Garage Bicycle Racks

Garage Bike Racks - A Great Way to Store Multiple Bikes

If you have two or more bicycles to store in your garage, then you may find a bicycle rack is the best choice to store your bikes safe and sound and out of the way.

Bicycle racks come in many varieties. The style you will see most often stack your bicycles one on top of the other so the bicycles hang horizontally.

This leaves the upper bike about 5 feet off the ground and this could be a disadvantage if you have a child who needs to remove the upper bicycle. The lower bike will be only a few inches off the floor, making it easy to remove.

If you do not ride your bicycles often yet enjoy having them available for the occasions you do want to go for a ride, a bicycle rack is certainly a storage idea that you will want to consider.

There are different styles that fit different needs. Some racks are free standing meaning you do not have to attach them to your wall or to your garage ceiling. If you have a large space this can work well. Also, if you have cabinets that limit your wall space, a free standing bicycle rack may be useful.

There are other bike racks that attach to the wall of your garage or use a tension bar between the ceiling and floor and act as a "bike pole."

Another advantage is that you can find a good quality garage bike rack that holds 2 bikes for under $50. Those that hold up to four bikes will cost more.

If you have wall space or a larger garage and ride occasionally, then consider one of the many varieties of garage bike racks.

By Erin G Kelly

Bicycles Storage

Storage Options for Cyclists

If you have ridden a bicycle for very long then you will quickly find yourself in situations where you need to carry a few extra items than normal. Maybe the weather isn't looking so good and you would like to have a jacket or a heavier shirt? Maybe you want to carry some tubes and a flat repair kit or maybe you really want to push the envelope of your bicycle and you want to go out on an overnight camping trip and need to carry a tent and camping supplies? The possibilities are as endless as where that bicycle might take you.

The first thing you need to do is determine how much you might need to carry with you because your options would vary dramatically. If you need something as simple as an under seat bike bag then that is one thing but if you are going camping overnight then that is an entirely different option. The good news is that options are available for just about any scenario and you may be surprised exactly what a bicycle is capable of carrying.

If you do find that you are going camping and want to carry more than just a few knick knacks then you should study up on something called bicycle panniers. These are bags that function like saddlebags on a motorcycle and mount to a bike pannier rack. You can mount these bags on either the front or the rear of the bicycle but most find them mounted to the rear of the bicycle. Anything you mount on the front of the bike can affect the handling of the bicycle so be aware of this issue before going with the front of the bicycle.

These bike pannier bags mount quickly and will accommodate most bicycles easily. There are different types of pannier bags that are designed to carry everything from a few books to a full camping setup including tent and cooking supplies so determine what you are going to carry before you go shopping for bike panniers.

Read more about bicycle panniers to see if this is a viable storage option for your bike or if maybe you just need a bicycle seat bag to carry what you need on your cycling trip.

By Jack Travers

Bicycle Reviews

Bicycle Reviews - Where to Begin the Search For Your Perfect Bicycle

Reading bicycle reviews is a great way to benefit from someone else's experience and knowledge. Deciding what bicycle to purchase can be an overwhelming decision, given the sheer number of bicycle companies and models within each company that exist today. Bicycle riding has become a very popular sport, as opposed to just something that people do for pleasure, or to get around. Now many people insist on having the proper "equipment" for cycling, rather than just hopping on a bike when you want to get somewhere. What used to be simple has now become a major headache for many people.

How to know what's right for you

There are an almost unlimited number of choices when buying a new bicycle. There are bicycles that are meant to be used in competitions, bicycles meant for exercise, for transportation, and yes, even bicycles yo can ride for fun! It can be hard to cut through the available options to see which one can be the best for you. The truth is there is no one bicycle that is the best, simply the one that best fits your needs. In order to figure out what that is it can helpful to figure out what your needs are and how you plan to use the bike. If you are looking for a mode of transportation around the city, that can also be use occasionally for exercising, you will prefer a different bike than one that can be used for mountain biking.

