multiple bike storage?

[caligurl]

what's the best... most space efficient way to store bikes?

we currently have a stacking two bike holder from supergo (like this once from performance) and the two mountain bikes hang from the ceiling... but that's a pain in the butt plus it's hard for me to get mine down cuz it's heavy and awkward...

the two remaining bikes just sit around the garage (one leaning on the weight bench and the other on a portable stand)

we've thought of getting something like a bike rack and have them lined up against the wall... sticking into the floor area more.. but that starts to take away from my workout space...

we've thought of getting 2 more of the racks like we already have...

and we've thought of using the hooks that hold the front tire and hanging them off the wall but up off the floor...

what do those of you with multiple bikes do for best management of space?

any suggestions or recommendations would be most appreciated!

[DirtDiva]

The place is a mess. We've got five bikes in there, six if my flatmate's girlfriend rides hers over. Usually my bike is locked to the gas inlet, my flatmate's good bike is locked to the sewage outlet (gf locks hers to his), his beater bike is locked to itself and leaned against one wall, as is my other flatmate's bike, plus there's some random bike (former resident's?) unlocked and leaning against the other wall on top of a random bunch of crap. Just as well none of us have a car - there's not room for anything more in there! Actually, there wouldn't be room for more than a little hatchback even if we cleared it out completely. Noone in our street actually uses their garage for their car.

[SadieKate]

best management of space?

What is that?

Let's see, the front bedroom has 4 wood racks mounted to the walls, each with a road bike hanging from them. 3 more road or cross bikes lean against those or are stashed the hallway.

The garage - 2 mtbikes are in a metal rack which holds the back wheels, a 3rd is hanging from the saddle on the rafter while her new pink hoops are built into wheels, 2 mtbikes and a Bike Friday are in a wood rack which we built and also holds by the back wheels. A vintage road bike and the tandem are hung by pulleys from the rafters.

Efficient, we are not.

The pulleys would be great except that these 2 bikes are hung over the other bikes and are difficult to use since we can't stand right underneath. It takes 2 people but if you have space to stand directly underneath they would be very good.

And Bubba is ordering his Seven this weekend. Maybe pulleys from the living room ceiling.

edited to add the link to the pulley system (which is at a great price!)

[caligurl]

lol! no cars in our garage eigther! they sit in the driveway! we do have the bikes... a tv... a dvd player... and nice cushy puzzle mat pieces on the floor to cushion my knees and butt and back when doing my workouts! also this bohemoth HUGE weight thingy that hubby HAD to have that takes up too much room! (i told him i didn't want it.. i have my own weights and barbell, etc!) plus all my other workout equipment (we need another house that has 2 extra rooms: one room for my workout stuff and one room for bikes! lol!)

we were doing good with the two mtb and 2 road bikes.. but when we added 2 more road bikes... *sigh* (even with that rack of a weight rack thingy )

i do like the idea of a bike rack... that's my fave idea... except for the bikes sticking into my workout floor space! *sigh*

[tatormc]

We have the Sports Solutions Floor To Ceiling OakRak from Performance with 3 bikes on it. Mine goes on bottom, then hubby puts the one he rides most in the middle, then the one he hardly ever rides on top.

[caligurl]

you must have high ceilings! i don't think we could stack 3 bikes in our garage???? i'm gonna give it a look when i get home... cuz if we can... that'a definitely a good idea, too!

[bcipam]

After having a bike stolen from our garage, my roommate came up with a nice way to organize the bikes. Didn't cost that much. He took 2 X 4 X 10 and basically built a bike rack that hold 3 road bikes and two mountain bikes. The stand, although made of wood, looks like something you would see outside a store or in a park for bike storage. He cut shorter lengths of wood, 3 sized for road tires nad 2 for moubtain. This way we can run locks under the slats and secure the bikes. Think railroad tracks - thats sortof what this looks like. No more bikes hanging from the ceiling or leaning across the wall.

[caligurl]

do you have a picture of that, pam?

and you'all are starting to worry me... talking about locking your bikes in your garage???? we don't lock our bikes in our garage! (or anything else that's in there... i mean... the door is down.... heck.. i'm so bad i forget to lock the door that goes from the garage into the kitchen

we never ok... rarely leave our garage door open though.... since we don't park the cars in there... so maybe that's why you lock them? for when the door is open?

*cali is nervous now about the garage!*

[SadieKate]

bcipam, kind of like this?

http://www.branfordbike.com/storage/storage5.html#item1

We made a one-sided version in wood that takes 5 bikes. And, oh yeah, a lock and cable through all the bikes in the garage.

[skibum]

I started off with a stacking two bike holder like yours caligurl. That is up against the wall of the garage and usually holds my two bikes. When my BF moved in along with his 5 bikes (plus a frame that isn't built up), I told him that he needed to find a way to store them that still allows the cars to be in the garage. The frame went in the attic and an old, beater commuter bike is leaning against the fence outside. For the other 4 bikes, he put hooks in the ceiling and hangs them from the back wheels. He even re-arranged things so that his workbench, etc is along the back wall of the garage underneath the bikes. It's a pretty impressive set-up... looks like a mini bike mechanic shop.

Of course, you can't ever have enough bikes. He just bought another frame off e-bay that he wants to build up. He is struggling with how he will store it or what bike he will give up to make room for it.

[CorsairMac]

I bought a standing bike rack for 4 bikes - similar to the 4 bike rack on SK's link and I've devoted pretty much a whole room just to the bikes. It's hilarious coz the cats use the bikes to hide under so the dogs can't chase em - take about dual purpose! If I get a 5th bike, I'm not really sure what I'll do - get another house maybe? lol

[caligurl]

now see... i LIKE that idea! a bike room and a workout room! i've wanted a workout room ever since i saw a gorgeous one posted on one of my fitness boards *drool*

and now i want a bike room/garage!

ok..... maybe i need to go house shopping instead of bike rack shopping!

p.s. coach jasmine hangs out by the bikes a lot too.. but not to hide from the dogs.. just always thought it was cute she ended up next to the bikes (coach jasmine cuz she ALWAYS comes in the garage with me while i'm working out! so she was dubbed my coach!)

[DirtDiva]

and you'all are starting to worry me... talking about locking your bikes in your garage???? we don't lock our bikes in our garage! (or anything else that's in there... i mean... the door is down.... heck.. i'm so bad i forget to lock the door that goes from the garage into the kitchen

we never ok... rarely leave our garage door open though.... since we don't park the cars in there... so maybe that's why you lock them? for when the door is open?

*cali is nervous now about the garage!*

My insurance is no good if my bike isn't locked. And it's not like bikes never go missing in East London...

[caligurl]

wow! i'd better call my insurace company back and double check that! i know they have to be locked when on the truck or in the car (well.. the car locked then the bike is in it)... but when they said "if it's stolen from the garage" they didn't say they had to be locked in the garage.. i mean.. the garage door is down (thus locked unless you have the opener)... so to me it's just the same as being in the house! i wouldn't lock them if they were in a room in the house! i'd better varify that!

[DirtDiva]

There's a pretty good chance you have a better and more comprehensive insurance policy than I do.