A Guide to Bike Racks: Storing your Bike at Home or on the Move

Storing your bike at home and on your car can be a challenge. At home, you want it secure, but out of the way. On your car, you want it very secure and easy to mount and remove.

Let’s start with home storage:

How and where to store your bike at home can sometimes feel like a challenge, especially if you’ve ever lived in an apartment, you know that every bit of space is precious; striking a fine balance between arranging all your things and giving yourself room to breathe is almost an art.

Bringing your bike into your home can complicate storage; it’s not exactly a compact object. Pushing it into any available nook or cranny is the easiest approach, but there are better ways to make sure you’re not constantly tripping over crank arms and tires.

A solid indoor bike rack can help you free up space and consolidate. Wall racks are simpler than you might expect, relying on gravity and tension to hold the weight of one or more bikes up steadily. Racks vary in terms of bike orientation, weight limit, and attachment methods, so you can choose exactly what works for you, your bike, and your walls. And don’t worry; you won’t necessarily have to drill any unsightly holes either!

Bicycle Storage at Home – Wall Racks

Delta Cycle Michelangelo Rugged Gravity Rack

Known for a budget-friendly selection of simple and functional storage racks, Delta is a go-to when looking for something affordable and non-intrusive. Enter the Michelangelo Rugged Gravity Rack – who wouldn’t want a stand with a name like that?!

The Gravity Rack is an entirely no-screw choice that you can easily lean against your wall at a slight angle. Supported by the wall, the rack has a carrying limit of 100 pounds, enough to hold two bikes. Quick to assemble and coming in at less than twenty pounds itself, the Gravity Rack is perfect if you have empty wall space; the bikes will lay against their hooks horizontally, one above the other. Adjustable arms make it easy to fit any sized bike.

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the design; the rack is proportioned to spread balance evenly, allowing it to hold five times its own weight without attachments. Rubber caps are included to save your walls from smudging.

Topeak Dual-Touch Bike Stand

Topeak’s Dual Touch Bike Stand holds up to four bikes horizontally, relying on a floor to ceiling base rod that locks into place with a foot pedal. Once the rack’s central pole is firm and flat against both floor and ceiling, the actual hooks are quick to attach; it helps to use a level to make sure the hooks are not lopsided. Making sure the main rod fits snugly against the ceiling might take some adjusting, but once you pass that hurtle, the rack is held in place by tension and the built in lock.

The Dual Touch comes with two hook attachments, while additional ones are sold separately. You also have the option of adding a Handlebar Stabilizer to your order to keep your handlebars from swiveling. No drilling means no drama; the rack comes with straightforward assembly instructions and an extendable tube to make sure it fits the dimensions of your space.

Grassracks Bike Wall Rack/ Bike Shelf

Built with aesthetic, simplicity, and eco-conscious production in mind, Grassracks’ Wall Rack sports a one of a kind design that hides a surprising amount of strength. Built for one bike weighing up to sixty pounds, the hook system comes in a choice of birch or bamboo, both light colored with a natural wood grain pattern.

Simple installation, an interchangeable cradle, and built in padding make this rack a choice of display as much as one of functionality. The shelf situated just behind the hooks is a nifty little spot for essentials like your keys or small bike tools. Undoubtedly stylish, this wall rack is anything but an eyesore that does as good a job lighting up the room as it does supporting your ride.

Bicycle Car Racks: Rooftop, Hitch, Trunk

Once you have your indoor bike storage covered, it’s time to consider how you’re going to get your bike to all the trailheads you’ve always dreamed of riding. You could, of course, remove a wheel and cram your bike into the back of your car, but why risk dings and dents when you could keep it both secure and intact?

Bike racks made for cars usually come in three varieties; trunk racks, which attach right at the back of your car, roof racks, which keep your bike upright above you, and hitch racks, which extend slightly outwards from the rear of your car and are a great option if you plan to drive with multiple bikes.

