Madrax Bike Racks
Bike storage areas are a rising trend for apartment complexes, office buildings, and many other places where people spend a significant portion of their time. The number of people biking to work is growing by the day, and with that comes a growing demand for bike storage solutions.
With this increasing popularity of bike storage in residential and commercial spaces alike, it's important to understand how to create the optimal bike storage space.
Because we at Madrax understand how important bike storage is--not only from a property-management perspective but also from a tenant perspective--we have designed a wide variety of bike storage racks that you can choose from, all of which are functional and look great.
But before we look at our racks, let's discuss some things you should know.
Bike storage is easily defined as the securing of a bike for an extended period of time—anywhere from two hours to months on end, and is typically done indoors, in areas such as garages or bike rooms. Effective bike storage is a crucial element of any bike-friendly building.
To be considered effective, a bike rack should have an element that allows the frame and, ideally, one wheel to be locked to the rack while the bicycle sits unattended for long periods of time.
When it comes to creating indoor bike storage, there are five types of bike storage systems you will typically use:
- Ground mounted bike racks
- Vertical storage racks
- Horizontal wall mounted
- Two-tiered bike racks
- Bike lockers
Ground Mounted Bike Storage Racks
When it comes to bike storage, there are two types of ground mounted bike racks to consider – high-density and standard density.
High Density
High-density racks are a popular choice for mass bike storage. They allow bicycles to be parked close together by alternating the heights of the racks, which avoids the problem of overlapping handlebars. These racks are a great choice when wall-mounted bike racks are not an option, either because they cannot be anchored to walls or it is mandated that bicycle storage must be ground mounted.
Shark Up Bike Rack - The alternating heights of the Shark Up, as well as the angle of the racks, allow bikes to be extremely close together without causing issues. This rack features front wheel stops for stable parking and rods that allow a bike frame to rest and remain secure.
Standard Density
Standard density bike racks do not accommodate as many bicycles as high-density racks, but are often used in designs intended to make the bike storage areas easier to use. Because of this, you will often see standard racks in multi-family bike storage spaces.
Additionally, you will often see these racks in areas where ordinances call for minimum distances of at least 24 inches between racks. Most high-density bike racks would not meet this requirement as the spacing between those racks is usually about 15 inches.
Sentry Bike Rack - This easy to use bike rack includes a wheel well for front wheel stabilization as well as vertical rods that allow the bike frame to rest at two distinct points of contact and lock with a U lock.
Vertical Bike Storage Racks
Hanging a bike vertically reduces the amount of floor space needed to park a bicycle. It also allows for high-density storage, as staggering the mounting height of racks lets parking spaces be closer together.
Vertical bike storage racks are generally available in three mounting options: Wall Mounted, Strut, and Freestanding.
Wall Mounted
A wall mounted bike storage rack is secured directly to the wall by installing anchors. This means you will need to be able to drill into the wall to use this type of rack.
Vertical Bike Storage Rack - This rack allows a bike to hang vertically by its front wheel. A protruding arm allows a U lock to be locked to both the frame and wheel of the bike.
Strut
With strut storage, you will mount a strut or c channel to the wall. Then, you can anchor your bike racks to the channel. The benefit of this type of storage is that each rack can be re-positioned along the channel without the need to drill more holes into the wall. This also makes it easy to reconfigure your bike storage area in the future.
Wall Rack - This rack includes a hook to hang the front wheel of a bike off of, which allows the bike to hang vertically. The tray included on this bike rack holds the bike in place and prevents dirt and debris from getting onto the wall. Note: The wall rack is also available in Wall Mounted and Freestanding configurations!
Freestanding
If you can't anchor a bike rack into the wall, a freestanding bike rack is your best option. This type of rack is a stand-alone unit with legs and racks anchored to a channel. Just assemble and place where desired. Freestanding vertical bike racks allow you to create vertical bike storage in open areas of rooms.
Vertical Bike Storage Rack - This rack is also available in a freestanding option.
Horizontal, Wall Mounted Bike Storage
Bicycle storage doesn't have to be confined to a bike room or its own designated area.
There are instances where you need to create bike storage spaces in an existing building where a separate area doesn't exist, or is not in the construction plans.
For these situations a horizontal, wall-mounted bike storage rack would fit your needs. These are well-suited to utilize most any wall space, such as in front of car stalls in a parking garage.
Parallel Rack - Our Parallel rack mounts to the wall and can store up to two bikes at a time. Each bike can be locked individually to the rack by their frame.
Two Tier Bike Storage Racks
As the name suggests, two tier bike racks have two levels, or tiers, for storing bicycles. These racks are designed to maximize the number of bike storage spaces you can create.
However, it is critical to make sure there is enough aisle space behind the rack to effectively maneuver bicycles into and out of the racks. This means that two-tier bike racks typically require wider areas to be installed.
You will also need to ensure your ceiling height is enough to accommodate storage of bicycles on the upper level, along with additional clearance for loading the bicycle. Generally, this is around nine feet, but could vary depending on the specific rack you select and your local ordinances.
Boost Bike Storage - The top rack on the Boost features a user-friendly spring lift assist, which makes bike mounting a breeze. This unique feature makes this rack our most ergonomic multi-tiered storage option.
Bike Locker
Bike lockers completely encase your bicycle, providing an additional level of security. And they're the most secure choice for storing bicycles.
They can be placed either indoors or outdoors, and come in a variety of different configurations!
Madlocker - Our classic Madlocker can fit any standard sized bike as well as some bike equipment. This locker can be stacked to allow for double the bike storage in the same amount of floorspace!
Divided Madlocker - This locker is designed two fit two bikes. A partition divides the locker and doors on each end of the locker grant access to one of the spots. The Divided Madlocker can also be stacked.
Vertical Locker - This locker style takes up less floorspace, however it also cannot be stacked, and only fits one bike at per unit.
As you can see, there are many different styles of bike storage racks for you to choose from. In order to create the best bike room for your space, you will need to determine which of these racks is most suitable for your needs. If you need help with the designing of your bike room, reach out to our team and we will be happy to help!
Related Resources
- Dimensions for Spacing Bike Storage Racks
- Bike Storage Guide
- Vertical Bike Storage Racks
- Shop Bike Storage Racks
