How to Store Bike Rack in Garage

Car-mounted bike racks are excellent in more ways than one. They help you get your bike from one part of your city – or country – to another very easily. Unfortunately, under certain circumstances, they can be more of a burden than a solution.

For example, if you have just one car and you need to drive to a fancy occasion or ceremony, having a bike rack sticking out of your car’s rear end isn’t very distinguishing. This, as you can imagine, largely depends on the noticeability and size of the rack itself. 

Beyond that, there are months when you simply don’t want your bike rack constantly exposed to the elements. During the cold and windy months of winter, for example, you want to ensure that your rack is safely stored away from the freezing snow.

Finally, and this is the most simple reason of all, sometimes, you just don’t need your bike rack on your car or anywhere else but your garage, really. 

Under any of the circumstances mentioned above, it’s important to know just how to store your bike rack in your garage. There, you’re unlikely to unwittingly damage it.

Before going ahead, you should note that there are indeed numerous bike storage ideas that you can tap into. However, bike racks themselves are open to your personal creativity and, most importantly, your available garage space in terms of their storage.

That said, in this article, we’ll walk you through the different ways you can keep your bike racks safe within your garage in months when you don’t entirely need them. As a bonus, we’ll also cover a few bike storage racks that you can use to fuel your garage bike storage ideas as well.

How to Store a Bike Rack in Your Garage

There are three broad ways that you could go about this, each slightly more complex than the last. 

1. Floor Bike Rack Storage

Granted, this isn’t the most elegant way to store your bike rack. But, it is the simplest and least stressful way to get the job done. It doesn’t matter whether you have a hitch bike rack attached to your car or a wall-mounted bike rack you pulled off your backyard wall. All you need to do is uninstall the bike rack from its previous position, disassemble it into its most single components and organize it on the floor in your garage. 

There are some things you should remember in the process, though. 

For starters, if you still have the original packaging the bike storage tool came in, it would be an excellent idea to store it there instead of setting the bare rack on the floor. That way, you can rest assured that it has all or most of the protection the manufacturers built for the bike rack itself. 

If that’s not available, you want to ensure that you keep your bike storage rack away from moisture, especially if your bike rack is made of metal, not plastic. Doing so will help you significantly reduce the risk of rust. 

Other ways of avoiding rust include painting the bike rack, applying some oil to its surface, applying dry coating, etc. 

Finally, ensure that you can easily transport the rack to its point of installation. For instance, if your bike rack is meant to be on your car, it would make sense to store it as close to the car as possible. If your bike rack is meant for a different part of your house, be sure to store it in an organized way that would make its transportation easy. This is especially important if your bike rack is heavy.

2. Wall-Mounted Bike Rack Storage

If you don’t quite have as much space as you’d like on your garage floor, using your walls could be a great idea. Unlike floor storage, however, you might need to get a few items out of Home Depot for this one.

That said, to hold up the disassembled parts of your bike rack in your garage, you’ll likely need to install a garage shelf. Before going ahead with that idea, you should consider the number of components and the overall weight of the storage rack. That way, you can get the appropriate measurements and sturdiness to handle the weight and size of your bike rack.

One more thing we’ll advise you to remember is the varied usability of the shelf itself. You don’t want something that only has one purpose. This is largely because your bike rack will only be stored on the wall for a few weeks at best. You’ll need the space for something else later on. So, as much as you can, try to install a multipurpose shelf to handle your storage needs.

If all that feels like too much of a hassle, instead of installing a shelf, you could get a rack dock instead. It’s much smaller, so you don’t need to worry about taking up too much space and serving too few functions like rack-exclusive shelves. Shaped like a small box, you can install it on your garage wall and use it to store your hitch-mounted bike racks. A product that seems to be fairly well-known in this regard is the Kuat Rack Dock. 

3. Ceiling-Mounted Bike Rack Storage

This is arguably the most complex option of all three, and you should consider it only if you’re very low on space on your garage floor or wall. 

In this regard, we would suggest holding up your bike racks with a hook attached to the ceiling and letting them hang from there. If you choose to go with this method, you must ensure that the ceiling bike rack storage hook is securely installed to prevent any unprecedented accidents.

