How to Create Hanging Bicycle Storage

The distance between bicycle wheels vary based on model and design.

Bicycles can take up a lot of space when set up on the floor propped up on their stands. If you have only a one-car garage or live in a small, cramped apartment, space is valuable. Clear out the floor by hanging your bikes from the ceiling in a corner of the room or garage. This is an especially good idea if you have high enough ceilings that you can still keep other storage beneath the hanging bicycle.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Stud finder
• Bike hooks

Instructions

1. Prop up the bicycle on the bike stand so you have easy access to the wheels. Measure the bicycle from wheel to wheel at the points where the tires touch the ground. This distance can vary based on the type of bike. If you're hanging more than one bicycle, measure each one before proceeding.

2. Locate a joist in the ceiling where you want to hang the bike. In a garage with an open ceiling, choose a wooden joist beam that will run the length of your bike. If your ceiling is covered in drywall, use a stud finder to locate the joists. Measure out the length you wrote down for your bike, marking the beginning and end of the length with a pencil to indicate where to install the bike hooks.

3. Install a bicycle hook into each point that you marked. Use standard bicycle hooks as these are designed to fit around wheel rims and can hold the bike's weight. Follow the directions that came with your bike hooks for installation as each brand has a different protocol.

4. Install more bike hooks for each bicycle you need to hang. Ensure that you have enough space around each bike to accommodate the handlebars and pedals that take up extra space.

5. Flip the bicycle upside down so the tires are facing up. Place one tire on a hook so it goes through the spokes and wraps around the metal tire rim. Place the other tire on the other hook and let go slowly. The bicycle should now hang upside down from the ceiling.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have a lot of ceiling space, install only one bike hook in the ceiling. Hang the front tire on the hook to keep the bicycle off the ground.

References

• Infinite Cycles: Hanging Your Bike