Fifty Plus (50+) - Storing bikes by hanging from front wheel?

Hello all

I've stored my bikes inside the house here so far. It's kept them from the humid salty and sandy air. (Anyone seen the pictures of the sandstorms we've been having?)

We have a sealed garage storage space, dust free. I'm thinking of putting up a batten on the roof there, and hanging the bikes up by their front wheels by S hooks.

Is this inviting damage?

Thanks

Only if you bang your head on the rear tires like I do......

Only if you bang your head on the rear tires like I do......

If you are able to put a batten up there- Hang the bikes from the saddle.

The weight of some of my bikes would ovalise a wheel after a couple of months so I don't do it.

I've been hanging bikes by the front wheel for 20 years with no problems.

The weight of some of my bikes would ovalise a wheel after a couple of months so I don't do it.

What makes you think this would happen? I have never heard of a wheel being damaged by hanging a bike from it. I store several of my bikes by hanging them from the wheel, including my tandem. I have never had a wheel become ovalized from this. Have you seen it happen?

Thanks all for responses

I should have specified..

We have a covered space like a 'car port', covered but open 360 degrees around. I don't want to leave the bikes there because of the windy salty circumstances.

At the back of the car port, there's an enclosed and lockable space about 8 feet tall, 3 feet deep, 6 feet wide. It'd take all the bikes (3 singles, 1 tandem) vertically but not horizontally.

So far, I'm encouraged to hang some butchers hooks to get the bikes out of the house. Mrs Beloved earns more than I do by running painting courses in the house, and the space currently bike occupied would give space to about 5 other paying art students!!!

We have a covered space like a 'car port', covered but open 360 degrees around. I don't want to leave the bikes there because of the windy salty circumstances.

At the back of the car port, there's an enclosed and lockable space about 8 feet tall, 3 feet deep, 6 feet wide. It'd take all the bikes (3 singles, 1 tandem) vertically but not horizontally.

So far, I'm encouraged to hang some butchers hooks to get the bikes out of the house. Mrs Beloved earns more than I do by running painting courses in the house, and the space currently bike occupied would give space to about 5 other paying art students!!!

I think that your space is going to be a little too small.

8' tall is fine for single bikes but I suspect it'll be too low for a tandem because you need to allow room for the hook the front wheel hangs from.

3' deep is also probably not going to be enough. My bikes take about 43" from the wall to the top of the saddle.

I don't think that my friend, stapfam, has thought that wheel ovalizing thing through. A wheel that isn't stout enough to support a 60 pound mountain bike tandem hanging from a hook won't be adequate to support two adult riders bounding down a singletrack trail either.

The weight of some of my bikes would ovalise a wheel after a couple of months so I don't do it.

This is an old wive's tale. If it were true, your body weight, which is presumably a lot more than your bike weight, would have knocked your wheels out of round way before this. Sorry, the retired QA engineer in me coming out. :p

Hang 'em high! :thumb:

http://www.littlesallie.com/images/bike/mc3.jpg

So I guess my top tube will start to bend.

That's how I hang mine…

http://www.brucew.com/gallery/albums/bikes/100_2955.sized.jpg

RG is right about the three-foot depth being insufficient. I have a 34" cycling inseam, and my saddles are 40½" from the wall.

What makes you think this would happen? I have never heard of a wheel being damaged by hanging a bike from it. I store several of my bikes by hanging them from the wheel, including my tandem. I have never had a wheel become ovalized from this. Have you seen it happen?

+1 I hang the bikes by one or two wheels and have not had a problem. The spokes are under tension and the weight of the rider plus power into the drive train will stress the wheels far more than hanging them.

Maybe it is a peculiarity of British handbuilt wheels.:D

If you hang a bike by the rear wheel, all the blood rushes to the head(tube) which
can cause a head(tube)ache.
Hang it by the front wheel. Your bike will thank you.

I hang mine like tsl, except I alternate front-back wheels so I can squeeze in more bikes. If it's good enough for a bike shop, it's good enough for me. Like others have already mentioned, I think you're going to need a deeper space.

If you hang a bike by the rear wheel, all the blood rushes to the head(tube) which
can cause a head(tube)ache.
Hang it by the front wheel. Your bike will thank you.

