Looking for a garage bike rack to keep your ride stored safely against the elements? Check out our list of the 15 best indoor bike racks below. Some are definitely pricier (and sexier) than others, but they are all practical bike storage ideas worthy of your whip.
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Hardcore cyclists would probably prefer to house their 21-speed or mountain mount in a locked panic bunker behind razor wire, guarded by men with no necks–but for most of us that’s not going to happen. The majority of bike riders are battling with limited storage space in which to keep their two-wheeled companions, and that means getting inventive with how and where they stow it.
Our suggestion for most apartment dwellers as well as homeowners is to use an indoor bike rack. These can clear floor space, add utility to the way your bike is kept, and protect your fixie or commuter bike from incidental damage from cars, doors, simple foot traffic, and the hazards of life. Whether you install it as a garage bike rack or a centerpiece to your living room is immaterial–the point is your ride is safe and in an easy position to maintain.
Just remember though: A poor bike rack is as much of a danger to scratching your paint or popping tires. So to help you out, we found 15 of the best bike hooks, hangers, stands, and other solutions for keeping your velocipede safe and stylish.
Want the short version? Then check out these killer garage bike racks:
- Delta Cycle | Michelangelo Two Bike Gravity Stand
- Hornit | Clug Bike Clip
- Ibera | Horizontal Bicycle Bike Wall Hanger
- Velo Sock | Indoor Bike Cover
- Delta Cycle | Leonardo Da Vinci Bike Hooks
- SteadyRack | Rugged Garage Bike Rack
- Cycloc | Solo Bike Hanger
- Delta Cycle | El Greco Bicycle Ceiling Bike Rack Hoist
- Artifox | Vertical Bike Rack
- Mikili | SLÎT Bike Wall Hanger
- Saris Parking | Multiple Vertical Bicycle Stand
- Flat-Bike-Lift | Ceiling Bike Rack
- Woodstick | Iceberg Chestnut Aesthetic Bike Hanger
- Pedal Pod | Hardwood Home Bike Rack
- Vadolibero | Domo R3 Bike Shelf Rack
The 15 Best Garage Bike Rack Models
A good indoor bike rack is an oft-overlooked but essential part of any cyclist’s kit. Whether you’ve got a small urban apartment that’s tight on space, or huge garage with a ton of space for a family of bikes, there’s a bicycle stand for you in our list below. Just make sure you check prices–they can vary quite a bit despite performing a similar function.
1. Delta Cycle | Michelangelo Two Bike Gravity Stand
Zero Construction: Many an indoor bike rack forces you to drill holes in your walls or ceiling to get them to work. The Michelangelo is smarter, using rubber feet to lean gently without punching through drywall, and it keeps bikes hanging happily out and away from wall treatments. We recommend it for renters and the mobile military set.
2. Hornit | Clug Bike Clip
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Tiny Dancer: About the same size as a large money clip, the Hornit Clug is as small as a wall bike rack gets. It holds up a burly mountain climber with ease, or snags those slim roadie tires for a tight fit every time. Easy to hide if you want them out of sight and mind, minimalists should get these post-haste.
3. Ibera | Horizontal Bicycle Bike Wall Hanger
Mr. Practical: There’s nothing fancy about the Ibera horizontal bike wall mount–it just works and keeps your bicycle in position to roll out at a moment’s notice. It features two adjustable aluminum arms coated in ABS to keep your top tube scratch-free, which hold secure but not so tight as to hassle you. The price is right, too.
4. Velo Sock | Indoor Bike Cover
Off the Rack: Rather than enhancing your storage space, the Velo Sock bike cover keeps grit and grime off carpets and furniture (not to mention your bike). It can be paired with any garage bike rack for cleaner storage and less hosing off after a hard ride. Also handy for kickstand storage if that’s how you prefer to roll.
5. Delta Cycle | Leonardo Da Vinci Bike Hooks
Renaissance Rider: The aptly named Leonardo Da Vinci from Delta Cycle is one wall mounted bike rack you won’t mind looking at even without a bike hanging off it. Featuring a sinuous curve and rubber coated bike hook, it grabs onto even heavy bikes up to 40 lbs. with total security. The low profile design and included tray give it an artistic appeal whether it’s on or off duty.
