There are lots of options for bike storage and I intend to cover them all. From floor to wall to ceiling storage and those in between. If you are looking for bicycle storage options, this is a must read!
Types
Vertical storage – when the bike is stored vertically it will typically save the most space.
Horizontal storage – this option is nice when you want to display your bike. Can also hold bike for some maintenance.
Wall storage – when a hook or rack is mounted to a wall. Vertical saves a lot of space, horizontal will make for a great display.
Ceiling storage – this option really gets the bike out of the way but may be slower to mount and unmount from rack.
Floor – these options sit on the floor. Some of these just hold your bike from falling over, others will hold it vertically to save space.
Gravity – these sit on the floor but lean against a wall. They save space and require no mounting.
Ratings explained
Installation difficulty – ranked from easy to difficult. This is based on how hard it is to put together and mount.
Cost – ranked from cheap to expensive. Based on the price.
Space saving – how much space will your save. Ranked from little to lots.
Versatility – how many different types of bikes will it work with. Ranked from low to high.
Ease of use – how easy it is to store and remove bike. Ranked from 1-10 with 10 being most challenging/time consuming.
Wall Storage
These are all the options that you mount to a wall to store you bikes.
Wall Hooks
These are one of my favorite options as they save you a lot of space and are easy to use. Just mount a hook on the wall and hang your bike from it. It’s easy to get your bike on and off with just a small lift. Easy to install if you have exposed studs.
- Installation difficulty: easy to moderate
- Cost: cheap
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 3
These hooks by Delta are what I use:
If you want to be more frugal here are some from HOMEE:
Wall Rack
Another type of wall hook or rack I use holds the bike with its side facing the wall. I use this in my shed, and it allows me to store things under it.
- Installation difficulty: easy to moderate
- Cost: cheap
- Space saving: moderate
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 5
This style of wall rack has a lot of limitations. It won’t really work with any ladies framed bikes and might not work so well with bikes with a slanted top tube. Works great for old bikes with a top tube that is parallel to the ground. You also have to lift the bike quite a bit. Easy to install if you have exposed studs.
SafeRacks Wall Shelves
This is one of my favorite options. For a good price you get two big 18×48″ shelves and 4 bike hooks. I bought some extra hooks and have 4 bikes hanging as well as car rack and other things. They also have other size shelves btw.
- Installation difficulty: easy to moderate
- Cost: moderate
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: low
- Ease of use: 3
Clug
These are an interesting option and look really easy to use. You mount the Clug on the wall and press your front tire into it. You do need a different one for each type of tire like road bike, hybrid, or mountain bike. It is nice that you don’t actually have to lift the whole bike, you just have to lift the front tire and roll it on the back tire. They even have the Clug Pro for long term storage.
- Installation difficulty: easy to moderate
- Cost: cheap
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: low
- Ease of use: 2
Steadyrack
These are a pretty neat style of bike rack. You mount them vertically on the wall, and it will hold your whole tire rather than hooking the rim. It is also on a swivel, so you push it close to the wall to save space. I have a neighbor with these, very nice but pricey.
- Installation difficulty: easy to moderate
- Cost: expensive
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 3
Rubbermaid FastTrack Bike Hook
If you already have the Rubbermaid FastTrack system, they offer some hooks specifically for bikes.
Ceiling Storage
This option is mounted to the ceiling and really get the bike out of the way.
Screw In Hooks
For the regular old screw in hooks, you can use two hooks and have one for each tire or use one and have it hang vertically. If you use two it can be a bit more challenging to get your bike on and off the hooks, but it definitely gets them out of the way. Using one it will hang lower to ground. These can also be used in the wall.
- Installation difficulty: easy to moderate
- Cost: cheap
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 8
Pulley System
This type of ceiling storage uses a pulley to raise and lower your bike. You connect the hooks to your bike and pull it up with the rope. When you need it down you use the same rope to lower it. These are affordable and do save a lot of space.
- Installation difficulty: moderate to difficult
- Cost: cheap
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 9
A more budget friendly option:
Floor Storage
These options just sit on the floor and don’t need to be mounted.
Vertical Bike Rack
This stand holds your bike up vertically on the floor without attaching to a wall or ceiling. It’s good if you need to save space and can’t mount to anything.
- Installation difficulty: easy
- Cost: moderate
- Space saving: little
- Versatility: moderate
- Ease of use: 4
Delta Cycle 4 Bike Free-Standing Storage Rack
A 4-bike option that doesn’t require any drilling or mounting. It is a free-standing rack that you can mount your bikes on. Seems to me you’d have to be very careful putting bikes on and off it, but it has pretty good Amazon reviews.
- Installation difficulty: easy
- Cost: moderate
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 4
Floor Bike Rack
Here is a great option if you want to easily set your bikes up on the floor. It will save you some space vs using kickstands and great for bikes with no kickstand.
- Installation difficulty: easy
- Cost: cheap
- Space saving: little
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 1
StoreYourBoard Freestanding 5 Bike Storage Rack
Another stand-alone bike rack, this one holds 5 bikes. Pretty pricey, but it does look like it would work well and save lots of space.
- Installation difficulty: easy
- Cost: expensive
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 3
Rock Bros Foldable Bike Stand
This small stand is sort of a removable kickstand. I have one and it will hold a bike up ok, but I don’t love it. It doesn’t take much to have the bike fall off the stand. Like if someone walked by and gave it too big of a bump. It does fold up nice and small when you are not using it.
- Installation difficulty: easy
- Cost: moderate
- Space saving: none
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 4
Floor/Wall Storage
These options sit on the floor and also lean or are mounted to a wall.
Delta Cycle 2 Bike Gravity Stand
This is another option that doesn’t require any mounting. The stand goes on the floor and leans against a wall. Holds 2 bikes. I like how the arms adjust and it looks like it should hold most bikes. We reviewed this stand, and it works quite well.
- Installation difficulty: easy
- Cost: moderate
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 4
Floor/Ceiling Storage
These options go from floor to ceiling.
RAD Cycle Floor To Ceiling 2 Bike Rack
This is one I want to try in my basement. It goes from the floor to the ceiling, and you tighten it up enough, so it doesn’t move. So, you don’t have to drill any holes, it’s held in place with friction. Very affordable.
- Installation difficulty: easy
- Cost: cheap
- Space saving: lots
- Versatility: high
- Ease of use: 4
I use something like the Delta Gravity Storage Rack. It is handy in a garage with more available floor than wall space (walls taken up by tools, kayak, paddles, skis) but not enough for a regular bike rack (which I tried first). It is not hard to get bikes off and on, and the support positions can be varied for different top tube angles. Hooks screwed into joists are what I use in the basement. When I lived in a San Francisco Victorian with 14 foot ceilings, a homemade pulley system did the trick. You’re right – there are a lot of options and which works best is pretty variable, depending on your circumstances. Thanks for the overview.
Glad to hear the Delta Gravity style works well!
Once again! A very timely post as I’m trying to figure out the best option for my apartment and bike.
Let me know what you decide to go with.
I’m leaning toward the ceiling one but I need to check with superintendent to make sure the wall/ceiling can hold it.
Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving me some like. I like that. 😀 My family have ceiling hooks. They don’t like to use them much, however.
👍👍
Very nice