I hang mine by the Rear wheel as it allows the spine in the frame to streach. :innocent:

BTW - allows excess oil to go down the chain and not accumulate on the cassette :thumb:

If you hang a bike by the rear wheel, all the blood rushes to the head(tube) which
can cause a head(tube)ache.
Hang it by the front wheel. Your bike will thank you.
:lol:
How 'bout the Aussies, would this be true for them as well? Y' know - being upside down like they are. :p

How 'bout the Aussies
Forget about hanging Aussies. They've been through enough already.

:lol:
How 'bout the Aussies, would this be true for them as well? Y' know - being upside down like they are. :p

We tie poms to the rafters, get them to hold the front wheel and rotate it 1/8th of a turn every 2 hours. We tried using yanks but they couldn't handle more than a quarter turn rotation and the 1/8th is more effective ... besides which, they keep dripping pie juice on the saddle :D

Richard

We tie poms to the rafters, get them to hold the front wheel and rotate it 1/8th of a turn every 2 hours. We tried using yanks but they couldn't handle more than a quarter turn rotation and the 1/8th is more effective ... besides which, they keep dripping pie juice on the saddle :D

Richard

And that's the Straight Poop from Down Under.................

And that's the Straight Poop from Down Under.................

And if you believe it, I've a bridge I'd like to sell you :D

Richard

And if you believe it, I've a bridge I'd like to sell you :D

Richard

Would be more interested in the Sydney Opera House.............got a good price for me????

I flip my garage every couple of months...to keep the wheels true.

Would be more interested in the Sydney Opera House.............got a good price for me????

How about a straight swap for Alcatraz - we're rather fond of prisons :rolleyes:

Oh, fer CHRISESAKES! The guy asks a serious question and it turns into a jokefest!

Anyway. "S" hooks won't work. Go to the dollar (or dinar) store and buy "Bicycle hooks". You're hanging bicycles, not Ss. DUHHH!

No problems here. I have heard that some bikes with suspension forks should be hung by the rear wheel, though, since some forks might tend to weep oil past the seals. YMMV.

Single bike hooks are cheap at places like Home Depot.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/2401509315_d83abecc6b.jpg

No problems here. I have heard that some bikes with suspension forks should be hung by the rear wheel, though, since some forks might tend to weep oil past the seals. YMMV.

Single bike hooks are cheap at places like Home Depot.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/2401509315_d83abecc6b.jpg

If I were to happen to be in your neck of the woods , by chance would you have a spare bike I could ride?
Man you have a lot of bikes!!! Impressive

Anyone used these?
http://media.rei.com/media/791910.jpg
http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/250/20-5030-NCL-FRONT.jpg
Do they work OK on a drywall wall? Maybe with molly bolts or toggle bolts?

I use the lower one, Da Vinci. I wouldn't mount it on drywall without going into a stud. I mounted a board to my drywall, screwing it in at multiple studs. Then I mounted the hanger to the board. Works fine.

I use the lower one, Da Vinci. I wouldn't mount it on drywall without going into a stud. I mounted a board to my drywall, screwing it in at multiple studs. Then I mounted the hanger to the board. Works fine.

+1. I used them in a friend's apartment, mounted to studs. For interior use, they're cheap and look pretty good. In a garage, the standard $3 vinyl-coated hooks are just fine.

If I were to happen to be in your neck of the woods , by chance would you have a spare bike I could ride?
Man you have a lot of bikes!!! Impressive

Acquired over about 30 years, it's not a high dollar collection. Only the Bianchi, the tandem and one of the mountain bikes were bought new, in 2002, 1986, and 1984. The rest are mostly 70's & 80's bikes I got at bargain prices. A few in the picture are my wife's and sons'.

I hang all but my commuter bike by the wheels. I had an issue with the plastic coating on the bike hooks kept splitting where the rim sat which left the rim hanging on bare metal. I got some vinyl tubing with the same ID and the hook's OD, stripped off the plastic coating and slid the tubing on. It is holding up really well so far.

Hey, there's a pile of responses here - thank you all. I laughed hard at the funny ones!

Those who mentioned the depth of the bike storage area - you were right, I was wrong - it must be about 4 feet deep. All the bikes are in there now, up on rear wheels, and as the depth of the shed is almost exactly the distance between tyres and saddles, they sit snugly and firmly without any hooks needed. Popped 'em in last night, and no bike avalanches overnight!!

Mr Straightblock - that's some bike collection. And, unless they all have wheels like teardrops and you get seasick riding them, I assume that wheel hanging works fine???