This method might not be compatible with most bike racks, but if you do happen to have one with a build that allows it to be hung securely off a surface, you should be good to go.

While storing bike racks in your garage to offer some protection from the elements, you also need to store your bikes themselves. For that reason, we’ve gone ahead to select the best bike storage products to use in your garage.

Here are a few safe recommendations.

10 Best Bike Racks to Use for Bike Storage in Your Garage

1. Delta Cycle Michelangelo 2 Bike Storage Rack

The Delta Michelangelo bike storage rack can keep adult or children bikes as well as mountain bikes safely on the wall. Most bicycle users prefer this bike rack because it is ideal for sloping and flat top tubes. 

Apart from that, this storage rack is also a favorite among cyclists because it doesn’t take much of your time to assemble. In addition to being adjustable, stable, and beautiful, the Delta Michelangelo bike storage rack is ideal for garages where there is not enough space on the floor.

Key features

• Indoor bike storage rack
• Weighs 0.25 pounds

Pros

• Adjustable bike hooks
• Excellent steel with a long-lasting powder-coated finish
• Ideal for saving space
• It can accommodate up to 80 pounds
• Suitable for people with single bikes

Cons

• It may not be ideal for larger bikes

2. Steadyrack Wall Mounted Bike Rack

This is one of the best garage bike racks you could get. It’s also useful for other parts of your home, as well as apartments and offices that allow such installations. It is ideal for vertical bike storage and can rotate almost 180 degrees to any side to help you save space. Furthermore, Steadyrack is a vertical bike storage rack that’s incredibly easy to install. 

Its ease of use is equally impressive. You can store your bike on the Steadyrack by pulling it up by its back wheel and sliding it into the vertical storage rack. 

 Key Features

• Wall bike rack
• Weighs 4.9 pounds

Pros

• Push and pull method that is easy to use
• Endurable and saves wall space
• Turn up to 160 degrees for easy access
• One of the best outdoor storage alternatives

Cons

• You may need to lift some bikes instead of rolling them up

3. Goplus Bike Lift Hoist Heavy Duty Ceiling Bike Storage

Goplus Bike lift Hoist Heavy Duty is ideal for garage ceiling bike storage. This roof rack can lift your bike to 12 feet. The Goplus Bike lift Hoist Heavy Duty does this with its high-quality straps that can help you elevate heavy objects weighing up to 45 pounds. 

In addition to storing bikes, you can use this bike rack to hang canoes, kayaks, and ladders. One of its most impressive features is the secure locking system that allows you to lock your bike safely, so you don’t get injured by accident.

Key Features

• One of the best garage pulley systems
• Weighs 45 pounds

Pros

• Excellent steel
• Its use is not limited to storing bikes only
• Can elevate objects weighing up to 45 pounds
• One of the best outdoor storage alternatives

Cons

• Ceiling installation can be difficult

4. Monkey Bars Bike Storage Rack 2.0

Do you have to dodge bikes all the time you enter your garage? Do you often find yourself knocking them over and suffering injuries? 

Fortunately, Monkey Bars Bike Storage Rack 2.0 can safely store up to six bikes seamlessly. What’s more, the bike rack is ideal even in small spaces.

The manufacturer uses industrial steel and a tan or gray powder coat finish for sustainability. The rack also has modernized hooks that allow you to securely store adult bikes so that they don’t fall off. Their rubber coating helps block scratches on the bike rims.

Key Features

• Ideal garage bike rack
• Weighs 7 pounds

Pros

• Excellent steel construction with potent powder coating
• It can support up to six bikes
• Rubber-coated bike hangers are versatile
• Installation takes about 15 minutes

Cons

• Hooks may only last for a short time

5. Saris Glide Bike Storage Ceiling Rack

The Saris Glide bike storage can hold your bikes seamlessly and allow you to reach them with a fair amount of ease. The manufacturer uses 100% recyclable and non-rusting metal to construct this garage bike rack. Interestingly, the bike rack comes with suspension hooks that can adjust to the wheelbase of the bike without manual effort.

The ideal capacity for this bike storage ceiling rack is four bikes. But, you can add two more bikes to expand its maximum capacity. Just ensure that you do it properly to avoid a situation where your bikes fall off and get damaged or, worse, hurt someone in the process.

