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Whether you’re tired of tripping over tires, trying to tidy the garage, or simply looking for a more elegant storage solution than up against a wall, a proper rack for your bike is a worthy investment for any avid cyclist.
Keeping it out of your way as well as ensuring your bike is safely out of harm’s way too, you’ll certainly see a benefit. Knowing what kind of rack to go for, however, can prove tricky when there are so many on the market, all claiming to be amazing.
To save you time and stress, we proudly present our top five racks for use indoors; whether it will take pride of place in the living room or neatly stashed in the garage, any of these offerings are sure to satisfy your needs.
If that wasn’t enough, we’ve also collated all of the information required for finding a top notch bike rack that won’t let you down, in one comprehensive yet concise Buyer’s Guide. Forget opening a billion tabs – everything you need to know is here!
Last but not least, there’s even a couple of Frequently Asked Questions thrown in at the end, so if we’ve somehow failed to answer one of your queries in the rest of our thorough research, you might find what you’re looking for here.
Ready To Rack? Here’s Our Top Pick:
- Holds bikes up to 77lb, with a tire width of 2.4 inches or less
- Unique pivoting mechanism allows for swiveling and overlap when stored
- Folds away when not in use
- Patented, extremely simple ‘push in’ design
- Especially durable, made of powder coated, heat treated steel
- Spring system holds your bike securely, without scratches or scuffs
- Space for five bikes altogether (200lb limit)
- Solid metal with powder coating for added durability
- Space-saving, vertical storage design
1. Steadyrack Bike Rack
Designed so that all you have to do is roll your bike in and out, this wall mounted rack from Steadyrack certainly works to fulfill its named destiny, which is why it’s our number one choice when it comes to storing your cycle safely.
By creating two distinct cradling points for your front tire, the unique design means there’s no heavy lifting required, making this rack suitable for use by any cyclist, regardless of their age, ability and overall strength.
As you’re able to pivot these racks from side to side, you can be much more flexible about where you hang your bike, and it also proves more space-saving than more traditional storage methods, especially if you’ve not got room on the floor.
Whilst each rack can only hold a single bike, you can pick up multiple units and position them side by side for storing multiple cycles, as little as fourteen inches apart. This looks especially attractive once they’re all up!
Likewise, as a result of the pivoting mechanism, it’s possible to overlap bikes that you store in your Steadyrack, and when they’re no longer in use, you can simply fold it away to preserve even more space.
- Holds bikes up to 77lb, with a tire width of 2.4 inches or less
- Unique pivoting mechanism allows for swiveling and overlap when stored
- Folds away when not in use
- More specific designs available for mountain bikes or fat tires
- Expensive if you need to pick up multiple units for more than one bike
2. BIKEHAND Bicycle Floor Type Parking Rack Stand
Available in a design that holds one, two or three bikes, this traditional take on the floor stand from Bike Hand opts for an effortless roll-in style, great if you’ve got a heavier cycle that would end in disaster if screwed to the wall!
As the tire is held in place at three different points, it’s more stable than those with only one or two holds, and very difficult to tip over without exerting excessive force, so you won’t have any problems with toppling.
Composed of heat treated, powder coated steel, this is one tough bike rack, made to last forever (so they claim!) provided it is used appropriately.
This promise is reiterated by a lifetime warranty, included as part of every purchase.
As it’s so versatile, you’ll find this stand can accommodate almost all bike sizes, whether that’s a child’s cycle, a 26-29 inch mountain bike or even a road bike within 650 to 700cc, provided the wheels are 2.4 inches or less.
Using the simple one-push knob it’s incredibly easy to fold the stand flat in a matter of seconds, rendering it much easier to store.
You could even take it with you, as it’s lightweight enough to be portable. Don’t lean your bike against a tree ever again!
- Patented, extremely simple ‘push in’ design
- Especially durable, made of powder coated, heat treated steel
- Spring system holds your bike securely, without scratches or scuffs
- Fits *almost* any bike with appropriately sized tires (less than 2.4”)
- Could do with a mat underneath, to prevent slipping
3. StoreYourBoard Bike Storage Rack
Capable of holding up to five bikes, with a weight limit of 200lb, this solid metal hanging bike rack from StoreYourBoard is universal.