BTW - allows excess oil to go down the chain and not accumulate on the cassette :thumb:

Dude, maybe you use a little too much lube if it runs down your chain.

No fear of damage. Do a search, there must be 50 threads on this subject. If your front wheel will support your weight why would it not support the 20 or so pounds the bike weighs?

What makes you think this would happen? I have never heard of a wheel being damaged by hanging a bike from it. I store several of my bikes by hanging them from the wheel, including my tandem. I have never had a wheel become ovalized from this. Have you seen it happen?

Had it happen- Early days- 35lb bike cheap wheels and left for about 6 weeks. Probably took a few knocks as well. Spoke tension was all over the place which I could not get true. One ovalised wheel that luckily the lbs put true and told me the reason. Never done it since but as my LBS hang bikes by the saddle-Can't see any reason not to do the same.


And a mate of mine has 3 bikes kept upright-in his 6ftx4ft shed He has set it up so that all bike rest on the floor with a keeper for the wheel on the floor and on the wall he retains the wheel to the wall with a simple turnbutton arrangement. It also allows him to use one Krypton cable through the frames and secured into the Floor of the shed.

No problems here. I have heard that some bikes with suspension forks should be hung by the rear wheel, though, since some forks might tend to weep oil past the seals. YMMV.

Single bike hooks are cheap at places like Home Depot.



Fox, makers of the Fox fork I use on my Specialized Stumpjumper recommend hanging the bike upside down to get oil into the foam rings that reside in the upper part of the lower tubes that lube the upper part of the stanchion/tube that goes through the scraper rings. I've been doing it for about 5-years. We hang my wife's bike upside down as her RokShoc fork has the same construction as the Fox. No leaks.

Al

Hello all

I've stored my bikes inside the house here so far. It's kept them from the humid salty and sandy air. (Anyone seen the pictures of the sandstorms we've been having?)

We have a sealed garage storage space, dust free. I'm thinking of putting up a batten on the roof there, and hanging the bikes up by their front wheels by S hooks.

Is this inviting damage?

Thanks

I'm having a hard time understanding the logic of this question. If the weight of the bike resting on the wheel rim, bearings, etc. all the time doesn't oval it how could hanging the same weight from the same wheel(s), bearings, et al. cause any issues. Maybe there's something I'm missing but the added stress of hanging the bike from an s-hook is nothing compared to riding it and hitting a pothole or one good driveway lip.

Had it happen- Early days- 35lb bike cheap wheels and left for about 6 weeks. Probably took a few knocks as well. Spoke tension was all over the place which I could not get true. One ovalised wheel that luckily the lbs put true and told me the reason. Never done it since but as my LBS hang bikes by the saddle-Can't see any reason not to do the same.

Interesting. Now I can better understand my ancestors leaving England. Even the laws of physics are more oppressive there than in the new world.:p

That's how I hang mine…

http://www.brucew.com/gallery/albums/bikes/100_2955.sized.jpg

RG is right about the three-foot depth being insufficient. I have a 34" cycling inseam, and my saddles are 40½" from the wall.

And the radiator keeps them warm and cozy too.

Just don't do that with carbon fiber rims.

I think that your space is going to be a little too small.

8' tall is fine for single bikes but I suspect it'll be too low for a tandem because you need to allow room for the hook the front wheel hangs from.



No problem with our KHS Tandemania Comp hanging from a hook in an 8' ceiling.

No problems here. I have heard that some bikes with suspension forks should be hung by the rear wheel, though, since some forks might tend to weep oil past the seals. YMMV.

Single bike hooks are cheap at places like Home Depot.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/2401509315_d83abecc6b.jpg

Uh nice storage, but what happens when you open the garage to get the bikes out?

Heck, I use a garage door opener on my commuter so I can just park it right inside when I get home.

RG is right about the three-foot depth being insufficient. I have a 34" cycling inseam, and my saddles are 40½" from the wall.

No one ever said that you have to hang the bikes perpendicular to the wall. They could be angled. Put the hook into a 2x4 and attach the 2x4 at an angle to the wall, but straight vertically and that would allow you to put in a taller bike than 3 feet. You'd have to do the math to make sure it would work of course. Maybe even put the 2x4 on a couple of hinges.

That would be a great one for "Wordless Workshop" cartoons by Roy Doty that were in the old Popular Mechanics magazines.

I'm guessing a couple more would hold him for a while, but not indefinitely. I don't have a problem with that.