Best way to hang bike

[Ecko_1]

Open for opinions and hopefully intelligent feedback...

I live in a flat with no spare room and no garage. There is a wooden loft over part of the lounge. Currently I have screwed to J Hooks into the loft and hang my road bike by the wheels. Hooks are rubber coated and wrapped in insulation tape as a precaution to prevent scratching of the wheels.

 

My question is, am I doing any damage to the wheels or hubs by hanging the bike by its wheels?

Logic (and some googling) says no. Road bikes are quite light, and a lot more stress is put on the wheels during riding.

 

I would like some input, as I just bought a new road bike, which I really care for and dont want to damage (first one was a R1k cheapie to test the cycling waters before going all in to the sport).

 

Thanks in advance for your input

[Guest Latent Blue]

http://realestate.aol.com/blog//2010/05/11/the-ace-of-space-bike-storage-for-tiny-spaces/

[Guest Latent Blue]

http://cycling-lessons.wonderhowto.com/how-to/need-place-store-your-bike-try-one-these-cheap-and-simple-diy-bicycle-racks-0139160/

[Guest Latent Blue]

http://www.storeyourbike.com/

[Guest Latent Blue]

Hope it helps

[Bobbo_SA]

Depends, 29rs are differently hung than 26ers and 650bers

[Andymann]

Nah dude you aren't doing any damage. The only benefit to be gained from hanging a bike by the bars and the seat is that if you aren't going to ride for a few months, you can easily just give the wheels and crank a quick spin, just to keep the bearings lubed.

[Cippo]

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/120138-best-safest-way-to-hang-bikes-up-in-the-garage/page__fromsearch__1

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/100318-bike-storage-rackbrackets/page__st__32#entry1861180

 

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

Nah dude you aren't doing any damage. The only benefit to be gained from hanging a bike by the bars and the seat is that if you aren't going to ride for a few months, you can easily just give the wheels and crank a quick spin, just to keep the bearings lubed.

You serious?

[Skylark]

Seriaaas!!!

 

Can hanging your bike damage things?

Only think I can see going a little pear shaped if hung for months without use is hydraulic brakes

[Azonic]

I have a bit of bikes that hang at home, all of them actually. Problem I found with MTB's is that if you hand them by the front wheel, I have found some oil leakage on the fork legs. Might be dodgy seals and nothing to do with the hanging, but you never know. Another mate of mine's bike hung on a wall for about 9 months. When I took it off the back wheel refused to spin. The brakes somehow closed in on the rotor and locked it. Don't know if it has something to do with gravity that let the brake fluid pool down into the caliper because its lower than the lever. Which is maybe why the front was fine as the lever and caliper is almost at the same lever when hanging.

 

Best way, horizontal.

[MTBc]

I use those bike hooks from builders warehouse. R240 or so for 2 of them i think. I was playing with the idea of building a pulley raising system (3 pulleys and some rope with rubberized hooks), but not enough height in the garage and it was a little too complicated.

 

[Ecko_1]

Thanks for all the replies. All the potential problems highlighted thus far all seem to be related to MTB's, which obviously have more advanced breaking and suspension systems.

 

My reference is purely to road bikes. There is very little risk around them not being ridden for long periods of time, as the new bike will be used for training and I commute a few times a week on the old one.

 

So my original concern was on the impact on the wheels. I am hesitant to hang the bikes from the top tube as both have cables running under the top tube. I dont want to risk the cable catching in the hook when removing the bikes.

[Guest Omega Man]

Seriaaas!!!

 

Can hanging your bike damage things?

Only think I can see going a little pear shaped if hung for months without use is hydraulic brakes

One of the mechanics in a bike shop in France told me Avid brakes don't like being hung vertically. Lots of brake bleeds needed cos of the bikes constantly being hung by either wheel on the lifts.

[Azonic]

One of the mechanics in a bike shop in France told me Avid brakes don't like being hung vertically. Lots of brake bleeds needed cos of the bikes constantly being hung by either wheel on the lifts.

 

Matched up to my story then, it was also Avid brakes.

[Ecko_1]

http://www.thehubsa....__fromsearch__1

 

http://www.thehubsa....32#entry1861180

 

In my defence, the search relates to a garage...which I dont have.

Thanks though. Sort of got the answer I was looking for.

 

The only option for me is to habg the bikes up horizontally. Vertical hanging leave the bike protruding from the wall to much, and my wife is already complaining about 2 bikes laying around the lounge.

 

So, I will head off to GAME and purchase another set of those hooks (+-R30) wrap in a fat layer of insulation tape, and mount both bike wheel to wheel on the loft balistrade. Ill update a pic once done.

 

Thanks again for the feedback.