How To Hang a Bike in a Shed?
Bike owners everywhere are looking for better, more efficient ways to store their bicycles. If you own a shed, keeping your bike safe and secured become easier. Hanging it is a quick way to conserve space while ensuring the best storage option. Easy to do and mostly simple, bike mounting comes in a variety of options.
Let’s talk in depth about the few ways you can hang your bike in a shed the right way without causing damage to your shed or ride.
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Contents
What To Keep in Mind When Hanging Bike in a Shed
Despite what many people think, hanging a bike in a shed poses minimal threat. In fact, when using rubberized hooks to vertically hang bikes, the only thing to keep in mind is that no matter how good the hooks you get are, they will wear out over time.
There is no problem with hanging your bicycle upside down unless it’s equipped with a hydraulic system. In a hydraulic system bike, when the vehicle is turned upside down or sideways, the brake system might contain some air bubbles within the reservoir tank. If left unattended for an extended period, they can accumulate in many parts of the bike’s brake system.
These air bubbles can infiltrate the calipers. If this happens, chances are, the brakes will not work properly. Thus, make sure to test the brakes if you kept your hydraulic brake bike hanging.
Related reading: Best Indoor Bike Storage Ideas
How To Hang a Bike in a Shed?
Now let us take a look at two of the best methods to hang a bike in a shed. We’ll be looking into the use of a bike rack and bike hooks to mount bikes in a shed.
Wall-Mounted Bike Rack
Steadyrack Bike RackCHECK CURRENT PRICE
Of course, the first thing to do with this technique is purchase a wall-mounted back rack. We find that a horizontal or vertical wall mount works the best, based on where you want to place your bike. Sheds aren’t usually big on space so if you are running low on wall space, a vertical bike rack would be the perfect choice.
A wall mount bike rack helps you keep your bike flat against a wall. The Steadyrack Bike Rack is a sturdy, affordable vertical wall mount for any bicycle. It’s made from UV treated plastic and steel to hold up to 77 lbs. Their unique 160° pivot feature saves valuable space inside smaller sheds.
Tools and Accessories Required to Use This Method
- A bike mount of your preference (horizontal or vertical)
- Screws
- A drill and accompanying drill bits
- Screwdriver
Assuming you have found a good wall mount bike rack, start by accurately measuring your bike high. You should not put the wall mount up too high as the bicycle may hit the ceiling in the process. Trace the locations of the screw holes on the rack once it’s in position.
Normally, there are 2 screw holes in wall mounted bike racks. Your bike’s height should be the same as the distance between the bike holder and the floor. A vertical bike rack should have a greater clearance in this area.
Now it’s time to drill holes in the marked locations using a drill. The holes should be able to accommodate the entirety of the screws. Keep the drill bit a bit smaller than your bicycle rack’s screws. For example, use a 6mm drill bit if the screws on the bike rack measure 7mm in diameter.
Screws needed to hang up the bike rack need something to stay in position. To complete the installation process, take wall plugs with thread sizes equivalent to the included screws. Wall plugs can be found in any hardware store or online.
Align the rack with the holes and screw it in place with a screwdriver. You know are you done when the screws don’t turn anymore when you rotate the tool. Ensure your bicycle is safely clipped to the rack. The front tires must be mounted from a vertical rack. Place the bike’s top tube on the wall bike rack.
Related reading: How to Hang Carbon Fiber Bike?
Bike Hooks
KURUI Bike Hooks for Garage WallCHECK CURRENT PRICE
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to hang your bike in a shed is using bike hooks. Get hooks that can resist the weight of your bike; the number should be mention on the hook. Remember that using the incorrect type of hook can cause your bike to fall off the hook and end up damaged.
The best part about this technique is that bike hooks can be found be in almost every hardware store. These KURUI bike hooks come in a handy pack of six. They can hold up to 100 lbs each. Made of zinc plated high-strength carbon steel, these hooks are both corrosion and rust resistance. A flexible and robust PVC material coats the top of the hooks to provide a scratch-free contact alongside 100% protection.
Tools and Accessories Required to Use This Method
- Bike hooks
- Drill
- A 2×4
In case you don’t know the weight of your bicycle, you can use a bathroom scale to measure that. First, weigh yourself riding on the bike and then without the bike. Subtract the total weight of your bike and yourself from your weight.
Next, use a stud finder to find a stud in the wall. Local hardware stores tend to have these tools. Slowly move the stud finder across the wall to locate all the studs and make sure to remain cautious at this stage. Stud finders mostly light up or make a beeping sound when they find a stud nearby. Follow the instructions on the packaging to get the most out of your gadget.
Use a tape measure to measure the length of the bike in feet. In this, start from the farthest end of one tire and end at the farthest tip of the other tire. With a pencil, mark where the bike hook will be placed on the wall. Keep the mark somewhere between the studs discovered.
The distance between the bike hook and the floor should be equal to or greater than the length of the bike since the bicycle will be hung vertically. Drill a 3/8” diameter hole at the mark. It should be deep enough to fit the whole screw end of the hook. Slot the bicycle hook into the cavity and tighten it.
Turn the hook counterclockwise continuously till it doesn’t rotate anymore. Keep in mind that the hook should be leveled with the ground. At this point, you are pretty much done and can hand your bike from the bike hook on the wall.
Keep the front wheel of the bicycle on the book with the seat facing outward.
How To Hang a Bike in a Plastic Shed
Plastic sheds, albeit cheap, often pose security questions. If you cannot afford keeping a wooden shed and have to settle for a plastic one, don’t fret. While you cannot hang a bike in a plastic or resin shed, you can simply park multiple bicycles.
As plastic sheds are resistant to water and critters, you don’t have to worry about anything bad happening to your bike.
How To Hang a Bike in a Small Shed
Bike hooks are a convenient method to hang a bike in a small shed. All you need for this is a rubberized hook, or multiple hooks if there are more than one bikes, and a way to drill some holes into the shed’s walls.
While you can directly drill the hooks into the wall, there is a better alternative. To keep the wall looking nice and offer more options, consider using a 2×4 board and a few screws. Hanging bikes vertically on such hooks is a super cheap, super effective way to store them.
If you punch a hole directly into the wall, you are making a pretty big crevice into a wall which may not be the most feasible option should you ever want to move where you store your bike. Plus, hitting a stud works better which further backs up our suggestion to use a 2×4.
Drilling the holes into the 2×4 allows you to have the slots in something that can be removed easily, whether you change your bike organization, expand your collection or move where the bicycle will be kept. After all, no one wants ½” holes all over their walls.
When you are working with limited space, every inch counts. You want to keep as many items as possible in your small shed. A 2×4 also increases your options in this case. Although most studs are 16” apart, you can also store your bikes 12” apart, offering you an extra bike hung for every 4 feet of space.
Related reading: How To Hang A Bike with Hooks?
Conclusion
Whether on a bike rack, bike hook, plastic shed, or a small shed, you have a lot of options open when it comes to storing your bike. The best part about these options is that they do not require much work to set up.
With a drill and some screws, you can set up a bike rack. And, if that is not an option, you can always keep it in your plastic shed to keep away water and bugs.
It was all about hanging a bike in a shed that works for most spaces. Granted, these are not the fanciest way to display your bike, but they get the job done well. Maintaining your shed and bicycles from time to time is essential to keep both in good condition.