Bicycle Trunk Mounts

Thule OutWay Platform 2

Well known as a premier rack manufacturer, Thule features a diverse selection of bike to vehicle mounting systems made to get you out on the road safely, securely, and as soon as possible. The OutWay Platform 2 raises your bike to the level of your rear windshield, leaving your plates and lights in plain sight.

The mounting system for this rack incorporates steel cables to hold your bike tight, easy to digest assembly instructions, wheel straps, and locks that can lock your bike to the rack, and the rack to the car itself. When your bikes are off the rack, you’ll be able to open your trunk without taking the entire rack off, saving you time in the long run. The OutWay has a carrying capacity of sixty six pounds, or two bikes.

Special additions include an adapter that protects carbon frames, and a one-key system that allows you to replace lock cylinders on all the Thule products you own. Make sure you consult their Buyer’s Guide before your purchase   to find out if your vehicle is compatible with the rack!

Saris Bones Car Trunk Two-Bike Rack

Tried and true, the Bones Bones Two-Bike Rack by Saris follows classic principles conceived by Saris designer Fabio Pedrini. Featuring a distinct arc, the United States-made rack fits vehicles with spoilers and incorporates rubber feet to protect your car from scratches.

The Bones’ limbs are rust-proof and resistant to average wear. If you love the look and feef of this particular Saris product but are looking for more carrying capacity and a wider range of compatible vehicles, check out the company’s Three Bike and Two Bike EX versions.

Hitch Racks

Yakima HoldUp Two Bike Hitch Rack

When it comes to hitch racks, the HoldUp Two Bike Rack model by Yakima is a sturdy option that still falls within a reasonable budget. With a maximum capacity of sixty pounds, wheel straps, and a tilt down design, the HoldUp keeps things smooth; you can even adjust how much room there is between the bikes to avoid them scraping or bumping against each other while your attention is on the road.

The HoldUp +2 Bike Rack Extension is sold separately to allow you to take up to four bikes along for the drive. Locks by SKS are included to fasten the bikes to the rack. Stability, full control, and a a steadfast reputation make the HoldUp one of the most popular hitch systems on the market.

Roof Racks

SeaSucker Talon One and Mini Bomber Bike-Rack

SeaSucker’s Talon One Bike-Rack is an innovative rack system that stands out among its competitors. Made for a single bike, the Talon One operates via a vacuum mounting system that is as easy to remove as it is to place on the roof of your car.

Built in vacuum pumps use suction to attach to any glass or metal surface; this works as a trunk rack as well as a roof rack. The product comes with a front and rear mount; the former holds your bike’s fork, while the latter holds the rear wheel. This rack requires a worthwhile bit of learning about vacuum pumps; a Lube Tube is included to keep the vacuum pads in tip top shape (Try wetting your vacuum ad a bit before use for optimal performance).

The highway- approved TalonOne is the most popular SeaSucker bike rack and is highly portable, seeing as it consists of only a few removable parts. Still confused about exactly what parts make the SeaSucker work so well? Check out this product video to find out more.

The slightly pricier Mini Bomber Rack by SeaSucker fits two 45 pound bikes and, similarly to its one-bike sibling, can attach to either the trunk, rear windshield, or roof of your car. Four vacuum mounts attach to a malleable body that bends to fit the shape of your vehicle. Don’t be fooled by the easy assembly; an upgrade from the Talon One, the Mini Bomber packs a punch.

Summary

With easy installation, sleek design, and a steady hold, the perfect rack is the one you barely notice. Having your bike on or against your wall means you can just grab it and go without shuffling through your entire apartment and back.

It might be hard to believe that such a minimal mechanism can hold up a steel bike, let alone two, but once you put your trust in your favorite rack, it’ll be as essential as any piece of furniture.

The same goes for your car rack; nothing beats knowing your bike is securely strapped to the back of your car and ready to hit the road with you as you head towards the next adventure. The right rack allows your bike to become a part of your indoor and outdoor life, conveniently unhindered.

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