Living in an apartment often makes life easy for commuting by bike, but you don’t always have a lot of storage space. It can be tricky to find a suitable place to keep your bike when you live in an apartment.
In this guide on how to store a bike in an apartment, we will give you some great ideas so that you will find the perfect solution for you.
Wherever You Can
Keep reading, and you will see a whole host of great bike storage solutions. But, the layout of your small apartment might not lend itself to an ingenious storage solution. You may have to just prop it up behind the sofa, up against a wall, or in a closet. But the issue with this is that bikes get dirty, even if they are just used for commuting. You won’t have time to clean your bike after every ride.
Therefore, dirt from the road and an oily chain can make a mess of your apartment. You or the landlord won’t want tire marks on the floor and oil on the curtains. By covering up your bike, you will be able to prevent dirt and grease transferring from it to your soft furnishings. An excellent solution you can use is a Velosock.
This is a stretchy cover that you slip over your bike at the front door. Any dirt is contained within the Velosock keeping your apartment clean. It is also really useful if you have to put your bike in the car. You can also fit the Velosock in your backpack and slip it over your bike when you get to work.
On The Balcony
Most of the time, if your apartment is a few floors up, security isn’t a problem, as burglars find it hard to access it. If you are lucky enough to have an apartment with a balcony, you could have an excellent spot for storing your bike. You may not want to leave your road or mountain bike open to the elements, but you don’t have to worry about this with a shed tent.
Erecting a shed tent is super simple and a cheap way of protecting your bike while it is outside on your balcony. You can buy shed tents for just one bike, but you can also get ones big enough for multiple bikes or other stuff you are struggling to find a home for.
Up The Wall
Your hallway may be big enough to store your bike in a particular way. Using a wall-mounted rack, you can keep your bike vertically up against the wall. Also, if you have a large enough corner or space at the end of a corridor, this type of rack can work very well.
Wall racks work especially well if you have a road bike with narrow handlebars. This is because when they are hanging from a wall rack, you won’t have much of a problem with it sticking out too much and getting in the way.
For an alternative, you might want to check out the Clug. This is the smallest bike rack available. By clipping your front wheel into this minimalist and stylish rack, your bike can hang safely upright.
The Clug’s small size is not imposing or too obvious when a bike is not hanging from it. This subtle design makes the Clug a more attractive option than some of the more industrial looking racks you can buy.
If you have a space to hang your bike horizontally in your apartment, you may think that your only option is an ugly metal hook. But, you can buy a more stylish option, in the form of The Cycloc Solo.
This is an alternative and much more attractive solution than the type of hook you would typically use in a garage. The Cycloc Solo comes in a range of colors to match your decor and is simple to use. The rubber contact points won’t scratch your bike’s frame and there is also an option to secure your bike with a lock.
However, if you rent an apartment, your landlord might not be too happy if you start drilling holes in the wall to mount a bike rack. Therefore, you could benefit from a rack that uses a floor stand.
The Qualward floor stand bike rack can fit in a corner, allowing you to store your bike vertically. This should give you similar results to a wall mount, without risking your rental deposit.
Overhead
A great way to get your bike out of the way in your apartment is to get it off the floor altogether. Hoisting it from the ceiling is convenient, especially if you have high ceilings. When your bike is raised, you don’t have to worry about dirty tire marks on your floors or walls either.
When it is time to go for a ride, all you need to do is lower it back down and set off on your way.
Stack Them
If you have more than one bike or are fighting for bicycle storage space with your roommate, you could benefit from this bike stand. This stand solidly wedges itself between the floor and the ceiling.
It is strong and large enough to hold two bikes at the same time. The parts that hold the bike are covered in vinyl, preventing damage to your pride and joy’s paint job.
This stand is also great for those not allowed to drill holes in the walls and ceilings of rented apartments. It has an aluminum plate that protects floors and ceilings from damage.
An alternative solution for stacking two bikes is the Delta Cycle Michelangelo. This secures two bikes safely on a rack that simply leans against a wall. Bikes hang from the adjustable hooks to suit your bikes. There is also a four bike version for those that have a quiver of bikes for every occasion.
Hooks And Hangers
Hooks and hangers are not the most attractive solution, but they are pretty versatile. If your apartment has a unique layout, you may need a unique solution. Hooks can be used in closets, under stairs, on walls and ceilings.
With a bit of imagination and creativity, you will be able to work out a combination that stores your bike conveniently in your apartment. Or you can just screw them into the wall and forget about it.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to worry about bringing dirt from the road and trails into your apartment. Nor do you have to keep moving your bike around to get it out of the way.
There are some excellent bike storage options that don’t resort to screwing an unattractive hook into the wall. With a little thought, you can find a solution that suits you, your apartment, your bike, and your landlord.
Tom Fortune has been reviewing cycling products for several years from his home in the French Alps. As the owner of mtb-threads.com, he mainly reviews mountain bike products but also reviews road cycling products independently.