6. SteadyRack | Rugged Garage Bike Rack
All Comers: SteadyRacks are all built alike: Folding wire frame bodies made of stainless steel that take bikes of multiple sizes. Those who use unusual tires, or rock a fat bike from time to time, should look into their larger garage bike racks. While they lack in style, the black and chrome look melds fine in most homes, garages, or apartments, and the function makes the lack of aesthetic prowess worth it.
7. Cycloc | Solo Bike Hanger
Slim Pickin’s: Only road riders whose bikes bear a slender set of handlebars should get the Solo from Cycloc. It has a low profile that won’t work for wider mountain bike handlebars without hitting the wall; but for slender steeds this aesthetic bike rack adds a hint of swag to your storage space.
8. Delta Cycle | El Greco Bicycle Ceiling Bike Rack Hoist
Arise: Understated and airy yet highly capable with heavy-duty cords and hook attachments, El Greco can hang anywhere there’s a ceiling. It hoists up bikes as weighty as 50 lbs. (you can go higher, but it’s going to be a battle) without even trying. Works for ladders, snowshoes, tents, and many other items as well.
9. Artifox | Vertical Bike Rack
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Corner Office: The Artifox vertical bike rack’s hardwood track works to keep bike tires off of the wall while also adding a traditional look in walnut or maple–matching the furniture to a tee. It takes nothing more than a couple of bolts to get it ready, and a quick lift and a switch flip is all that is needed to get your steed secured.
10. Mikili | SLÎT Bike Wall Hanger
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Zero Sum: When not in use most indoor bike racks take up some modicum of space, but not so with the SLÎT. You can use it as a permanent shelf, but we found it’s simpler to just snap it closed when grabbing the bike off of it, so there’s no wasted space. Adorn the bottom with a lovely picture or small impressionist print and it really ties a room together. Or, just leave it bare as a minimalist complement to your ultra-modern e-bike.
11. Saris Parking | Multiple Vertical Bicycle Stand
Family Pack: This doesn’t cut down on space as much as many indoor bike racks, so it’s better in a garage or shed. With several models capable of housing up to 8 bikes with a basic, solid floor mounting system where you can just wheelie right into it, then lock it down; Saris Parking’s garage bike rack is simple enough for kids and particularly lazy adults.
12. Flat-Bike-Lift | Ceiling Bike Rack
Remote Rack: Here’s the overhead bike system for the svelte cyclist: the Flate-Bike-Lift. Using a hydro-pneumatic system, you can slap this horizontal garage bike rack over your head and then raise or lower it using the strain-free remote. It holds everything in place without risk of dropping, and can be used by the most petite person; no muscle mass required.
13. Woodstick | Iceberg Chestnut Aesthetic Bike Hanger
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Angular Art: The iceberg surely looks like it could sink the Titanic, and that’s a glorious thing. Made to fit into modern or rustic décor, the sharp chestnut body adds class to any home, works on any wall with a stud, locks your bike securely in place with a geometric grip, and frees your steed with just a twist and a pull.
14. Pedal Pod | Hardwood Home Bike Rack
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Art & Craft: Serious bibliophiles will like the added space for all their tomes, while design connoisseurs will enjoy the hand-crafted oak body of this gorgeous cubist indoor bike rack. With a rubber lining to protect your bike and the oak from damage, the Pedal Pod makes modern apartments feel more homey.
15. Vadolibero | Domo R3 Bike Shelf Rack
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Pretty as a Picture: Instead of getting your bike up and out of the way, the Bike Shelf shows it off with an LED touch lamp that helps you see the chain and the derailleurs as you make repairs. Made of solid oakwood, it’s a gorgeous frame that even lets you swap out the surrounding storage to suit your home, garage, or gallery.
Indoor Bike Rack Buyer’s Guide
Need help picking the best garage bike rack beyond just looking at your options? Here are some factors to consider in abstract which will save you a lot of hassle in picking the wrong one. It’s mostly basic common sense, but you’d be surprised what can slip your mind when comparison shopping.
How to Put a Bike on a Bike Rack Safely?
