Storing bikes by hanging them? Your input please.

[Climb01742]

I'd like to explore how best to hang my bikes in my basement to use the limited space we have down there better.

So I'd like to drawn on the forum's wisdom. It seems like hanging bikes by the front wheel from hooks might be the best way to use limited space. True? Or have you found better, more efficient methods?

If you'd be willing to show a photo of how you hang your bikes I'd be very appreciative, as I try to figure this out. And/Or I'd sure be grateful for any links to the hooks or systems you've found useful.

Up until now, I've stored bikes by using wall racks but in our new house, the basement is pretty small and she who must be obeyed has decreed that bike stuff shall be allowed only downstairs.;)

Help!

[LouDeeter]

My caution with hanging from the front wheel is this: if you don't have safety tabs on your fork, you could easily pull the front wheel out of the fork, dropping your bike and damaging it. If you are hanging with the wheels against the wall and hanging from the front wheel, that is better than hanging free. But, you still have to worry about the front skewer coming loose. When hanging, I prefer to hang from both wheels, or if only one hook, the rear wheel. Or, buy some of those vertical mounts that hold four bikes on a single stand. Or, buy the wall mounts that hold the bike by the toptube. I store most of my bikes on the floor of my garage with front and rear wheel stands. That hasn't always been the case, but I like it now.

[mvrider]

Lots of discussion and examples:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?p=1330676
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=112134
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=97526
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=84018
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=17619
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=123013

[Steve530]

I use wall mounted hooks to hang my bikes by the front wheel. Never had a problem, but I never thought about the possibility of the fork releasing the wheel. It is a good way to store them, but I guess you need to make sure the front wheel is secure.

[alembical]

I hang bikes by the front whee and have for years. We don't have a whole lot of good options with 10 bikes plus tons of other stuff in a garage. Only bike I don't store that way is the full suspension mountain bike, as I have been told that it could be bad for suspension or the seals.

[bart998]

I've stored mine hanging by one wheel (front then back... they pack tighter) or by both wheels... never had a problem. But then my skewers are always tight.

[parris]

When space is an issue in the winter I'll alternate which wheel I hang the bikes by. I learned it in a shop I worked in during the early 80's.

[Ken Robb]

I've stored mine hanging by one wheel (front then back... they pack tighter) or by both wheels... never had a problem. But then my skewers are always tight.
Me too, er that is I hang my bikes from front then rear wheels--not that I'm always tight.

[witcombusa]

When you start to accumulate more than a "few" bikes, alternate front, rear, front, etc. You can fit more bikes! :banana:

[donevwil]

I've stored mine hanging by one wheel (front then back... they pack tighter) or by both wheels... never had a problem. But then my skewers are always tight.

This, against a wall. I have six bikes in (what I would guess is) about 5-1/2 feet. Have to be careful removing a center bike hung by the rear wheel but that's the space I had and it works

[soulspinner]

I simply took rubber uber hooks, drilled into my basement cross members, and screwed the hooks in. Hang mine from the rear and if the hooks need to be turned to accommodate another bike, its easy to do. Close enuf to my bikestand they don't need a front wheel on to just take them and install into stand with one motion...................one is always in the stand and there are n-1 hooks as a result.

[sailorboy]

Love witcomb's fun-hawg room there...yea I've been doing the alternating front/rear thing as well. No issues with wheel coming out of fork. I spose if you do that once, you'll learn your lesson. same goes for riding with your skewers not fully tightened. No issue with stress to the wheels either in my experience.

[Climb01742]

Thanks everyone! Very helpful info. Especially the alternating front and rear wheels. Thanks, Witcomb, your photo is really instructive...and inspiring.;)

[parris]

Witcomb cool photo. Are any of the Rossie's in the background sm equipes?

[Mark McM]

My caution with hanging from the front wheel is this: if you don't have safety tabs on your fork, you could easily pull the front wheel out of the fork, dropping your bike and damaging it.

If the front wheel quick release can't take the weight of a 20 lb. bicycle, being able to hang a bike from the front wheel would be least of my concerns. I would not ride a bike whose QR that had less than 20 lb. of retention force.

[rice rocket]

I hang bikes by the front whee and have for years. We don't have a whole lot of good options with 10 bikes plus tons of other stuff in a garage. Only bike I don't store that way is the full suspension mountain bike, as I have been told that it could be bad for suspension or the seals.

It's good for the seals. Keeps them lubed. If you have oil weeping past the seals, then you have bigger issues.

[fiataccompli]

This may sound ridiculous but I have wondered if hanging from the front wheels would put any damaging stress on the headset or even cause some deformation of the fork (uh...for slightly heavier and steel bikes hung for long periods of time)

[parris]

I've hung all my bikes by the front wheel for years at various times and have never had a hs or fork issue.

[Mark McM]

This may sound ridiculous but I have wondered if hanging from the front wheels would put any damaging stress on the headset or even cause some deformation of the fork (uh...for slightly heavier and steel bikes hung for long periods of time)

The fork and headset experience much larger loads when ridden by the rider than does when simply hanging the weight of the bicycle by the front wheel. If the fork and headset can't withstand the weight of the bicycle alone (even when the bike is hung vertically), you wouldn't want to trust your own weight to them to ride the bike.

[TPetsch]

I've used these in the past to store a bike way up and out of the way it you have tall ceilings, Google "Bicycle Hoist":

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-42C6rYr6mxw/UPusjfMot_I/AAAAAAAAADY/kEi3z7x7GpM/s1600/DSC_0083.JPG

[rice rocket]

You sure your carbon seatpost and aero bars were designed to take that kind of vertical load?












:butt:

[Columbus SLX]

I do the alternating front/back wheel thing as well for compactness.

Only thing I can add here is that for my race bike, which usually has carbon wheels, I throw an old alloy hoop on there before hanging. I don't want any weight resting on the thin edge of the deep V, or possibly deforming the hoop itself.

[Mark McM]

It's good for the seals. Keeps them lubed. If you have oil weeping past the seals, then you have bigger issues.

Even if the seals aren't weeping, there can still be some minor issues with hanging some suspension forks upside down (or laid horizontal). Open bath forks rely on a keeping their fluid dampers submerged in oil at the bottom of the forks. If the gas charge migrates below the damper (as could happen if the fork is inverted, especially if it is compressed while upside down), it will interfere with the proper operation of the fork, both in spring rate and damping, and could even result in foaming of the oil.

This should only be a temporary condition, however, since the oil and air will flow back to their normal locations when the fork is returned to its normal upright location. If a fork has been upside or horizontal for any amount of time, it is recommended to exercise the fork (compress it) a few times before riding, to allow the oil to flow back down.

[soulspinner]

When you start to accumulate more than a "few" bikes, alternate front, rear, front, etc. You can fit more bikes! :banana:

Wow, great stuff