# Home brewed bike storage solutions - help wanted



## markj2k4 (Jan 20, 2009)

So, I am looking to maximize the storage in our 1 car garage. Naturally I am always trying to figure out how to fit one more bike in the space that is already dreadfully cramped with: camping gear, tool rollaways, grills, 8 bicycles, bar-b-ques, a motorcycle, countless tubs of stuff the wife insists on storing in the man cave and a sorry attempt at a workbench/work space. I tend to rub elbows with all of the crap shoved in this paltry 250ish square feet.

I was hoping to solicit some examples of how others tackle the issue of maximizing space for bike storage. Currently I have across the back wall of the garage hooks screwed in the main beam of the back wall which will accommodate 8 bikes. This kinda works other than it eats up a lot of actual floor space with the bikes hanging like this also all of the hooks are full and I have an itch to build a new bike. I also have planned a few refinishing (furniture) projects over the next few months and cannot even imagine how I will have space in the garage to do them. 

Ideas/suggestions/strategies (pictures appreciated)?? Thanks!


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## bigbadwulff (Jan 18, 2012)

$1.99 hook and the ceiling.


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## scout (Jul 12, 2006)

Some good ideas and photos in this thread: http://forums.mtbr.com/tooltime/whats-your-shop-look-like-thread-600073.html

Harbor Freight has reasonably priced ceiling pulleys that are pretty handy for minimal floor space. In use in some of the photos on that thread as well.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Plastic coated hooks.


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## markj2k4 (Jan 20, 2009)

bigbadwulff said:


> $1.99 hook and the ceiling.


I smell what you're stepping in, that's the way I already have it set up essentially but hung on the back wall not the ceiling. If I were to hang 8 adult bikes from the ceiling i would have to learn to crawl around to get anything in or out (regular height ceiling). I have seen somewhere deep in the past how certain people have constructed various racking systems that magically feel like they use less sq. ft. and actually are useful. I am hoping someone has a magic potion or idea that they found to work in a similar situation.

Scout - Thank you, I was actually searching for that thread but couldn't conger up the right combination of words for a search term. I feel like I can develop some decent ideas of my own using some elements from others.


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## Birdman (Dec 31, 2003)

This is how I store 8 bikes in my garage.

#1
Made with 2x4's & 2x6's. It rests on the floor and is lag-bolted to the wall studs. J-hooks in the upper 2x6, tires rest on the upper & lower 2x4's.

It's just high enough so that the hood of the car fits under the wheels, but not high enough to prohibit getting the bikes down. Some storage under & between the bikes, which alternate up/down.

#2
Hung them from the ceiling along a wall at a 45° angle. J-hooks screwed into a 2x4, which is then lag-bolted to the ceiling. I had small blocks screwed to the wall to keep the lower tire from sliding along the wall.

Maybe this is what you have already, but it works okay for me.

JMJ


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## markj2k4 (Jan 20, 2009)

Birdman - Thanks for the photos! you're right the way I have it thrown together is pretty similar. I think angling of the bikes is something I should also flirt with to give a little relief from all the handlebars and seats hanging out. I am also beginning to wonder if I built some sort of scaffolding that hung the bikes the same way they are now, but say 2-3' lower and the scaffolding top could act as a shelf to store the wife's rubbermade boxes or some camping gear etc. If that would take some burden off the rest of the space. I'll have to snap a couple photos when I get home, it might make it easier to see what I am talking about.


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## markj2k4 (Jan 20, 2009)

Here is the space I am working with, Ultimately it is not *bad* I really am just looking for *better* ways to use the space.



















I am looking for a way to comfortably keep bike 8 in the garage - currently kept elsewhere with the possibility of adding the aforementioned number 9.


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## In-Yo-Grill (Jul 19, 2011)

All my bikes hang off the well with hooks. Best thing I ever did...


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## ianick (Jul 10, 2006)

I was in the same boat looking for a way to get my bikes out of the way. I never did come up with a magic solution. I did what everyone else did and hung them from the wall.


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## markj2k4 (Jan 20, 2009)

$25 Rack stores five bicycles!

Wonder how many have experience with something such as this... I was thinking of adapting it by either A. castering the legs -or- B. only building 1/2 a pyramid and mounting to the exterior side wall of the garage and running a pipe on the inside to hook a bike seat on for a 3rd bike storage. 3 of those would take care of the 9 bike conundrum. Thoughts or experience?


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## Pedalphile (Aug 6, 2008)

markj2k4 said:


> Here is the space I am working with, Ultimately it is not *bad* I really am just looking for *better* ways to use the space.
> 
> I am looking for a way to comfortably keep bike 8 in the garage - currently kept elsewhere with the possibility of adding the aforementioned number 9.


If you stagger the bikes vertically (so that the handlebars will line up over the rear wheels of the adjacent bikes rather than interfere with the seats), you'll be able to put them a bit closer together, making enough room for at least one more bike on that wall.

Good luck,
Pete


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## gmats (Apr 15, 2005)

Aloha,

Is it possible to hang the hooks from the rafters. Hang the bikes from the saddles. Take advantage of the wasted vertical space. Bonus if you have it close enough to the wall so you are able to tie a hook to the wall. This way you'll be able to hook the wheel so the bike is stabilized above by the saddle and by one of the wheels on the wall. 

Good luck with that, post up pics of what you end up with.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

You can buy a rack with sliding hooks so that the bikes can be squished together to save space (although staggering the handlebar heights is also key):

Track Rack : Dero Bike Parking Racks


I don't have one, but they're not too crazily expensive. And they're basically just unistrut, so a DIY knockoff could be doable instead.


