit clear of water.

[Horse]

Thinking about the practicalities of using it, where will the lift controls be? Will you have to put the bike onto the lift, then go indoors and down to the basement to operate it? If so, any security concerns about an unlocked bike left unattended?

Is it worth making the 'lift shaft' big enough to have a vertical ladder at one side?