General Cycling Discussion - How do you store your bike?

Do you lean it against a wall, use a kickstand, or hang it from a hook?

I ask because I am running out of room to store the bikes my wife and I have. Been thinking about hanging them from the floor joists in the basement. Between the 2 of us we have 6 bikes and 3 B.O.B. trailers. They take up a lot of room where they all lean against the wall.

Is it safe to hang a bike from a bike hook, so long as it is fastened correctly into the floor joist?

Suggestions please?

Thanks.

I hang mine from hooks in the ceiling. It works nicely and they are out of the way. This does not harm the bike at all. Most bike shops including high end shops hang their bikes from the ceiling.

hang some, lean others

Ride More
Pat

my main bike I keep in the living room, upside down in the corner, so I can look at it all the time.

:D

at my new apt. I have a large walk-in closet, that's where they go....

Here is how I store mine.

And like this. I also have a full size shop repair stand in the bedroom where I keep my Trailbike.

Most of the time my roadbike goes on a hanger on my home-office wall. I work remotely from home and for a company on eastern time (I keep ET hours even though I live in the PNW) so having the bike there reminds me that I need to knock off work around 2PM PT and go for a ride. This didn't used to be the case and in the past I would look at my clock only to realise it's 8PM and I didn't get a chance to ride. Now I'm less of a workoholic and I ride more often... I've found that my stress level has also greatly diminished.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/images/house/office/current/Image22.jpg

My mountain bike on the other hand is usually fairly dirty and mud-caked so I keep it in the garage along with the other dirty and mudcaked stuff... like my Jeep.. |8^)

I keep mine against the wall in my room so I can look at it too :D

hey khuon, that is one great setup!

but I'd find myself staring at my bike, daydreaming about riding or whatever next thing I wanted to do to tinker with the bike itself. in fact, I do that sometimes: I have a restaurant, and during the day (we're only open for dinner) I'll knock off prep/paperwork/whatever and go sit down in the dining room, have a drink and just look at the bike while thinking about something else. I'd probably have more free time during the day if I didn't do that, instead buckling down and being more efficient.

I have to say, I do find myself walking by it and running a hand along the frame or handlebars as I pass. man, I wish my commute was longer, so I'd have an excuse to ride more.

--alex.

edit: p.s. hope you don't mind, but I rightclicked your image and took a look at your website. very interesting stuff! you never really know what hidden depths there are behind all these screen names out here. what prompted this edit/postscript was your interests section; the shooting part seems to be a dead link. I love my USP.45 about as much as my Bianchi; let me know if you ever put that page back up.

Donesn't anybody read old threads?

Man you gotta get rid of the sofa for more room.

Originally posted by I_H_M_B_F_M
Do you lean it against a wall, use a kickstand, or hang it from a hook? First of all, don't assume I only have one bike.

I could store them in the basement or the garage - but I don't! If a bike is in the basement, it means I never ride it.

I don't use a kickstand - "kickstand" is a dirty word to me, a totally useless gadget. If a bike I buy has a kickstand, I remove it immediately. If you need a kickstand, you ain't no cyclist.

Two of my bikes are in the "study" (aka spare bedroom) leaning against bookshelves. (they take up a lot less space than you might expect). Two more bikes are in the living room, leaning against chairs. Another bike is in the dining room. The bike I'm about to ride gets moved to the kitchen where it leans against a table until I get ready to move it to the garage just prior to 'take-off'.

I keep our 3 bikes in a small storage unit on our apt patio. They stand on their rear wheels leaning against walls and boxes. Wife and daughter hardly ride their bikes. I have a dept store mb I broke the crank on that I keep on the patio covered with a tarp.
The bike I ride and keep in the storage unit is my peugeot.

Have a great ride!
filark

I keep my hardtail in corner on a workstand... it sure looks cool!

I'm having a similar problem in our garage (4 bikes ).One is on a workstand and the other 3 are leaning. Does anyone hang bikes by the front wheel?.

I would'nt have thought it would cause any harm as the spokes are strong in tension, but would like someone to advise.

Chewa;

no problem hanging a bike from the front tire. You are only putting the bikes weith on the spokes and when you ride it you put your weight on them.

kevin you got a road bike?

Originally posted by pat5319
hang some, lean others

I hang the best and lean the worst.

Originally posted by The Toninator
kevin you got a road bike?

Yep. I have had it for over 6 months now. I love it.