You will want to turn to bicycle reviews to learn about different features that each bicycle has, and with such a vast array of bicycles to choose from, you will certainly benefit from the views and advice of the experts. Each new bicycle is sure to have many models and different materials will have been used to create ever more sophisticated bikes. It is important to not only learn about these features in a specific bicycle, but also to be able to compare the same feature in different bicycles. Bicycle reviews by experts are your most reliable source for complete information on everything you need to know about bicycles.

Every bicycle magazine has bicycle reviews which will inform you about the latest in technology related not only to the bicycles, but also to the different bicycling gear and accessories that are available on the market today. Research is an important step if you want to get the best possible bicycle and should be done before actually visiting a bicycle shop to make your purchase. Also, if you don't find what you are looking for in the bicycle reviews in magazines, you can always turn to reviews contained in cycling websites, although you must be careful about taking everything you read there as being absolutely reliable.

Nevertheless, reading other people's reviews will surely provide you with valuable information about not only the bicycles and accessories, but also approximate prices which will help you decide which bicycles you can afford and which are great bicycles but simply out of your budget. The bottom line is that though bicycle reviews are a great starting point for you to purchase your bicycle and gear as well as accessories, you still need to get on a bicycle and try it out for you before you can ascertain whether what you read in the bicycle reviews was true for you or not.

By Rich Evans

Bicycle Racks For Cars

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Car Bike Racks

The trend of buying bicycle racks for cars has been increasing quite dramatically in recent months. This is not only to do with the high cost of gas but, the growing popularity of a very family orientated sport. The problem is that there are also a lot of returns of bike racks because people buy the wrong bike carrier and end up with scratches or loose racks and are generally unhappy with their purchase.So if you are thinking of getting car bike racks anytime soon, read through this article to find out what common mistakes you can avoid when buying a bike carrier.

1. Choose The Correct Bike Rack for Your Car

There are 5 main types of bicycle racks for cars and trucks. They are the roof mount, hitch mount, trunk mount, tire mount, and truck bed mount. The type of rack you buy will depend on the type of car you have among a few other things.

If you have a car with a hatch back and no hitch receiver, your choice would be narrowed down to a trunk mount bike rack or the roof top bike rack. Now, you need to check that the model you are going with, will fit the car you drive. Also make sure that the rack includes all the extra's like locks, extra bars or straps if you need them. More expensive racks often have good padding for protection, life time guarantees and good customer support, but they don't always include all the parts you need.The fine print and reviews of most products will soon let you know.

If you have a hatch back, but want a hitch mount bike rack, because of the reason that you need access to the trunk, then all you need to do is get a hitch receiver fitted. Before you rush out and buy a hitch receiver make sure you know how many inches it should be so that your rack fits it. Also be sure to get the hitch mount bike rack that is as swing away type or can be lowered. Some models are fixed so you won't be able to open your trunk anyway!

2. What Type of Bike Do You Have?

A 4 bike rack will carry 3 bikes comfortably but you often find the 4th will only just squeeze in if not at all. This is because the carrier is designed for general frames and not for ladies bikes, kid's bikes, a tandem and so on. Be sure to ensure that your bike frame and size will be best suited to the rack you choose.

3. Choose a bigger rather than a smaller rack
Bikers get so into their riding that they often rope the whole family in. So if you are planning on only getting a bicycle carrier for one or two bikes, maybe think of getting one for 3 bicycles. They are not that much more expensive and you will most likely find yourself inviting a friend or family member along because you have the extra space for friends.

4. Be Careful of Damaging the Paint Work on Your Car

This happens to those people who buy the trunk mount bike rack that come with straps. This doesn't imply that this type of rack is a bad one, just takes the necessary precautions to prevent scratches. You can buy some cheap rubber padding and put it between the frame and car for extra care. Also make sure the car is clean and dust free when you attach the rack to avoid the sandpapering effect. Lastly choose a rack that is going to fit your car properly. A bad fit will mean it will be a tad loose and end up rubbing badly. If you do have to get a trunk style bike rack, then choose one that doesn't rest on the back bumper. That will help you out a lot.

By Gary Frangs