at home: bike storage using IKEA and DELTA racks

Over the years we've had a number of bikes come and go in our apartment but all in all there have never been fewer then five at a time -- hence the need for super compact bike storage. I am finally getting around to posting some photos of the set up in our living room for three of our nicest (as well as lightest)...
 
Fortunately we have a doorway we don't ever use which turned out to fit three of those super minimal Delta Leonardo Single-Bike Racks side by side! As for the assembly... using a 1.5" thick board which spanned the entire door frame, I screwed each hook 15" apart (center-to-center) which is the closest you'll likely get away with -- though partly depends on your handle bar style/width. Once the hooks were in place on the board, I pre-drilled the holes into the board, and used 4" long screws to anchor it into the wood framing of the door. Drilling directly into the wood door framing created a super secure attachment. 

And to deal with the all the bike tools which were previously spread amongst two different toolboxes and under the sink storage bins -- I was able to consolidate almost everything into one of IKEA's "ALEX" drawer unit! It has six shallow drawers and comes with casters so you can easily wheel over your tools to wherever you please. Little enhancements I made included lining some of the drawers with industrial felt padding to help keep them in place and used some old petri dishes to keeps tiny parts organized. One thing I'm considering doing is reinforcing some of the drawer bottoms which are holding lots of tools since they began to bow a bit.

Spending the $161 ($14 (x 3) on hooks + $119 on drawers) was well worth it for space saving benefits!!! If you've come up with a crafty indoor bike storage option - do share!

 

For those of you who know me well, I know what your thinking... what happened to the Bike Utility Bench you designed? What can I say, there is really that much stuff to store at home -- and use the bench for larger items like extra helmets, gloves, accessories!

saddling up - bike seat meets furniture

Mishmash (2011) by Jeremy Petrus  in collaboration with Selle Royal
via DesignMilk

Bike Bench (2005) by Sebastian Errazurizh

Tokyo Design Week (2009) by Hiroshige Koike of Scarabikes
via DesignBoom

"Chair for Janez Suhadolc"(2011) by Bruno Urh
via Core77

Hiroshige Koike / Jeremy Petrus / Bruno Urh

... four designers decide to keep the bike seat from going outdoors. Just a guess, but Mishmash may win in the comfort category.

Bike meets ICFF 2011: 44steel, geekhouse bike + mint

At ICFF last year I spotted MIO's flat pack bike basket... and during my first (quick) visit to ICFF 2011 yesterday I (naturally) gravitated to the geekhouse custom built bike on display...

 

The bike hanger is by Cleveland-based Jason Radcliffe of Forty Four Steel and is one minimal and elegant fixture.  Jason's design keeps a bicycle hung vertically by simply resting the front wheel into the top of the frame -- similar to (but more visually appealing) then the Leonardo rack I'm fond. This is his first prototype and there are plans for some minor revisions -- but the final will be available shortly and  will some in a variety of powder coated colours as well as the raw steel. 

So nice seeing bikes represented at ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) since, after all, bikes make it into our home life for many of us!

Marty Walsh of Boston-based geekhouse bikes / Jason Radcliffe of Forty Four Steel

Also spotted this clever little 'KEY CHAIN' by MINT, designed by Scott Henderson -- which makes one perfect holder for your bike key. It's brand new to the market but soon available at the MOMA Design Store. You can read about Scott's own love of bikes in this interview from 2009!

via scotthendersoninc.com

Two in One: rack + mirror

Once you've gotten hooked to cycling for years, one bike is rarely enough to fit all your needs. James Breaux is a designer and recent business school grad who after getting into riding commuter, mountain and time trail bikes ran into this issue. Finding most freestanding racks on the market so industrial looking they belonged in a garage rather then living room, James designed this bent wood Modern Bicycle Rack to take care of displaying two bikes elegantly. The rack is slick enough to blend in with your furniture and includes a 40 inch mirror "making sure you look good before you go out for a ride".

Thanks for sharing, James!

win a....

Cyloc Bicycle Storage by entering Apartment Therapy's holiday giveaway >>> details here. Entries close December 9, 2010 at 12:29pm ET. Depending on the space you live in (i.e. lots of wall space, columns, or space b/w windows like above) - this design may be an option for you. It come in a few colours -- and the black version is made of 100% recycled post-industrial plastic! Do like the little cubbyhole for lights, gloves, and such.

Oh, and speaking of indoor bike storage - I never posted about how great Knife & Saw's Bike Shelf is. I have a hard time resisting anything that combines my love for bikes and wood - and even though it has made its rounds on the internet I am posting these photos none the less... enjoy!

Thanks for the reminder, Mitch!

bikes in homes + Design*Sponge

Since 2004 Brooklyn-based writer Grace Bonney has been filling the blogosphere with great design on the ultra popular Design*Sponge -- and most recently shared her love for bicycles! She posted 55 of her favorite bike-related designs, an interview with the owner of NYC bike boutique Adeline Adeline, along with one of my current obsessions -- bikes in homes. For many urbanites this is one daunting issue. Whether you own one or two or six they can easily become problematic in ones living space (though made easier if you have high ceilings - we once had 5 sets of wheels and 4 frames hanging in one tiny one bedroom, ahh not ideal). Thus I was thrilled to see a couple nice bike storage options spotted in a couple 'sneak peaks' of designers/artists homes in the D*S post:

sneak peak w/ some Leonardo Wall Hooks in action

(oh, and check out that nice sleek West Elm Pratt Collection Desk to the left
- a design project I worked on last summer!)

sneak peak w/ the Michelangelo Two Bike Gravity Stand

And while on the topic...

The Leonardo Wall Hook is one ultra minimal and affordable option which I personally adore (actually recently ordered three of them). Public Bikes loves these hooks so much that they hung 40 of them in their office!

You may want to consider ways to prevent rear tire marks on your wall - particularly if you hang the hook directly against a wall - perhaps getting the Da Vinci Tire Tray... or DIYing it as a friend of mine did by screwing a stripe of aluminum right along the where the tires hit.

And another approach for a couple bikes... the Michelangelo Two Bike Gravity Stand which leans securely against the wall - no attachment required. Particularly good for those transient apartment renters out there!