I'm thinking of hanging our bikes on hooks myself. No room left in the garage and I worry about knocking them over. Bicycles, motorcycles, snowblower, lawnmower, etc ... probably safest for me to hang them up.
:beer:

Originally posted by JRA
[I don't use a kickstand - "kickstand" is a dirty word to me, a totally useless gadget. If a bike I buy has a kickstand, I remove it immediately. If you need a kickstand, you ain't no cyclist.


Um, what ? Why ? Thats a 'purist' angle that is new to me....

Does this mean as a "cyclist' if I ever want to stop anywhere and get off the bike, the real way is to toss it on the ground ? Lean it against stuff ?

Why does that make you a true cyclist ?

Honestly curious.....

I have freestanding stand similiar to ones shown
above. I lean 2, and at least 1 is on workstand at
what seems like all times.
I have a dedicated room for the bikes.
Luckily the wife wouldn't dream of putting her
Eisentraut anywhere other than in the house so
we now have "The bike room" to go along with
"The dive room".

Marty

Originally posted by RollingGeek
Thats a 'purist' angle that is new to me....Really?

Back in the old days they used to make kickstands out of steel, so we'd take them off to save weight. I got used to always leaning a bike against something. It's really not a problem. And if you lock your bike, you have to lock it to something anyway. It's even possible to balance a bike on the toeclip. :D

I hate the noise a kickstand makes when you hit a bump. Anything on a bike that has weight and/or makes noise and serves no purpose comes off. I have a box full of kickstands if anyone wants them.

We have two bikes. I purchased a black finish rack by Sports Solutions that works perfectly on my toy garages back wall.

Keeps the bikes off the floor and out of the way.

Originally posted by JRA
It's even possible to balance a bike on the toeclip.

I've recently started doing the trick of balancing (albiet precariously) the bike upright against a curb using the pedal. It's usually if I'm just straying to a water fountain or grabbing a powerbar from the rest stop stand during a supported ride.

Yeah same here. Once you get the hang of balancing it on the pedal, it's far more convenient when there aren't any places to lean the bike against.

Originally posted by kewlrunningz
Yeah same here. Once you get the hang of balancing it on the pedal, it's far more convenient when there aren't any places to lean the bike against.

Why not lay it down carefully on all the ground surrounding you...wouldn't that be easier.:confused:

Here's how I store mine.

1. kickstands for roadbikes are too much weight that isn't needed. kickstands for mtb's are stupid. something to get stuck on a rock or even worse snap down when ur about to land and get stuck (its happened) For a commuter it is a reasonable thing to have
2. you don't just lay your bike down. that makes it ALOT easier for thigns to get scratched or derailleurs bent.. alot easier to scratch up some pedals then your paint or chancing the bending/breaking of things

If you can't lean it, lay (lie?) the bike on its left side - never on the gear/deraileur side. Someone told me that and it only makes sense.
:beer:

I should have mentioned that all of the bikes my wife and I own are recumbents. Well I bought 5 of them, my wife just bought her first one. So we decided to split them up. 3 for her and 3 for me.
'Bents tend to take up more room then wedgies. Especially in the width. Those wall racks that people use will not work for a 'bent. It looks like we'll have to hang them from the ceiling in the basement.

Here (http://www.mindspring.com/~d.g1/storage.htm) is another option for storage

Originally posted by Arsbars
1. kickstands for roadbikes are too much weight that isn't needed. kickstands for mtb's are stupid. something to get stuck on a rock or even worse snap down when ur about to land and get stuck (its happened) For a commuter it is a reasonable thing to have
2. you don't just lay your bike down. that makes it ALOT easier for thigns to get scratched or derailleurs bent.. alot easier to scratch up some pedals then your paint or chancing the bending/breaking of things

I don't understand... These are bikes meant to be used, not fragile works of art. Course, I think of my road bike as art that hangs on the garage wall. I've never had any of my bikes get scratchs or marks from properly laying it down on the opposite side of the derailleur. That includes both my MTB and racing bikes. I don't know anybody that uses kickstands.

My new campy pro fit pedals are 4wks old and they already have a few scratches from my cleats. Not something I believe can be helped. Course, I am not Anal Retentive either...just like to keep my toys and stuff in excellent condition.

I REALLY love this board, I swear I never run out of things to marvel at.

So, I now am not worthy, not only because i left those reflectors in my wheels, but because I have a kickstand !!!

:)

I don't do ANY off-road riding, and I am still carrying far more weight around my middle that I can lose before a little teeny kickstand is going to make a difference.

