Last Updated July, 2019: We’ve added new bike rack picks and insights. Prices and links have also been updated.
Introduction
Leaving a bike on a New York City sidewalk is like going for a swim in shark-infested South African waters; limbs are lost, spokes are shaken, nothing left but the bones. During idle hours, city bikes need a safe place to rest inside: enter the indoor bike rack. City dwellers are masters at making a square foot somehow larger, and they’ve come up with some creative ways to store bikes. Whether it’s standing in the corner, blending in with wall decor or just plain out of the way, the method comes down to you (and your wallet). These indoor racks will keep your bike dry and safe at night.
Additional contributions by Tanner Bowden, Meg Lappe.
The Best Indoor Bike Racks
Park Tool Storage Hook
Bust Budget Pick: Indoor bike storage doesn’t have to be complicated. The simplest solution can be found at your local hardware store (or on Amazon). It’s a standard rubber-coated hook that can be easily installed with nothing more than a drill, allowing you to hang your bike freely from the ceiling or against the support of a wall. The hooks come in different sizes, which means you can store road bikes, mountain bikes, and everything in between — just be sure to buy the right size.
CLUG Bike Clip
Best Minimalist Bike Rack: The CLUG is as minimal as it gets — it’s nothing more than a simple, polycarbonate C-shaped clip that allows you to balance almost any bike against a wall, vertically or horizontally. It should be noted that the CLUG has specific size requirements and it’s not a hanger — make sure to buy the right size and install it correctly based on the bike you’re storing.
Steadyrack Classic Bike Rack
Best for Storing Multiple Bikes On a Wall: There are plenty of wall racks that use a tray-like system to cradle your bike and keep it off the ground, but Steadyrack does it best. The wall-mounting storage rack uses two arms to hold a bike’s front wheel in place while the rear sits in a small clip to keep it from swinging. The Steadyrack can also be swung from side to side nearly 180 degrees, allowing you to stack multiple bikes against each other and maximize available space. When not in use, the arms fold up on themselves to create a less obtrusive profile.
Racor Bike Lift
Best for Spaces with High Ceilings: Wall mounts are great, but they require a bit of lifting and demand that the bike become a visual highlight in the arrangement of any room. Racor’s Bike Lift brings the bike to the ceiling, up and out of the way of your regular interior movements. The lift uses two simple hooks that grab a bike (up to 50 pounds) by the handlebars and saddle, and works with a rope and pulley system that can elevate your ride up to 12 feet. Excess rope secures to a separate wall cleat. Despite the Bike Lift’s simple components, it offers a unique way to free up space inside (if you have it).
Delta Cycle Michelangelo Gravity Storage Rack
Best No Setup Required Option: Delta Cycle’s Michelangelo rack may be on the bigger side, but it’s the only wall mounting indoor storage option that doesn’t require installation — no drills, no screws. Instead, the rack works with gravity, using the weight of the bikes to create a stable downward force that can support two horizontally hung bicycles. The Michelangelo is constructed with steel tubes and rubber bumpers that prevent any scuffs and scratches and can support up to 80 pounds of bike weight.
Saris The Hottie Storage Rack
Best Freestanding Bike Hanger: No available wall space? No problem. The Hottie is a freestanding storage rack that can accommodate two bikes horizontally using two cushioned, adjustable cradles. The rack has a small footprint so it won’t take up too much living space, and it’s built with a wood face that blends nicely in most interior environments. As an added bonus, The Hottie is equipped with a small shelf for storing essentials like your keys and wallet.
Feedback Sports Rakk Bike Stand
Best Floor Stand: Wall mounts, hangers and racks have many benefits, but if you’re looking for a simpler option that prioritizes accessibility and doesn’t require installation, then a classic bike stand is a good choice. The Rakk is small and conveniently portable. It grabs and holds a bike’s front or rear wheel with a spring-loaded arm that keeps enough pressure on the bike to keep it from toppling over, all while preventing scratches to the rim or damage to the spokes. The Rakk is also modular, allowing you to connect multiple units for storing more than one bike.
CB2 Wood Bike Storage
Best Contemporary Bike Rack: Bike racks have a tendency to either blend into the wall or stick out like a sore thumb. This wood bike rack from CB2 is a simple space saver with room for your bike, plus storage for cycling gloves, a water bottle and snacks — anything you don’t want to forget before you head out for that early morning ride. The handcrafted rack holds up to 40 pounds, thanks to solid, sustainable acacia wood. You can totally impress your design friends with that knowledge.
Flat-Bike-Lift
Best for Families: If you have the garage space and really want to get your kids’ bikes up and off the floor, the Flat Bike Lift literally lifts your bikes up over everyone’s heads — out of sight and out of mind. You can fit two small bikes up there, so if its rare that the kids get out with you and ride, store them where they won’t take up valuable floor space. You’ll need to affix the bike rack to the ceiling, so be sure to check that you have studs — or hire a professional. Once installed, the bike locks into place and it’s a breeze to pull the handle down to reach it.
Vadolibero Bike Shelf
Best for Letting Your Guests Know Your Bike Is the Most Important Object In Your Life: If you’re storing your bike inside, then you probably care very much about it. Cycling is your passion — declare it to the world! Or to your house guests, at the very least. The Bike Shelf is less a rack and more a furniture piece that makes a statement. It highlights the beauty of the bicycle as an object, placing it where you’d normally display a fancy 4k television or perhaps an antique sculpture. But just because the Bike Shelf comes with an inherent level of vanity, that doesn’t mean it isn’t also practical, too. The solid oak shelf is built with a rack for hanging your cycling kit, three modular drawers for storing accessories and tools, and various hanging points that can be used for your helmet, a backpack, headphones and more.
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