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Bike Storage Solutions that Don’t Require Holes in the Walls

Looking to keep your pride and joy safe and dry without ruining your walls? These are for you..

When I was growing up, my dad always had a real issue with any sort of fixture that required the drilling of a hole in the wall.

At the time, this was a source of great frustration, but I’m afraid the phrase ‘like father like daughter’ rings true and these days if I can avoid drilling holes, I will do.

The unfortunate fact is that most home bike storage options do need you to abuse your wall. However, there are some alternatives that allow you to keep your bikes neat and tidy without getting the drill out – ideal if you live in a rented property, or you’re just a bit scared of the commitment involved in drilling that hole!

Freestanding Bike Column

This is probably the simplest option of them all: a freestanding bike column. There are a number of brands offering such a device, but the most prominent comes from Feedback Sports in the form of the Velo Chache.

It’s not a cheap unit – we found it here for £173  – but it does offer a stable base for your bikes that literally props them up without need for any support from the wall ceiling. The arms are adjustable to suit various different bike styles and sizes, and rubberised to ensure no frames are scratched in the using of this device.

Floor to Ceiling Bike Stand

Physics was never my favourite subject at school – but I do like it when the basic principles work out well for me in life. And floor to ceiling bike stands are a perfect example. No instillation necessary – just adjust the pole to sit perfectly between floor and ceiling and away you go.

We like the Topeak Dual Touch version which we found here at JeJames for £125.99. It comes with mounts for two bikes, but you can add more to store a total of four and has a non-slip base. Maximum extension is 7.8′ / 320cm, which should be enough for most homes.

It’s worth noting these work best on hard floors, such as wood or concrete in a garage – and the surface will need to be absolutely flat or you’ll have problems.

Velosock

The above options, admittedly, aren’t cheap. If you simply want to keep your bike indoors and prevent it from bringing dirt and grit into the home (or prevent the cat from covering the chain in hair….) then the Velosock may be for you.

These stretchy socks-for-bikes are available in a wide range of colours and designs to suit your home, and cost around £30 – £40 depending on what you go for. 

Delta Michelangelo Bike Rack

This rack is a cheaper version of some of those above, that works slightly differently. The top of the rack simply leans against the walls, with the shape of the legs acting as a stabaliser to keep it all upright. You can pick one of these up for £45 so they’re much cheaper.

However, we could not include this one without pointing out that though the rack does work without being fixed to the wall, the manufacturers say it ‘works best’ when attached. That – and customer reviews online are incredibly mixed – some users seem very happy, others severely unimpressed. We’d say this is a good option if you don’t want to spend too much, but you can’t expect the quality of the more expensive options.

Floor Standing Display Stand

Perhaps not the most techy of the bunch, but the simplest by far – is the bog standard floor standing bike stand. The most popular is the ‘Pro Bike Stand’ which you’ll see in most bike shops, and it’ll set you back less than £15.

The rear wheel simply sits in the stand, and actually if you stack your bikes handlebar – to – saddle, this option can be pretty space efficient – and the slight distance created by the stand means that you can remove one from the middle of the pack easily, and you avoid scratches caused by simply leaning bikes against each other (not advised!)

 

Hopefully one of these will suit your needs. Failing that, it might be time to look at the big guns – here are a few more permanent options. We’ve also got a review of the easy-to-install and space efficient CLUG devices here – these do require screws, but very little else. 

If you’re considering storing your bike outdoors, and want something safe and weatherproof, check out this review of the Asgard bike storage unit.

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