How to store your bike?

A well-stored bike is a bike that lasts! Storing your bike upright or suspended helps avoid premature and unnecessary wear. Unfortunately, not everyone has a house with a large garage.

To counter the lack of space, particularly in urban areas, several solutions are available to store your bike without letting it take over your living space: by making use of available floor space with storage solutions that are very easy to install and removable, or alternatively by going vertical and making use of walls or the ceiling!

Bike storage features

Types of storage

• on the floor: rack, maintenance stand, tripod stand, lightweight support, side support, freestanding rack, kickstand
• on the wall: rack, hooks, side mount
• on the ceiling: hooks, pulley, floor-to-ceiling support

STORING YOUR BIKE: THE EXPLANATIONS

Floor storage solutions

These items of equipment require no installation work; they are ready to use. They are also very stable.

The rack

A great classic! The rack comes in all shapes and sizes, for one or several bikes. Made from steel with a rust-resistant treatment, it is sturdy. For private users, manufacturers offer models stable enough to be self-supporting. Floor fixing brackets are however provided, particularly to guard against theft if installed outdoors! Most city, road or mountain bikes are compatible, but check the maximum accepted tyre width. Some racks are designed to accommodate disc brakes.

The maintenance stand

It follows the same principle as the rack but offers even wider compatibility, sometimes with a height adjustment to accommodate all wheel diameters. It is built in a lighter way than a rack but proves more bulky. Stability comes at that price! Its great advantage: keeping the rear wheel off the ground. The stand can thus be used to adjust the gears, grease the chain, fine-tune a brake...

The mini stand

It resembles a workshop stand but is simpler and less bulky. The bike is hung by the frame or by a wheel on a hook integrated into the tripod.

The lightweight support

It comes in the form of a base. The rear wheel axle slots into the vertical section, which has a slot. It offers wide compatibility with different wheel sizes and disc brakes. Its small size and featherweight make it easy to transport! A rubber coating prevents any risk of scratching the bike.

The freestanding rack

It is the bike equivalent of a clothes rail! Foldable and adjustable, it allows you to store several bikes by resting them on the saddle nose. Perfect for storing your fleet at home when space is not an issue, or for setting up a small paddock at events and races!

The kickstand

Attached directly to the bike, it sometimes comes fitted as standard. It can be a side kickstand. The bike is then rested at a slight angle to one side. It can also be a centre stand, which then has two support legs, similar to the system used on scooters and motorbikes. Attached directly to the bike, it sometimes comes fitted as standard. It can be a side kickstand. The bike is then rested at a slight angle to one side. It can also be a centre stand, which then has two support legs, similar to the system used on scooters and motorbikes.

Wall fixings

The ideal solution for freeing up floor space!

The wall-mounted rack

When the bike is not hooked on, this rack frees up 100% of the floor space! Fixed vertically, it is orientable to optimise the storage of your trusted bikes.

Wall hooks

They allow bikes to be stored by hanging them by the front wheel or the handlebar, vertically. The space saving is significant compared to a bike left on the floor! It is possible to store several bikes side by side using multiple hooks. You can position the hooks at different heights so that the handlebars of the bikes do not come into contact. The bikes can then be stored close together. Another space optimisation! Some storage solutions take the form of a metal frame. Several hooks are attached to it. A shelf can be installed above the frame for a 2-in-1 storage solution.

The side wall mount

It allows you to hang your bike by the frame, parallel to the wall. It is sometimes foldable!

Ceiling fixings

When floor space is lacking, why not make use of the ceiling height? To make handling easier and ensure your safety and that of your bike, do not hang it too high though!

Hooks

On the same principle as wall hooks, they allow you to hang your bike by the front wheel. It is sometimes simpler to fix a hook into a wooden ceiling beam than to drill into reinforced concrete! Be creative!

Pulleys

Storing your bike on the ceiling — great! But doing it without risking it falling on your head during handling is even better. Attach the bike by the saddle and by the handlebar using hooks, then hoist it up with great ease via the pulleys!

The floor-to-ceiling support

When the ceiling height is not very great, it is still possible to make use of it! This support requires no drilling. An adjustable-length rod is fixed securely between the floor and the ceiling by pressure. Integrated hooks allow 2 bikes to be stored vertically, one above the other!

Which storage solution should I choose for my bike?

To optimise the storage of your bike, or bikes, several factors need to be analysed:

The type of bike to be stored

With its narrow tyres, a road or city bike is compatible with all racks, for example. This is not always the case for a mountain bike with very wide tyres! Disc brakes also pose compatibility issues, even though they are increasingly common and better and better catered for by storage manufacturers.

The frame shape can also make a bike incompatible with certain wall mounts. Finally, it is best to avoid vertical storage for bikes equipped with a hydraulic system, whether for the suspension(s) or the brakes.

Weight

If you want to store a heavy, bulky bike that is difficult to handle, opt for a solution close to the ground rather than overhead. A well-chosen storage solution should of course save space, but it should also allow for quick and effortless movements, all in safety! If you still want to store it overhead, a pulley system is the most suitable option.

Space and bulk

How many bikes do you want to store? What is the most convenient spot in your garage or flat? For example, run a simulation with your car parked inside the garage. You need to be sure that you will be able to take or place the bike with enough freedom of movement before installing a wall or ceiling mount.

Work required

If you do not wish to undertake DIY work, such as drilling into concrete to fix a wall hook, you can make do with a floor-standing storage solution. Make sure to lock your garage or cellar properly in that case! If the room cannot be secured, your bike is very vulnerable, as it is not attached to anything fixed.

A few additional tips!

• If you wish to protect your bike with a cover during storage, opt for a floor-level storage solution.
• When hanging your bike on hook-type supports, there is a real risk of scratching the frame or rims. Check for the presence of rubber protectors.
• If you opt for a kickstand and carry heavy loads or a child on your bike, choose a centre stand, which is far more stable and durable.