| Guide to Indoor Storage
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Reclaim square footage with a indoor bicycle storage rack. Storage racks not only save you space, but by preventing dreaded knock overs and getting your bike out of the way they save it from getting bumped, chipped, or dinged. Indoor bicycle storage come in a variety of styles to suit the space you have, and the number of bikes you need to store.
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Vertical Floor Mounts
Maximize floor space usage by going up. Did you realize that in some cases you can get 3 bikes into the same amount of floor space as one? Usually equipped with independently adjustable arms vertical racks store your bike horizontally, an attractive way to store a bike when it is in a living area, foyer or hall. By elevating the wheels they can also make simple maintenance like chain lubing easier. Selecting the type of rack is mostly dependent on the space you have to fill.
Freestanding Racks
Live in an apartment where you can't drill into the wall? Like to rearrange the furniture frequently?
Quick Guide
- With a free standing rack all you need is a level bit of floor.
- Free standing racks can hold anywhere from one to four bikes, they do not require a wall or ceiling to brace to, and are easy to relocate.
- Free standing racks are ideal for garages where there may not be a flat wall surface to lean against and the ceiling may be too high to brace against.
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Floor to Ceiling Racks
Amazingly stable, floor to ceiling racks typically have an expanding column driving by a threaded insert, hydraulic mechanism, or spring.
Quick Guide
- They require a very small amount of floor space and an equal amount of stable ceiling directly above it.
- They work well in apartments where you do not want to install hardware into the wall, but may be less ideal for unfinished spaces like garages.
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Gravity Stands
Quick to install without drilling, gravity stands lean against a flat section of wall and use the weight of the bicycles to stabilize the rack.
Quick Guide
- These simple racks usually have rubber foot or feet against the wall and require a smooth flat section of wall for the entire width of the rack, and enough space in front of the rack for the base section feet.
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Wall Mounts
When all you have is a tight corner, exposed stud, or exposed rafter; the best solution is probably a hook style storage rack. Storage Racks range from inexpensive steel hooks to more complex systems that stabilize the bicycle and protect the wall surface. Hooks usually store a bike by hanging it from one of the wheels. This is a great way to hang a bicycle as rim finishes are usually very durable.
Simple Hook
Inexpensive simple hooks are usually bent pieces of steel with a vinyl or rubber coating, and threads on the end that need to go into a solid piece of wood like a stud or rafter.
Quick Guide
- A single hook can be installed on a wall or ceiling joist, allowing the bicycle to hang vertically and the remaining wheel to rest against the surface of the wall.
- Hooks can also be used to hang extra wheels, extra frames and so on.
- . Simple hooks sold at home stores usually only fit tires up to 1.95 inches wide. For larger tires seek out a larger hook designed for ladders and such, or look for specially made MTB hooks.
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Hook and Tray
This is a hook welded to a metal plate.
Quick Guide
- The plate spreads the load across 2 mounting holes, and protects the wall board from damage.
- Add on accessories include a wheel tray that attaches to the wall to protect it from marks.
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Horizontal Wall Mount
Usually 2 arms that mount to the wall with an added space for helmets or shoes.
Quick Guide
- This rack is good for hallways or foyers where you may want the bicycle closer to the wall.
- Frequently this type of rack will come in a 2 bike model.
- Due to the leverage and weight involved this rack should only be anchored to a stud.
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Other Storage Solutions
Odd spaces or unusual bicycles require unique storage. There are a lot of unique devices out there, and some work very well. There are 2 main styles... Wheel Stands and Hoists.
Wheel Stands
Similar to stands used in bike shops to display bikes, wheel stands only contact the bicycle at the tires.
Quick Guide
- The main advantage of wheel stands is the ability to rack and un-rack the bicycle quickly.
- They usually require a lot of floor space to hold just one bicycle, but they can hold multiple bicycles without taking up much more room.
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Hoists
Hoists can be installed on the highest of ceilings and get bicycles (and just about anything else) far up and out of the way.
Quick Guide
- Usually a pulley and rope system with at least 2 brackets that are bolted to a rafter, or to a mounting board that is bolted to a rafter.
- Due to the mechanical advantage provided by the pulleys hoists make lifting even a heavy bicycle easy.
- For unusual bicycles like Tandems or Long wheelbase recumbents, hoists are the best solution out there.
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