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## rangeriderdave (Aug 29, 2008)

I have a shed that my bikes are in , at the far end there two motorcycle and three bikes on the floor above them are four bikes hanging upside down . Above the bike are skis ,then there is a shelf with camping gear and other stuff.


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## Caffeine Powered (Mar 31, 2005)

I generally use the lean them against each other method. 

Last year I used some left over material from a job at work and made hanging an option. The J-hooks are 3/8" threaded mounted to shallow strut which is mounted to the ceiling joists. The J-hooks are mounted every 10" but I could slide them in either direction in minutes to accommodate a wider bike if I needed to. I did take a torch to the J-hook to open the hook more so the wider tires wouldn't cause the rim to sit on the end of the J.

Below is the one in the garage. I mounted a second one in the back yard shed and it's holding 8 bikes. I bolted that one directly to the frame of the shed since it doesn't have wooden joists.

J-Hooks 

Rod Anchors that go into the ceiling studs

5/8" shallow strut


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## Birdman (Dec 31, 2003)

markj2k4,

Your setup looks good. Only think I'd say is to tighten up the spacing and/or stagger the J-hooks to get the bikes closer. My set-up has different spacings so that the road bikes are tighter together (narrower handlebars) versus the MTBs with wide handlebars.

Also, you can store a lot of stuff in between and under the bikes.

FWIW, I have a really tall garage (11', maybe), so I'm contemplating a full width storage shelf for bins over the bike rack. I also scored 3 hoist-em-up-type bike storage hooks (J-hooks on rope & pulley) for under $20 for more storage later (I've got 2 rapidly growing girls who love biking).

Good luck - JMJ


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## markj2k4 (Jan 20, 2009)

for better or for worst I am going to attempt to build some sort of shelf-y rack-y thing over the weekend. From what the weather man is saying they are expecting another 5-6 inches of rain in my area, I ride in wet weather but that's a bit too wet. So construction projects ahead woohoo! I will post a picture what ever dilapidated contraption I muster up. Thanks for all the input and ideas. 

Birdman - I think the alternating heights of the hooks are going to paramount in whatever comes together over the weekend. I think also I will be lowering everything a foot or two to allow the misses to easily access her two bikes as she wishes - they are a bit lofty at this point for her. That will create a void of space above and if I can incorporate a shelf above where the bikes are hanging it will allow a catch all for all of the crap stacked about the periphery of the garage.


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## markj2k4 (Jan 20, 2009)

So I went ahead and threw something together. I did accomplish being able to fit more bikes in less space by the previous mentioned staggering. However, I tend to bop around between bikes on a frequent and regular basis so the way they were all crowded together irritated/bothered me. So I went back to a much more spaced configuration. What was accomplished was a ton of extra storage space from the top of the bike rack all the way to the roof, many boxes that were previously stored on the floor and cluttering up the joint have been moved up and out of the way. Not exactly my goal but a good compromise. plus it only cost 20$. Here are some photos:


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## Birdman (Dec 31, 2003)

Nicely done! When I eventually build an overhead shelf, I'll move my J-hooks to the underside of the shelf like you did.

JMJ


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

The house has a bedroom, utility room, dining room, living room....coincidence? I think not.... Lol.

Nice racks all. Just have too many bikes haha.


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## gridtalker (Dec 7, 2006)

bigbadwulff said:


> $1.99 hook and the ceiling.


Agree 100%


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## bigbadwulff (Jan 18, 2012)

markj2k4 said:


> I smell what you're stepping in, that's the way I already have it set up essentially but hung on the back wall not the ceiling. If I were to hang 8 adult bikes from the ceiling i would have to learn to crawl around to get anything in or out (regular height ceiling). I have seen somewhere deep in the past how certain people have constructed various racking systems that magically feel like they use less sq. ft. and actually are useful. I am hoping someone has a magic potion or idea that they found to work in a similar situation.
> 
> Scout - Thank you, I was actually searching for that thread but couldn't conger up the right combination of words for a search term. I feel like I can develop some decent ideas of my own using some elements from others.


1) You asked for solutions
2) You didn't say anything about not having headroom

Just trying to help...


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## bigbadwulff (Jan 18, 2012)

markj2k4 said:


>


see me some nice, $1.99 hooks


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## markj2k4 (Jan 20, 2009)

bigbadwulff said:


> see me some nice, $1.99 hooks


 buck-ninty-nine hooks ftw


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## anotherbrian (Mar 18, 2005)

Did you tool dip those J-hooks? I followed your link to the Grainger website and I'm not sure if they're the same.

I hung some unistrut across the ceiling in the garage yesterday, and am now looking for the best way to hang things from it. I bought a couple of large "bicycle hooks" with coarse wood threads from Home Depot, shortened them and threaded them 3/8-16 so I could use them with the unistrut nuts, but I'd rather save the time and buy something that is already threaded.



Caffeine Powered said:


> I generally use the lean them against each other method.
> 
> Last year I used some left over material from a job at work and made hanging an option. The J-hooks are 3/8" threaded mounted to shallow strut which is mounted to the ceiling joists. The J-hooks are mounted every 10" but I could slide them in either direction in minutes to accommodate a wider bike if I needed to. I did take a torch to the J-hook to open the hook more so the wider tires wouldn't cause the rim to sit on the end of the J.


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## Scott2 (Aug 18, 2013)

*Bike Storage*

Here's mine - of course it works better with higher ceilings.




















I've made this rack a bunch of times and adjust it so the low part of the bikes are a few inches over 6' (I'm 5'10"). Even heavy bikes go up easy if you hang one wheel first and then the other.

Scott


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