Bike Rack

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Bicycle Rack
This isn't an electronic hardware project like most of my others.

Motivation

I live in a small studio type setup, and have just a bedroom and a rather large bathroom. With such limited area I have to make the most of the available space.

Location

The bathroom is rather large. Normally, without anything in there, it could be described as “cavernous” or “palatial” (except for the lack of a spa with attendants). There is easily enough room to store two bicycles with room to spare.

First Attempt
The bike rack described below is the second attempt. The first attempt was in the main living area. I made a design where the bikes were stored in a normal orientation (like you'd ride a bike) one above another against the wall. Sort of a display configuration. Unfortunately, I don't have the stregth to lift a 35 pound bike 8 feet into the air and guide it into a precise position. I tried ropes and pulleys, but they didn't help much.

Second Attempt

The second attempt is much more modest. The bike rack holds two bikes by their front wheels in a 90 degree wheelie position. The rack is made out of redwood 2x4s, nails, and two large hooks from Lowe's. The hooks are retailed as “bicycle hooks” in their storage and organization department, and come covered in a rubberized sheath. The sheath has mostly worn away after about 6 months of daily use.

The bike rack holds my two bikes very well. I have a mountain bike and a road bike. The handlebars on the mountain bike are higher (with respect the the street) than on the road bike, so there is no handle bar collision. The mountain bike rests over the street bike.

The stand is very sturdy, and for the most part has lasted through daily use with both bikes. I will probably add some extra support to keep the legs separated at the right distance. And in the end I like this design because it is compact, it doesn't require excessive strength to use, and it is easy to build.