How do people that are out of shape handle that? I would have enough trouble, and I would hope with all the hill climbing I do I would at least be in as good of shape as the average German. And hauling your groceries up there every week too, along with your drinking water? I could probably handle it with great difficulty for a short period, maybe.

People here will circle a parking lot for 10 minutes, to find a spot that's a few feet closer to the door.

That's what I do for some bikes. Doesn't work so well if the bike has full mudguards, though.

That can also work.

I grab the top tube where it meets the seat tube and lift the bike and it naturally tips forward when going down. Other hand is on the handrail.

Up is one hand on the bars, the other in the same spot as down. If the stair trim stands proud of the wall I rest the front wheel on it and push it up. If not I just carry it.

Whatever you do be careful not to leave tire marks on the walls of the stairhall. Everyone will know who did it. If it does happen clean it up yourself before the janitor or landlord does.

Much of my life was spent living in 3rd floor apartments. Being a dedicated cyclist I always thought it had no effect on me. Now that we have a first floor with use of basement the bikes are used more than ever.

You get in shape really fast, even if overweight.

What about a solution to park the bike outside so you don't have to carry it up/down (except for occasionally)?

Would your building allow something like this outside?

That doesn't work at my house because the ceiling on the entrance stair case is oddly low. so I have to carry it lower on my body. Basically, figuring out where the center of gravity is and holding it with one hand there works pretty well.

How much does something like this cost? Looks really great.

I live on the second floor of an apartment building with one elevator which is often out of service*.

When going down the stairs I hold the handlebar of the bike and squeeze the rear brake lever to stop the bike from gaining to much speed.

When going up the stairs, I'll sometimes get the two wheels on the side section that supports the stairs and push the bike up that whilst holding the front brake lever so I can stop and rest a bit if needed. That's my dropbar MTB with front and rear racks and panniers. My road bike is a lot lighter and I just carry it up or down the stairs. I'm 68 years young.

Cheers

Roll it up.
Roll it down.

Things generally are not that hard when you do them all the time. Also, relating to drinking water, why does anyone need to purchase and transport drinking water? I can never understand why so many people will only consume water purchased in a bottle. Most tap water is fine to drink, and if you want or need to purify, one of the many available filter options available seems like a much better solution.

Get a water distiller, bottled water is full of random chemicals from the plastic.

It all depends on where you live. I drink my tap water where I live now, but for a short time, I lived in Odessa, TX. You could not drink the tap water there, without a serious softener and treatment system. The dishwasher in my girlfriend's apartment wasn't working. The maintenance worker said it was the way she was loading the dishes. I took it apart, and the sprayer arm was completely filled with calcium, completely. It was one big rock. Needless to say, that was the problem.

Grocery stores had water dispensers, and that is where most people got their water. The apartment complex also had a water dispenser. So yes, most tap water is good to drink, but there are exceptions.

As for stairs. I would not want to carry my bikes up my stairs, since they have a turn which makes it difficult to get my bike around without hitting the wall. Thankfully, I have a garage.

It depends on your situation but if it's apropos maybe the following. Apartment buildings sometimes have a built in version from the roof.
Make a simple lift like they use to lift furniture into apartments. Basically a rope out the window with a triangular three pole that extends the roipe away from the outside wall, with a pulley on the end.

The triangular three legged pulley holder could be put out of a large window or patio.

Not great photos but:

https://www.pinterest.ru/smokefree13/pully-system/

I have seen a similar thing used at a university where you put a coin in a lock and this releases the front wheel holder which you attach to the bike wheels to pull the bike up the wall for locking it to the wall. Sort of like a lock box. You bring it back down by putting the key in the lock to release the wheel to be lowered down. Hard to explain but easy to figure out when you see it.

This is a very complex version https://www.wired.com/2011/04/bike-h...-of-buildings/

I found a picture with plans on how to make. Very inexpensive and easy
https://makezine.com/projects/swiveling-balcony-hoist/

Oh no! I will be turning 62 in a few days. Is this what I have to look forward to?

The other issue can be shoes. I lived in a 2nd floor apartment when I raced. Going down with the bikein my plastic soled race shoes was a challenge. (And I was a young and indestructible 24 yo.)

Give real thought to the shoes you will be riding in, especially if you go clipless. (Systems that use the 2-bolt SDP pattern fit MTB shoes, many of which have excellent walkable soles. 3-bolt road racing cleats and shoes are a much bigger challenge. I like and use two different 3-bolt cleats. On one pair, I had a local cobbler glue on sole around the cleats. Huge help. (Not easy for him. Told me he'd never do it again for the $50 he quoted me. But his work was very good and has given me zero problems over years.)

Ben

Young man:

Up-Grab the seatpost as close to the BB as you can with one hand, other hand on the bars. Walk up stairs.

Down-Pull up on the bars so the bike balances on the rear wheel. Hold the rear brake and walk the bike down the stairs slowing down with the rear brake.

yup, better turn around & go back now

Just hoist that bike up on one arm and take the bike up and down the stairs. Use your free hand to guide the front wheel around corners if you need to. Consider it cross training. Pretty soon you'll be so adept at it you won't think twice about it.

I just joined Club 62 last week. I'm extremely blessed to be in great shape, my kids can't keep up with me even. Took the day off from work and did a metric century on a hybred bike on a Rail Trail. giving serious thought to making this a weekly thing for the summer.

Happy Birthday Mesher!

Something like this might help: Google "Steerstopper"

When going up the stairs, grab the seat post below the saddle with your dominate hand, front wheel behind you. It will naturally balance to the slope of the stairs. Going down just the opposite.
if you have a hand rail, use the hand opposite the rail to carry it this way and use the other hand to hold the rail.

I am 67 and walk the bike up the stairs holding the handlebars. I do up one or two steps at a time and then apply the F&R brakes, then go up the two steps while still keeping it locked, and walk it up two more, do it again. When I get to the landing, I lock the rear wheel and pivot the bike vertically and turn to the next set of steps and go again.

Our basement steps have 8 steps, a landing the 8 more steps in a zig-zag. I have used this technique since college and city apartment days.

Advantages, no marked walls, no marked floors, no falling, and bike can be lightly loaded.

To go down, I lock the rear wheel, pull it upright, and walk it down on the rear wheel using the rear brake.

During the biking season, the bikes stay in the spare bedroom, unless guests come.

I can't believe no one else has told you this tip. Always carry the bike in your right hand so the chain is away from your cloths. (Assuming it is facing forward.) It is a waste to put chain lube on cloths.