If you’re the kind of person who prefers to cycle to work each day, you need the right accessories. A great bike is just the first piece of the puzzle; you’ll also need somewhere to store your bicycle when it isn’t in use.
Of course, finding the right bike storage solution is easier said than done. How do you know what kind of rack, closet, or bike hanger you need?
For most of us, choosing the right bicycle rack or storage system will mean finding the ideal balance between practicality and security.
Your bike parking system needs to be something that suits your home and sense of style. It should be durable, easy to install, and reliable. At the same time, your mount needs to be secure enough that it protects your bicycle, keeps it in good condition, and prevents you from needing to buy a new mountain bike every few months.
Today, we’re going to introduce you to some of the best bike storage solutions, how they work, and how you can figure out which choice is right for you.
Table Of Contents
What is a Bike Hanger?
“Bike hanger” is a catch-all term used to refer to multiple kinds of bicycle storage. It might include a rack placed on a wall, bike hooks that sit in your garage, racks that you can keep outside in your rear garden, and even wall mounting equipment.
Although bicycles are excellent options for transportation, offering the perfect combination of exercise, convenience, and even cost efficiency, they’re often difficult to store. Bikes take up a lot of space - even if you have a folding cycle. With tools like a bicycle wall hanger, or bike hook, however, you can store your bike without taking up too much floor space.
If you don’t have the most durable walls for bike lift storage, then you can use something like a garage bike rack to keep your bicycles lined up neatly in one place.
A bike hanger is anything that holds your bike, preferably a few inches off the floor and away from traffic. Bike hangers can include extra accessories, including locking mechanisms or rubber coating to keep the bike’s paintwork scratch-free.
What Are Some Common Options for Bike Rack Storage?
As noted above, a bicycle stand can come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. If you have a lot of room in your garage, you might want a bike closet to lock your cycling equipment away. If you have wall space, but not much floor space, you might prefer bike hooks that elevate your bicycle off the floor using one of its wheels.
When it comes to mounting, there are a few common choices that tend to stand out.
Horizontal Wall Storage
Horizontal mount racks will help you store your mounted bike parallel to the floor by placing them against a wall. The great thing about this kind of mounted bike rack is that it doesn’t take up much floor space. Horizontal mount racks are easy to use because you simply lift your bike slightly off the floor and slot it into place. When you’re ready to go riding, you simply slide your bike out of storage again..
While some of these products come with fixings that allow you to attach your storage rack to the wall, others are freestanding, so you can re-organize your storage space however you choose. If you’re worried about mounting your bicycle on a wall, then a horizontal bike rack for garage use might be ideal. Either way, if you’re storing it for a long time, consider using bicycle covers to keep dust and grime off the bike.
Another great thing about a horizontal bicycle stand is that you can surround it with walls and a door to create a bike closet, or keep it small and simple, with just enough space for a single bike.
Vertical Wall Storage (Gravity Stand)
Although a sturdy single bike horizontal rack might be great for some people, these options typically work best when you want a bike rack for garage use or you have a lot of space in your home. If you don’t have a lot of floor space, or you can’t access bike racks for cars in your garage, then you might need something vertical instead.
A vertical bike rack, wall bike rack, or gravity stand is a product that allows you to place your bicycles against the wall. You can lift your bicycle as though you were doing a wheelie, then hang it from a stainless steel component from its wheel. Some vertical bike racks options also allow you to put your bike on the wall by its wheels.
This type of mounting rack takes up very little floor space. With a wall bike rack, most of the bike is placed against the wall. Additionally, like a horizontal mount, a vertical bike rack makes each bike easy to hang and remove. However, you do need to find a suitable place to hang your gravity bikes from. Additionally, because you need to lift the front wheel to get your bike into the frame, there’s a lot of maneuvering to do. You might have a hard time getting your gravity bikes mounted, particularly if you can’t usually access bike racks for cars in your garage.
On the plus side, gravity bikes and bike wall mount options are great if you have many bicycles, and a standard bike closet isn’t enough for you.
Basic Bike Hooks
If you want to make bicycle wall storage as simple as possible, stick to basic bike hooks. The most common kind of bike hanger is probably a hook that you can place on your wall and use instead of a bicycle stand. Hooks are a cheap method to keep your bikes out of the way. Because buying a bike can be expensive, it’s great to cut costs on bike accessories.
You place your bike hooks on the wall and place the frame of the book over the hook. The hook needs to be strong enough to hold the weight of your bike (like stainless steel). Additionally, you need to ensure that your mounted bike isn’t going to pull down your wall. Because of this, a thin garage wall might not be a good option for a wall hook.
Bike hooks are excellent when you can’t access bike racks for cars or have limited room for a DIY bike stand. You can screw your hook into any sturdy material that can hold the weight of a bicycle. What’s more, if you don’t want to lift your bike by the frame, you can use a wheel instead. The rubber coating on the hook should prevent any damage to your frame or tire.
How to Use a Bike Hanger
Once you’ve decided between wall mounts, solid steel hooks, and monkey bars bike racks, you need to learn how to use them.
