Hanging your bike by the wheel
 

I'm thinking of hanging a few of my rides on simple hooks screwed into ceiling joists as pictured below. I recall hearing this was not good practice and could elongate the wheel. My assumption is this is cyclist myth but figured I'd check with this group to see what y'all think. Any issue hanging 23lb road bikes this way?


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bd7ae471ba.jpg

Bike shops do it all the time. The wheels support a rider of 200+lbs and more so they can certainly support the bike. I don't think it works so well for those flashy nuovo "deep dish" plastic wheels though.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...60972daee5.jpg

The upper spokes are in tension when you hang your bike from a wheel, and these will protect you from elongation. Also, as pointed out above, the weight of the unloaded bike is trivial compared to its weight under a full load, including rider. I hang all of my bikes from the garage ceiling on ... bicycle storage hooks.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8dee0321b0.jpg
Looking through the Bianchi at the 1959 Capo, the Schwinn, and an old MTB frame. The Capo Siegers are behind me.

Thank you BG!

I didn't do an official count, but it would seem you have a shot glass to go with each bike. Post-ride nipper!

I'm not sure they were actually my daughters. There are 11 bikes on the rack but sadly 7 have moved on for various reasons. I miss a few of them

None. Done so for years and years. The only thing that it can cause is if that was a suspension fork, there can be funny oil seepage things that happen if they stay at manner for a long time.

I'm also a front wheel hanger from the ceiling joists (I alternative front and rear to fit more in). Don't forget to remove your water bottle!

Not a problem.

This should be a "sticky;" seems to come up pretty often.

I hang mine all by the front wheels from a joist and stagger the heights. (I use bent flatbar wrapped with inner tube, not hooks.) With the height stagger, I space the bikes nearly as close. Huge advantage - ease of hanging the bikes and getting them down. Heavy bikes are a piece of cake. Real advantage coming in from hard rides.

To the OP: I've been doing this for thirty years. Yet to see an issue.

@BoltBreaker
And from time to time someone certified by the ASFE* will say they've done/seen some analysis and claim otherwise.

*American Society of Fraudulent Engineers

@BoltBreaker

I've also had an issue with hydraulic brakes. Any air in the reservoir moves into the brake line and the brakes get squishy. My solution? I sold that bike.

Yup. A subject search would have likely yielded 50 answers.

Guess I'm getting old. Been hanging around here for years and don't recall the subject in C&V. Of course, now I'll see it everywhere.

My bikes are mostly hung off both wheels. I let a little OCD sneak in and avoid hanging on the hooks close to the tube stem or the rim joint.

No excuses for my 1/3 of the discombobulated garage.

I Partially hang my most ridden bikes from the handle bars using a ceiling cord leaving the rear wheel in contact with the floor. This allows me the most easy access for a grab and go. I also have a tree made of 2x4s to hang four bikes off the ground. I put my less frequently used bikes there. Then off of the side of that 2x4 hanger I mounted a wall hook suspender. That hanger appears to be the best so far. Also note that I have positioned it just high enough to keep the rear wheel in light contact with the floor. That way if I have the bike loaded up with its rack, pack, and other implements of destruction there is not to much stress on the wall or the rest of the bike.

As to the OP: I too feel uncomfortable suspending the full weight of my bikes by the rims. It would appear the this is a common and safe method of storage. But I still don't do it... Yet...


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...14e18f32c1.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2e66765dd7.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...40b543a0fd.png

If you think it might be harmful to hang a bike by a wheel, then don't you dare put your body weight on one! :p

:roflmao2:

A stinky?

Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon

I've seen this question pop up a couple times a year and always smile a wry smile. A bike's wheels go through some crazy stresses during use while supporting riders across a variable weight spectrum, yet we worry about them hanging from the ceiling on a hook :foo:

DD

What I don't like about these bike hooks and hanging them either vertically by one wheel or upside down by two wheels, is it looks better IMHO to hang them horizontally with the drive side out. But I understand some people are blessed with more bikes than wall space.

Maybe part of a larger mythbusting sticky?

Be glad you didn't post the question in the General forum. Guaranteed to go 15 pages of mind-numbing "arguments" before being locked.

Precisely why I stuck with the C&V forum. Generally civil responses from this gang. :thumb:

I would not hang a bike by a Scheeren Weltmeister rim, but others... old mechanics tales to mess with your mind.

Scheeren rims are of soft aluminum.
but oh so high polished bling.

Reminds me of gun enthusiasts worrying about storing loaded magazines would "soften" the spring.

And posters on BF who say that they always shift to the smallest sprocket and chainwheel to preserve derailleur spring life. (If anyone has mentioned opening the cam-operated quick release on Campy Record and equivalent brakes, too, I've missed it, sadly.)