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Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 11:22 am
by FLV
Anyone got a useful / space efficient system for bike storage in a garage ?

I've previously had hooks on the wall to hang them by, not bad but with a motorbike parked against the opposite wall it became a real pain to get the bikes on or off the hooks without crashing and bashing about.

Currently got several halfords pedal hooks on the wall. These were really cheap and allow one bike on the wall and one under it. This is ok in two places but a pain in the third which currently houses my wifes mtb in a little corridor to get out the back garden from the garage.

I'm aware this makes it sound like I have loads and loads of bikes but after the how many bikes thread I dont really. Heres what I need to store and whats in regular use.

Hardtail mtb - regular use
Full Sus - regular use (currently stripped to sell the frame but new frame imminent)
SS mtb - (only built this again last night for something to do, can be disassembled if it doesn't fit in the storage)
Gravelwanker - Regular use
Road Bike - Used to live at work, currently no storage there. This or the GW travels to work with me)
Garage Total 4 (maybe 5)

Wifes MTB - semi regular use
Wifes Brompton - regular use, currently in the house
Garage Total 1

4yo Islabike - daily use, currently in the house but as it gets bigger will need to go in the garage too
4yo BMX track bike - garage, once / twice a week use
Garage Total 2

Occasional visitors include my middle teenagers personal bikes but they probably dont need to be included, generally he rides one of my mtbs when here.

So, I need to efficiently store 7 bikes, most in fairly regular use.

Anyone got anything clever or is it just a case of hanging what fits and stacking the rest against the wall?

Stealing additional space outside in the shed wont wash, wife is a keen gardener and complains about tyre storage going out there a lot (chucks them back in the garage)

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 12:23 pm
by Shewie
Could you hoist any up to the roof on a simple pulley system? A few friends did this with their canoes when space was tight.

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 12:26 pm
by Lazarus
roof hoists ?
I dont think naything takes upless sace than hanging them from a wall - turning bars gets them closer together - or you can just vary the height of the hooks or do one front wheel one rear wheel to stop bars being an issue

MTB are a pain with super wide bars IME

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:27 pm
by FLV
Yeah, Its not a high ceiling as I had an extension on top of the garage a couple of years ago and the fireproofing ate some height.

Even if I pulled bikes up there at and rotated them flat I'd have to rotate bars to make that work

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:38 pm
by voodoo_simon
The bikes that don’t get regular use in my garage are stored top and tail upside down with their front wheel off. Saves on some space.

The bikes that are used are left built up and are ready to ride, two on the floor and two hanging by their top tubes next to each other (top and tail to save on space)

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:41 pm
by Lazarus
EDIT: i seem to have developed the skill to write what someone else is saying at the same time I am typing ...spooky !

taking the wheels of and piling them up on each other to make a stack saves space [ you may get two bikes end to end [height wise so taking the sace of one bike with wheels]that way on a wall but its a major pain in the arse to do and i cannot recomend it - I started using the alcoves in the house at that point

best of luck getting that past the fun controller who in my case not only approved she built me a tool storage area to complement it -some of the bikes are hers though !

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:52 pm
by Cheeky Monkey
I maximised my storage by taking front wheels out, velcro straps (I've used zip ties but a bag bag of long, velcro cable ties is worth it IMO) to keep bars turned 90 degrees (so parallel to the top tube). Hung by rear wheel off a hook in vertical wall.

You still have to stick the wheels somewhere and need to be a little careful with pedals and their clearance so they don't clash or tangle. May also need to take the odd saddle out, though not essential.

It adds a bit of time and faff but trade-off for me was worth it. Secondly it allows them to be chained together and the chain lifted up away from the floor. This may or may not be something you are bothered by.

I think I've got about 7 along a couple of metres of wall. Removing the front wheels means you don't need quite so much vertical and lateral clearance.

Edit - those expensive swiveling front wheel holders look interesting but the price x number of bikes makes me baulk.

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:00 pm
by benp1
I feel your pain. I have a motorbike, my 4 bikes, 2 kids bikes and a whole load of kit/tools/work table in my very small (can't-even-fit-a-car-in) garage

It's a killer moving stuff around. I have to move my cargo bike to get to my MTB, which is the bike that's currently getting the most use. Cargo bike is 7 ft long and wide due to the extracycle bits on the sides. Would love to move the MTB but the bars are too wide to do have it anywhere else. It's a logistical nightmare! Garage is too short to put a bike on the wall and another underneath.

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 3:45 pm
by FLV
Removing the front wheels and hanging by the rear is an interesting one. It would certainly free some space to walk past them. I'll have a measure of that.

I can make something from bits of wood to make them hang at angle I would have thought

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:49 pm
by Cheeky Monkey
I've got about 6 bikes (could probably be 7) in about 1.5m (horizontally), FYI.

Re: Space saving bike storage?

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 8:38 pm
by mikejd
Bike rack for 6 bikes using channels from a rack supplier.
Image