How To Find the Perfect Garage Bike Rack for Your Needs
Storing bikes can be a hassle, especially in a garage with limited space. Finding space for more than a single bike can be challenging, which is why many people get garage bike racks. These can store several bikes without hogging the entire garage.
There are many options to consider, so how do you choose one without getting overwhelmed? Keep reading to guide your decision-making journey in finding the perfect garage bike rack.
What to Consider When Choosing a Garage Bike Rack:
1. Number of Bikes to Store
While picking out the perfect garage bike rack, consider how many bikes you will store. Are there any bonus bikes that regularly make an appearance in your garage? If friends often set up shop in your garage, it might be worth getting a large garage rack to accommodate visitors. Getting a rack with extra space for future additions to the bike family is not a bad idea either.
Like most things, bikes and accessories may change with the seasons, so plan how this may impact storage throughout the year.
2. Available Space
Depending on the size of your garage, you will want to pick a garage bike rack storage system that fits with the current setup or with minimal remodeling. Analyze the current garage setup and decipher which items are permanent and which items can be thrown out or re-situated. Where do you typically park your car? Where are the high-traffic walkways? Are there unoccupied areas?
If you park your car inside your garage, you will likely need a vertical garage bike rack like the VelociRAX Tilt & Pivot 4 Bike Storage Rack that stores bikes vertically. Check the ceiling, walls, and floors for open storage spaces. The key is to keep your bikes accessible while keeping them out of the way.
3. Compatibility
Look into all your options, such as hooks, mounts, lift systems, frame support, and tire support, before deciding how you plan to store bikes. Each type of storage has varying requirements. For example, you can use hooks on your garage ceiling and wall, depending on how you want to store your bike, but lifts may only have the option to mount to the ceiling.
Be sure that whatever method you choose is compatible with your bike, equipment, and garage configuration to leave bikes and the garage spotless. Measure spaces and think through options accordingly.
Be realistic about storage space and how you will access bikes. Hanging your bike with a lift system directly above a car might sound good, but it likely requires additional effort, like moving the car, to get a bike down. When deciding between garage bike rack options, you don’t want to risk damaging a vehicle while unloading or loading bikes. Another downside could be potential damage to bikes and cars if a bike drops while loading or unloading.
4. Cost
Last but not least is figuring out your budget. Remember, you are storing precious cargo, so avoid opting for the cheapest option. You can stay within a reasonable price range while prioritizing high-quality materials and convenience for your garage and bikes.
Sometimes it can be tricky to find the balance, but worth spending a little extra upfront to avoid replacing your bike rack or repairing bikes due to poor planning.
Our Tilt & Pivot 4 Bike Storage Rack can easily maneuver, store four bikes at once and hug the wall when it is not in use. Depending on how spread apart this rack is mounted, bikes can stay close to the wall to save garage space. This rack is compatible with a variety of bikes and can be positioned out of the way when bikes are not loaded.
Types of Garage Bike Storage
1. Ceiling Bike Storage
This bike storage option is best for tight spaces.
A garage with no wall or floor space may require a rack that uses ceiling space. Bikes are stored on hooks or lifts to occupy extra air space. In most cases, these systems are designed for one bike, but a few can accommodate multiple.
Pros:
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Does not disrupt floor space
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Accommodates most bike sizes and styles
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Occupies minimal space
Cons:
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Kids are unable to access bikes on their own
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Complex install
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Can only store 1-3 bikes
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Heavy lifting required to load and unload bikes
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Difficult to access, especially if over a car
2. Garage Bike Racks for the Floor
This garage rack style is best for large garages and offers easy bike access.
It is common to use floor bike racks for quick access to some bikes, but in many garages, ceiling storage saves floor space for less popular bikes.
Pros:
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Easy to access
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Kids can load and unload
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Simple install
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Cheaper option
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Can easily relocate
Cons:
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Occupy valuable floor space
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Require a lot of excess garage space
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Need to be loaded and unloaded in a specific order to store multiple bikes
3. Horizontal Bike Storage- On the Wall
These are ideal for tight garages, limited floor space, or excess wall space.
This style of rack can also display bikes indoors. Storing bikes horizontally on a wall can occupy a generous amount of wall space but very little room in the room overall.
Hanging more than two bikes in one area like this occupies a large amount of wall space, so this is not common for several bikes. This orientation is not ideal for a large bike load but can be desirable if you have another bike rack that does not have room for all bikes, or in situations when a garage is unavailable.
The PedalRAX is a simple horizontal wall storage option. It is inexpensive, only touches the pedal, and can be used to stack bikes if wall space allows.
Pros:
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Option to store bikes without a garage, like an apartment
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The perfect way to display bikes—a true art form
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Can be low to the ground or close to the ceiling
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Suitable for kid and adult bikes
Cons:
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Requires over 4 ft of linear wall space
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Not realistic to store many bikes
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Heavy lifting is required if mounted high off the ground
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Difficult for kids to load depending on where the rack is mounted
4. Vertical Bike Storage- On the Wall
These are best for mid-sized garages, storing more than two bikes, and can fit small kids’ bikes.
With vertical bike storage systems like the VelociRAX Tilt & Pivot 4 Bike Storage Rack, you can store more bikes using the least amount of wall space.
Due to the vertical orientation, you need to have enough floor-to-ceiling space to accommodate bike lengths. This rack takes up significantly less floor space than storing the bikes on the ground.
This particular rack can also pivot vertically so bikes can be loaded and unloaded hassle-free. Bikes can rest snug to the wall and rotate side to side to unload bikes in any order. This rack will also lay completely flat on the wall when not loaded, so if there are periods it is not in use, it will not be in the way.
Pros:
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Can store the most bikes using the least wall space
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From kids to adult bikes, these can generally support any tire size
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Easy access, even for kids
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Best bang for your buck
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Roll in and roll out loading
Cons:
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Requires over 4 ft of linear wall space
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Mounts to the wall, and stud installation required
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Requires lifting if placed higher than 4 ft off the ground
The Perfect Garage Bike Rack Solution
When choosing a garage bike rack storage system, it must make sense for your garage space. It also must be easy to access, especially if you ride your bike daily.
That’s why we created the VelociRAX Tilt & Pivot 4 Bike Storage Rack. We couldn’t find the perfect bike rack, so we built it. This rack offers a four-bike storage capacity with adjustable spacing and flexible loading.
Kids can load this rack by rolling bikes in and out and pivoting to access any bike at any time. Consider this garage storage option to save garage space and make bikes easily accessible for everyone in the fam!