Safely store a mountain, road, hybrid, or commuter bike, with complete peace of mind.
With an ultra-durable powder coating, the rack itself is especially sturdy, and so long as you stick within the weight limit, there’s no reason it won’t continue to serve you for the rest of your cycling career!
Make more floor space with the vertical design; forty five mounting points allow you to space out each protective hanging hook, gently holding your bike by the wheel, with an added rubber coating to secure it without scratching.
All mounting hardware required and a set of thorough instructions are included, with two independent brackets that are adjustable to better suit the stud spacing of your walls. It can be out of the box and installed within just a few minutes!
Thanks to their exclusive, patent pending design, proudly created in the USA, this is a rack that’s incredibly fairly priced, but it’s built to last.
Not only that, but its capacity means you’ll have plenty of space for future bikes, too
- Space for five bikes altogether (200lb limit)
- Solid metal with powder coating for added durability
- Space-saving, vertical storage design
- Holding hooks are rubber coated to more safely hold your bike
- Some customers report that you may struggle to store five bikes with wide handlebars together
4. Koova Wall Mount Bike Storage Rack
With a hook for your bikes and helmets, this vertical rack from Koova really has thought of everything.
Simply choose from designs that accommodate two, three and six bikes, ensuring plenty of room for all of your cycles and equipment.
Constructed from heavy gauge, powder coated steel, right here in the USA, they promise this rack has an incredibly impressive weight limit.
Each hook and hanger can be mounted securely at any point, for a customizable design that fits perfectly.
Offering a generous fifteen inches of room between each hanger, this is a rack that makes plenty of space for bigger bikes (unlike some competitors), with every hook precisely angled in order to support the heaviest bikes without any damage.
Innovatively created to rest on the rim, as opposed to your fragile spokes, fat tires aren’t a problem here, nor are thin ones, as the ‘oversized’ hangers can easily hold up to three inches of space, if not more. Plus, they’re super easy to hang up!
Whether it’s precision cutting steel, powder coating every component or assembling and packing, everything is performed in-house at their Charleston, SC factory.
They’re so proud of their products, you get a lifetime warranty with every purchase!
- Unique design avoids pressure on tires
- Choose the size that suits your number of bikes best
- Great for fat tires but can handle any
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed – a lifetime warranty to prove it
- Six bike rack is pretty pricy
5. Bike Wall Mount – Horizontal Indoor Storage Rack
Using a reliable ratchet gear system in its locking mechanism, this horizontal bike rack from Pro Bike Tool turns your cycle into a work of art, securely and attractively displayed on any wall in your home.
Its cradles are made from the softest TPR rubber, offering scuff-free storage regardless of whether your frame is aluminum or carbon, and an ultra-strong elasticity rope is also supplied to prevent your front wheel from scuffing the wall.
With a weight limit of just under fifty pounds and an adjustable angle to level everything out, this rack caters for a wide range of frames in a variety of shapes and sizes, extendable from 8.7 inches to 12.6 inches for longer bikes.
Detailed instructions, as well as all of the screws you need for mounting this strong, powder coated steel rack, are included in box, for a stress-free installation that should only take a few minutes to complete.
So confident are the manufacturers in their top quality racks that they automatically offer a refund or a replacement on your purchase if you’re unsatisfied.
Simply get in touch with their customer service team, who will only be too happy to help.
- Adjustable, horizontal rack that won’t put pressure on your wheels
- Strong, scratch resistant steel frame with a 48.5lb weight capacity
- Easy installation that accommodates varying bike sizes
- Secured using instant lock push button
- Unsuitable for bikes with wide handlebars (31 inches and above) or fat tires
Best Indoor Bike Racks Buyer’s Guide
Perhaps your most important consideration here is the weight of your bike, and whether the rack you’ve chosen can support it adequately. Each individual style and size of rack will have a different weight capacity, so be sure to double check!
Just one or two pounds over the limit and your cycle will come crashing down before you can say Tour De France, so trust us when we say this one’s a bigge. Unless you fancy risking your bike and a wall in your house – and any valuables beneath it!)
In a similar vein, the number of bikes you want to store is also worth keeping in mind, as some racks are made for solo cycle storage, where others are more robust and built to hold up to five bikes at once, for a family of cyclists… or one keen one!