Key Features

• Bike rack mounted on the garage ceiling

Pros

• Space-saving bike storage
• Clear glider design
• Wheel hooks are adjustable
• It doesn’t consume any wall or floor space and is easy to access
• You can hang your bike upside down if it doesn’t have hydraulic disc brakes

Cons

• The additional two bike rack has their own cost

6. Koova Wall Mounted Garage Bike Storage

Koova Bike Rack can help you save space in your garage. With only a few minutes required for installation on any garage wall, this garage bike storage can store up to six adult bikes effortlessly.

Additionally, Koova Bike Rack has large tire hangers that can handle updated big tire bikes that are around three inches. To add icing to the cake, this bike rack comes with single extra hooks to help you store your helmets and other accessories.

Key Features

• Wall-mounted bike rack

Pros

• Install and use easily
• Stress-free design
• Heavy-duty mounting hardware coated with a potent powder
• Can hold multiple bikes
• Hangers and hooks are adjustable

Cons

• Bikes may slide off bike racks

7. Dirza Wall Mounted Bike Rack

Dirza is one of the vertical bike racks that fit most bikes. This bike rack is 10 inches long and easy to install. 

This vertical bike rack has a fixed hook that allows you to hang and remove the bike quickly. The bike rack also has a secure modern hook that can help balance bikes so that they don’t slide off by accident.

Key Features

• Wall-mounted garage bike rack
• Weighs 2.51 pounds

Pros

• No assembly necessary
• Simple to install
• Excellent powder-coated steel
• Rubber hooks’ perfect design protects them from scratches

Cons

• It can only accommodate bikes with wheel sizes that are less than 2.6 inches

8. Rad Cycle Garage Storage Bike Lift

This garage bike rack allows you to store multiple bikes within a few minutes. Its smooth pulleys and latches can lift heavy bikes easily and secure them with its unique rope locking system. This effectively keeps them from sliding off, making it an excellent storage solution.

Key Features

• Exclusive garage bike storage lift
• 4 pounds

Pros

• Secure locking system
• Hooks are coated with an anti-scratch rubber
• It can accommodate bikes weighing up to 100 pounds
• One of the best outdoor storage alternatives

Cons

• You may damage the rope if you use this garage bike storage frequently

9. StoutMax Heavy Duty Garage Storage and Bike Hook

StoutMax is perfect for ceiling bike storage if you have a tight garage. It uses a finish coated with non-slip material to cover its surfaces and prevent bike falls. This garage bike storage idea can hold more than two bikes but less than eight. 

Key Features

• Ceiling-mounted garage bike storage
• Weighs 13.6 ounces

Pros

• Heavy-duty screw hooks
• Non-slip, non-marring
• Galvanized strong steel with graphite finish
• It doesn’t consume any wall or floor space and is easy to access

Cons

• May not be able to store several bikes that are heavy

10. Ibera Horizontal Bicycle Bike Wall Hanger

Ibera is one of the best horizontal bike storage solutions if you want to save floor space. You can effortlessly maneuver the garage wall hanger’s 45-degree angle to fit adult or children bikes.

Experts recommend that this bike mount be installed on a concrete garage wall with an anchor. This is because hanging it on drywall or plasterboard might cause the bike mount to fall and harm you.

Key Features

• Keeps your garage organized
• Indoor wall bike hanger
• Weighs 2.3 pounds

Pros

• The wheel anchor strap can fit almost any wheel size
• Adjustable beam
• Non-scratch frame holders
• 45-degree adjustable angle

Cons

• It might not be the best option if you don’t have a masonry or concrete wall

Conclusion

It doesn’t matter if you own a bike to beat traffic and improve your health or if you’ve bought your kids’ bikes to make them more physically active. You still need a bike rack to store your bike(s). However, when you’re not using your bike rack itself with your car or in your backyard, you need to store it as well. One of the safest locations to keep your bike rack is the garage. However, you need to learn practical bike rack storage options. 

Fortunately, in this article, we mentioned various ways to store your bike rack. You could have your bike rack mounted on the wall or simply placed on the floor. If you think you’re up for it, technically, you could opt for a ceiling storage option as well. It’s all entirely up to you.