The answer is, it depends on what kind of indoor bike rack you’re after. By far the easiest method involves mounts which feature a simple notch, groove, or hook; you just lift the bike up and drop it in by the top tube or head tube, make sure it’s balanced, and voila! That last bit is pretty crucial though. Unless, that is, you want to risk your bike tumbling off and denting the floor (or worse, chipping the paint on your bike!).
The best garage bike racks should have some sort of failsafe system which locks the bike in place to hedge against carelessness. It can be as simple as a rudimentary bar positioned against the direction your bike most is most likely to tilt in; or, it might be a more complex mechanical lock.
Others still have hoist system which allows you to pulley the bike up into place. These are convenient, but depending on the height of your rack (like a ceiling rack) it can take a little physical exertion. Make sure your hoist rack is thus geared for success and doesn’t require excessive brute force to use.
How to Install a Bike Rack Securely?
In short: Anchoring. Simply screwing a wall mounted bike rack into drywall is asking for trouble, as the weight of the bike being put on and taken off the rack will exert concentrated force on the spindly little screws just biting into a minimal layer of brittle material. But, if you use a stud finder to anchor the rack plate into solid wood, the screws will bore in tight and hold firm against all kinds of abuse.
Similarly, if you’ve got a bike floor stand, you’re better off anchoring it in place than just letting is stand free. Even if it is designed to balance your bike well in free-stand mode, most racks will have the option to bolt into the floor; we suggest you take advantage of this every time, if you can.
A ceiling bike rack can be more complicated to install, but once again finding studs is the key.
Caution!
We do NOT recommend relying on expanding drywall anchors. At first, it’ll seem solid, but after a few weeks or months if you’re lucky, the structural integrity will very obviously start to degrade and put your bike at risk for a fall. (Ask us how we know!)
A final word from the wise: ALWAYS test the strength of your indoor bike rack manually before mounting a bike on it. Grab the thing–try to wiggle it. Obviously you don’t want your full bodyweight on it, but it should be able to withstand some intentional abuse in order to be deemed worthy of wrapping your whip.
What Kind of Indoor Bike Rack Is Best for Me?
There are several factors to consider before going all-in on an indoor bike rack.
- Number of bikes: If you’re flying solo in a studio apartment, a minimalist low-profile rack will be a real space-saver. But if you’ve got a whole family to consider, you’ll be much better served by a multiple bike rack in terms of convenience and overall durability.
- Space vs convenience: Typically, a bike rack that allows you to quickly rack and remove your bike is going to take up more space. Floor stands and gravity based wall racks typically see your bike protruding out from the wall more, thus eating up more floor space. Hooks and hoists which nestle the frame parallel against the wall save more space, but are a little harder to manage since you have to lift the bike. Ceiling bike racks get the bike completely out of the way, but definitely take a bit of effort to hoist up.
- Permanent vs mobile: This might directly rely on how much space you have at home, as a moveable bike rack is convenient but eats up space. But then again, it might just be a lifestyle choice. Maybe you own your home and will pretty much always want your bike right where you left it–in that case go for something that you install semi-permanently; it’ll definitely be more stable and secure in the long run. But then again, you might be on the move a lot or even live a non-traditional lifestyle like living in a van; in this case having a portable bike rack can be a lifesaver.
Best Garage Bike Rack: Conclusion
At this point, you should have a pretty solid idea on the types of indoor bike racks out there. Whether you’re looking to pimp your apartment out with a fancy aesthetic bike stand, or you just need something more utilitarian, there’s something on this list for you. But definitely make sure you look at the prices, as they can vary wildly between the more high-concept designs and the basic stuff.
Also keep in mind that solid installation is key. As is picking the right type of bike rack for your ride. That’s why we left a few parting words of wisdom for you in our buyer’s guide to keep your head on straight.
So, what’s your favorite garage bike rack from our list? Have you ever bought or used any of our recommendations? And, what advice can you give to our readers who might be looking for the perfect indoor bike rack? Please leave us your thoughts in a comment below!
It’s so wierd but interesting that simple bike storages are kind of art. They are so beautiful! Even better than my all furniture. I think i will buy such one. I’ve found them almost for free at https://twonee.com/shop , it’s really cheap and deserves it.