Find The Right Bike Rack

Garage Ceiling Storage

Ceiling Mounted Bike Racks

Mounting bikes this way creates the most extra space in your garage. In the absense of a hoist or lift system, this storage method is more suited to storing bikes over winter or if you are an infrequent rider. Once stored they will be out of the way but relatively difficult to access. Adults will be required to move the bikes, so this is not a child friendly option.

To get the best of both worlds, and at an extremely moderate cost, a hoist assisted system can be installed very easily. Your bikes can be pulled up to ceiling height quickly and effortlessly via clever pulley designs and lowered again when needed. A little effort and planning is required upfront, but once up and working you will have a flexible solution in place.

There are three types of garage bike racks made for three areas of your garage:

Manufacturers Details

Hooks are rubber coated to prevent your bicycle from scratching
Lift bikes up to 55lbs capacity
Work with ceilings up to 12ft
Safe locking mechanism to prevent accidental release
Strong rope
Lifetime warranty

4.5 Star Amazon customer rating

RAD Ceiling Mount Bike Hoist

Racor PBH-1R Ceiling-Mounted Bike Lift

Manufacturers Details

Can be used with ceilings up to 12 feet
Pulley system easily hoists bikes up to 50 pounds with a secure locking mechanism
Solid steel contruction with nylon rope
Rack, pulley & mounting system, hardware & rope included
3.8 pounds with wright to lifting ratio of 4:1

4.5 Star Amazon customer rating

If you don't mind your bike on the ground, there are compact designs that can be used in almost any place, not just the garage. Other racks can be mounted higher up the wall and will allow you to hang two bikes from the same rack.

Manufacturers Details

Stores bikes safely up and out of the way
Twin pulley system lifts bike at seat & handlebars
Safety locking mechnism whilst lowering with rope tie-down cleat included
Installs in minutes on ceilings up to 14' and fits all styles of bike up to 50 lbs
Strong all-steel contruction with anti-corroding powder coat

4 Star Amazon customer rating

Ceiling Mount Bike Hoist Lift

Using your floor space

This is where you can allocate space in your garage for a free standing gravity bike stand. They allow two bikes to be stored in the floor space of one. If you have the space, a simple bike stand like those found in public places can offer a cheap and practical alternative.

Consider the following upfront:

Will I need to drill holes in the wall to mount my garage rack
Is there enough space for me to fit a free standing bike rack in
Is my garage roof high enough for a bike rack hoist
Will adaptors enable me to transfer my bike from a car rack to a free standing bike rack
What is my budget

Once you know the answers to these questions you will be in a better position to go shopping.

Drilling holes - some bike racks require that you drill holes in either you walls or ceiling. If this is not an option then it will be better to spend more money on a free standing rack that will support the number of bikes you need.

Free standing racks - this is a great way to store heavier bikes such as mountain bikes. Not as convenient as hoists to get your bikes off the mount if it's right at the back, but still all right. If they are mounted to the floor there will be no chance of them falling over, even allowing you to work on them when racked.

Bike rack hoists - these are both cheap and easy to make. One or all of your bikes can be taken down quickly, just so long as your roof is high enough and has the correct support.

Compatibility adaptors - this allows you to keep your bike attached to your car tow hitch and simply move the whole assembly as is to your garage rack mount. This is quicker than having to undo everything on the tow hitch and then move it to your garage rack.

Budget - this is the one factor that will limit the quality of rack you may want to get. Buying second hand is an option and by buying online you will also save money.

There are also garage racks available that combine equipment and bike storage into one, letting you optimize your garage space to the maximum. Normally up to two bikes can be accommodated plus other items such as snowboards and ski's. These types of rack are only about 26" wide and do not take up much floor space.