Likewise, even if it can fully support your bike, a rack that isn’t durable enough to do so for long periods of time isn’t worth investing in. Be sure you go for a sturdy material that’s strong enough but won’t damage your bike or your walls.
If you’re going to be storing your bike somewhere especially visible to guests, an attractive rack that looks good and works to proudly display your favorite cycle(s) without disturbing the aesthetics of your living area can actually be lovely decoration.
There are several different mounting styles to choose from, too, each with their own lists of strengths and weaknesses. The one you go for is up to you, as there is no one reigning champion, but your choices are as follows:
Kickstands might be the most basic storage solution, but hey, they’re also the cheapest, and chances are your bike already has one. Great for quick park ups and holding a recreational bike upright in your garage, it’s a simple but effective choice.
Floor stands, like the ones you’ll find dotted around cities that are equipped to handle cyclists or in a school parking lot, are the same but adapted for home use. If you have the floor space, it’s easy enough – just slide a wheel in and you’re good to go.
Wall mounts work perfectly when you really want to get your bike up off the floor, whether because you’d like to proudly display it or just because you don’t have the room. They’re versatile and can involve hooks, hinges or horizontal wall bars.
Gravity stands, as the name suggests, have been purposely designed so that the weight of your bike rests against a flat wall, without the need for drilling holes. These are ideal if you live in an apartment and can’t make alterations!
Ceiling mounts are, as you can imagine, trickier to put up, but work best for multiple bikes and can be a lifesaver if you haven’t got a sturdy enough wall or one free for mounting – just be sure it’s low enough that you can reach it with ease!
Hoist storage is not as common as the above options, but great if you’ve got a heavier bike and can’t manage a ceiling mount, as it utilizes a useful pulley mechanism to assist you in reaching your cycle safely.
Free-standing racks work in the same way as a coat stand, though they require plenty of surrounding space, particularly if you have more than one bike on the go. Those with large garages will find these are the most efficient storage solution!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hanging a bike by the wheel damage it?
A controversial method that divides the cycling community by opinion, some bikers choose to store their bike by hanging it via a tire. Whilst some seem to think it’s absolutely fine and no harm can come to your ride, others would disagree.
Arguments suggest that by inadvertently putting the pressure of your entire bike’s weight onto one of the tires, you can cause undue strain to the wheel’s rim, which is potentially problematic and could impact its resilience.
Bikes with hydraulic disc brakes also run the risk of draining the air from where it is required by storing in this way, which can also cause problems further down the line, so riders of these cycles should steer clear of vertical hanging for long periods.
Be sure to keep an eye on your tires if you do opt for this method, and if you notice any wear and tear outside the usual realms of possibility, perhaps it’s best that you stop and choose a different way of storing.
Is it okay to store a bike vertically?
Especially popular as a storage method because it requires the least amount of space, many cyclists will choose to store their bike vertically, whether that involves hanging by the handlebars or via a tire.
As with the above advice on vertical hanging more generally, it’s perfectly fine so long as your bike (and the wall it’s attached to!) can handle the weight of being suspended without causing any damage or coming to a crash on the floor.
If you can somehow find a way to suspend that allows the back wheel to rest on the ground, this will disperse the weight distribution more evenly, and prevent too much pressure being applied to just one part of the bike.
Can you leave your bike outside in winter?
Sometimes you have no choice but to place your cycle outside, leaving it exposed to the elements, and for a few days things will probably be okay (provided your bike is already in good shape at this point). After a while, though, things can turn sour.
Newer cycles will be more able to cope with the adverse conditions of a harsh winter, as the components susceptible to corrosion are usually better sealed. This is also usually the case for higher-end bikes, but it doesn’t mean they’re totally safe.
Following several days stored outdoors without at least a tarp thrown over it for good measure, your ride will begin to rust, most noticeably at the chain and other metal components. Stainless steel parts are better able to withstand moisture in this case.
It’s also possible that things can begin to seize up when the temperature really starts to drop. Bolts, bearings and cables can start to stiffen and will eventually end up damn-near unusable, becoming stuck or breaking down altogether.
Indoor storage is highly recommended where possible, but don’t beat yourself up if you accidentally leave your trusty steed in the cold for a night or two. Just as long as it’s not a regular occurrence, you’ll probably be okay.
