mack_turtle

I am getting involved in a bicycle co-op and the storage area is getting very cluttered. the main problem is the large number of bikes and wheels in a big pile on the floor. i have a decent sized classroom in the lower level of a church with cinder block walls and a panel ceiling. it might be possible to hang some sort of bike-hanging contraption from the ceiling or bolt something to the wall. what might be the easiest, cheapest way to organize and store about 50 bikes, wheels, and tires in this space? we are non-profit, so we need a source of cheap hooks and such. bonus points for ideas that involve reusing something in the trash.

Velo Dog

I have the same problem on a small scale--I'm no longer gear-obsessed, but I used to be, and I've been riding a long time. I went to a bike swap the other day and realized there's more stuff in my garage than they had out for inspection (I'm in my 60s, and just got rid of my '70s college Peugeot a couple of years ago...).
There's no real solution to storage, but here are a few ideas that worked for me.
If you can screw hooks into walls or ceiling joists, large items like frames, assembled bikes and wheels can hang from those. If you use hooks in a wall, alternate hanging the bikes by the front and rear wheels, and you can get a few more into a given space, because the handlebars won't bump into each other. If not, it's pretty easy to duplicate those commercial racks that lean against the wall, using scrap lumber if you have any. Can't find a picture of one offhand, but they'll have a vertical piece or two and a base slanting off at an angle to keep them against the wall, and the ads will say "No damage to walls" or something like that.
Hooks also work to hold a piece of plastic or metal pipe on which you can hang tires and wheels--put the hooks a few feet apart, thread the pipe through the stuff, then hang the pipe from the hooks. I have a dozen or so tires in a small corner right now. They're readily visible but take up no usable space.
Small parts can go in boxes or plastic bins, of course, but the key is organization. Don't just dump everything into random containers--label them in whatever way works for you: "Driveline parts" or "derailleurs" or "braze-on bolts" or whatever. It takes a little time to set up, but it will save you hours in the medium term.
You never know about thrift stores, but around here they're good sources of things you can use or adapt. I found a 10-bike, elementary school-style bike rack the other day for $8.
Finally, you could approach places like Home Depot for discounts on things you need. They'll sometimes help out as a community service.