Man - what a tool I am :) I even -- GASP -- carry my son around in a trailer a lot of times. It is great training dragging all that extra weight - personally if you were a racer, I would think you would all but drag an anchor when training -- so you could FLY when you took it all off before a race.

LOL - I am leaving my reflectors AND my kickstand on. I think it will serve as a good' I take myself too seriously' repellent :) You guys that go blind with disgust when you see kickstands and reflectors will leave me to my 'non-cyclist' self. :roflmao:

Just my $.02, but I think leaning a bike against a wall, post, fence, or tree provides much better support than a lousy kickstand. My kids' bikes have kickstands and they get knocked over entirely too much!

Years ago, someone made a small plastic thingy that you inserted into the opening when the front brake lever was squeezed. This kept front wheel from moving and the bike stable when the bike was leaned against a post. Didn't weigh hardly anything and made it real easy to prop the bike up. It had a loop at one end so that it was easily attached to the brake cable and you wouldn't lose it.

Originally posted by RollingGeek
I REALLY love this board, I swear I never run out of things to marvel at.

So, I now am not worthy, not only because i left those reflectors in my wheels, but because I have a kickstand !!!

:)

I don't do ANY off-road riding, and I am still carrying far more weight around my middle that I can lose before a little teeny kickstand is going to make a difference.

LOL - I am leaving my reflectors AND my kickstand on. I think it will serve as a good' I take myself too seriously' repellent :) You guys that go blind with disgust when you see kickstands and reflectors will leave me to my 'non-cyclist' self. :roflmao:

Please leave your reflectors and kickstand on... I didn't see anything that implyed you're not worthy. :)

My 10yr old son doesn't have a kickstand on his bike. He does have reflectors though. I don't have either. I believe kickstands creat a false sense of convience, especially for kids and those of us that might worry if our bikes fell over, GOD forbid... :rolleyes:
It all depends on you your style of riding, expectations, fears and were you ride.

I don't ride at night, so reflectors have no value for me.
In the beach area in So CA, nobody in their right mind uses a kickstand, except those who are commoning referred to as flat landers. :p The wind and sand easily encreases the probilities of ones bike falling over. :beer:

In case it wasn't clear - I have ABSOLUTELY no hard feelings over this.

I have been rethinking and I guess I COULD do without the kick stand - every chance where I have to leave the bike alone there usually is something there.

But, with kids and dogs around, I think it is more stable to have a kickstand.

And everyone is entitled to their opinions, I appreciated all the feedback, it has been pretty interesting.

5 bikes? really.


I have five finger bikes, and two real bikes, do i now have 7 bikes?

I hang my road bikes from two hooks in the garage, I hang my mountain bikes from one hook in the garage, and my cruiser and other works in progress are stacked against eachother in the garage.. Oh I also have one in the shed with the lawn mower, Even the owner of the LBS thinks I'm getting a little crazy, I just hate give any of them up.. But hanging or suspending them is the way to store them, The photoes in previos posts just show how easy it can be

lol megah finger bikes! rofl...
i have 8 fingers and two thumbs... do i qualify for at least 8..
p.s.
John... aka b-rider/I_H_M_B_F_M/ lumpy leg....etc...

did you find a rack for them all yet? 6 bikes is a lot to haul.

I agree with the people who stare at their bikes when they are stored in the house. Sometimes I leave my bike in my home office and I can't get any work done!

i hate it when you jokers gradualy change the subject of the thread, KevinG, the cat in your foto looks like one of ours, we have 4, how many of you keep cats as pets& how many do you have ?? :rolleyes:

I built this recently, but i still need to paint it

ooops, no pic

do you mean bikes can be stored?

Back to the original question... My primary bike, my Homegrown sites against the wall next to my bed. Being a bachelor has its bonus. When I move out, I have to paint the wall, you can see a rub spot where the handle bar has leaned across the wall, and a few tire tread marks.

I lived too long in Urban America.. I am somewhat paranoid about my Klein. I would normally store it, leaning against the living room wall, where I could see it all the time... But, for when I am not home, it is tied down in an anchor bolt in the floor in the garage, leaning against the wall... Often my touring bike is locked to that bike.
My other two bikes.. The hybrid leans against the wall in the computer room, since I keep it handy to do chores about town, rather than get into a stinking car and do them the way most people do.... My second road bike is attached to a hook fastened to the garage ceiling..