If you’re using a powder-coated wall mounted bike hanger, start by looking for a wall that has plenty of strong points in it. You’ll need at least 16-inch space 2x4 lumber framing in the wall. A stud finder will help you to find the studs where you need to screw the fixings for your wall mount bike hanger or hooks. Remember, you want the hooks to be high enough so that the tire of your bike doesn’t touch the ground. However, you also don’t want your vertical bike rack to be so high that you can’t reach it.
Place the bottom of your steel hooks about 70 inches from the floor for the best vertical lift. Remember to check the weight capacity of the hooks or mount before you begin too. You can start by experimenting with one hook to find the best height for you, then mark the same height on the wall for the other hook. Lifting your bike by both wheels instead of just one tire will give you more security with your vertical bike rack.
If you don’t have a stud wall, or you prefer not to use your wall for storage, then you can simply invest in a bike rack for garage use or create a DIY bike rack instead. Screwing your storage rack into the wall means that it won’t topple if it ends up with too much weight when you add an extra bicycle to your collection.
If a bike stand doesn’t appeal to you, or you don’t have a lot of floor space, another option is to protect your wall and use the rafters or joists in the ceiling instead. A hook board or wall hooks placed on the ceiling can be an excellent form of bicycle storage. You’ll still need a system that will allow you to bring your bicycles down from the ceiling when you want to use them, however. Keep that in mind when you’re looking for bike storage ideas.
Bicycle lifts that work with ceiling storage are designed with hoists that allow you to pull your bike out of storage using a selection of ropes and chains.
Top Tips for Bicycle Storage
When you’re choosing the perfect bike storage solution, there are many different things to consider. You need to think about how much wall or floor space you want your bike stand to take up. You also need to consider whether you have a slim cycle or a bulkier bike. If slim cycle reviews sway you, you might be able to fit more bikes into the same storage solution.
Before you place your bike in a stand or any mounting racks, make sure that it’s properly cleaned. Sweat left uncleaned on a bike can easily roll down cables and tubes, causing problems and rust. If sweat gets into the cable housing in your bike when it’s mounted, this can cause corrosion, which damages your vehicle’s braking and shifting performance.
Wipe your bikes down before you hang them or place them in bike storage, and make sure that you check on the health of your storage equipment every time you use it. For instance:
- Is the mounting hook still firm against the wall, or does it have some wobble to it?
- Is your bicycle stand moving every time you mount or remove a bike? You might need to tighten the screws.
- Are your wall-mounted bikes sagging? Check the connections to the walls and ceilings.
- Is the rubber on your stand beginning to peel away? If so, it could lead to scratches on the bike frame if you’re not careful.
Remember, the best bike storage ideas are the ones that keep your bicycle in excellent condition without taking up too much space. With a bike hanger, you can make the most of the wall space, ceiling room, and even extra inches in your garage to keep your bikes in peak condition.
Top Tips for Choosing the Right Bike Hanger
Bike racks, hangers, and hooks are all available in different sizes and shapes to suit a range of cyclists. However, it’s important to remember that you often get what you pay for in this economy. If you’re looking for a hook that can hold your bike sturdy for weeks at a time, then you can’t rely on a flimsy bit of plastic. Key points to think about when choosing your bike storage include:
How will you store your bike: Are you looking for horizontal storage to easily access your bike? Or is your main focus saving space in your garage?
How sturdy are the materials: Can you rest assured that you’re getting a stainless steel hook that’s going to stay in your wall without an issue? Make sure that you check the weight capacity on the hooks and hangers you consider so that you can match the right storage to your different kinds of bikes.
What kind of bikes will you be storing? A heavy mountain bike with many accessories will require a much sturdier storage solution than a basic folding bike. Consider checking your manufacturer’s leaflet for your bike to see how much it weighs before you shop.
What kind of budget do you have? Bike hooks or DIY bike racks are often the cheapest options if you’re low on money. However, if you’re willing to pay a bit more, you could create your ceiling storage system, complete with pulleys that allow you to access and store bikes whenever you like with ease.
How many bikes do you need to store? Even if you only have one bike right now, it might make sense to invest in a multi-bike storage rack if you’re planning on investing in more bicycles in the years to come.
Do you need security built-in? If you’re storing your bikes in a garage or somewhere else with a locking mechanism to ward off criminals, you won’t need to worry about this. However, if you’re storing your bikes outside (hopefully under a cover to protect them from rain), you may need to think about security too.
While you’re looking into Bike hanger options, it may also be worth thinking about the other kinds of accessories that could improve your experience with your bike. For instance, do you need a bike closet for folding bikes or a car bike rack so you can fix your bicycle to your vehicle for long trips? Do you need a lock that you can take to work when you need to store your bicycle outside of the office? Considering these extra components now could help you create a more comprehensive plan to protect and maintain your bike.
Protecting Your Bike Investment
Remember, storage comes in all different shapes and sizes, from solutions that allow you to hang your bicycle by its real wall with nothing but a hook to wall systems that come with their pulleys to let you move your bikes higher in your garage or room.
Whether you choose a DIY bike stand or a bike wall mount, it’s essential to ensure that you have a simple way to protect and maintain your investment.
What questions do you have about bike hangers? Get in touch and let’s talk!