Posted By Ibropalic on Feb 2, 2015 | 0 comments

Bike Shelf 101

Living in the city, it’s pretty impractical to own a car. Parking is a pain to find and when you do, it’s often ridiculously expensive. In conquering the urban landscape, people often resort to a) disgusting public transit or b) the freedom and flexibility of a bike.

Bike Rack & Shelf – $255 Wood

However, city living often means limited space with almost nowhere to actually put a bike. To maximize space in your apartment, it may be well worth it to look into something called a bike shelf. Not only does it help to clear up some of that valuable floor space real estate, but it also takes your bike and turns it into a display piece of sorts. Needless to say it’s pretty nifty.

What Should I Look For In A Bike Shelf?

Not all of us are professional interior decorators, but if you prefer style over substance, we suggest looking for a bike shelf that doesn’t clash with your space’s current aesthetic. Places all over the internet have bike shelves to suit any look you’re going for, or you could even do it yourself and build a custom one to fit your needs.

Saving space is the main concern of a bike shelf. How your bike will fit in the shelf will ultimately decide how much room you can save for other activities or play into your room’s aesthetic. Maybe you want your bike to be a centerpiece of your space, as something to show off inside as well as outside. Maybe you want your bike stored a bit more subtly, only there for easy access. Personal taste should play a lot into what type of bike shelf you ultimately decide on.

There are two primary ways to store your bike. Horizontally, like you would see on a standard wall mount, or vertically, like a bookcase styled arrangement. You could even find some stands that can stack two bikes on top of each other.

Of course, variety is everything. Below, we’ve included some of our favorite shelves from around the web. 

Modern Design Oak Shelf 

Modern Design Oak Shelf Price: $385.95

A high end centerpiece for your living space, this shelf is intended to make your bike the focal point of your daily activities. It could also make for a pretty rad accent for your home’s entrance.

Commuter

Commuter ($2395)

An ultramodern masterpiece designed by Payam Sarabi and Nihir Shah in collaboration with Urbanspace Interiors, this is less of a utilitarian piece for your home than it is a statement that you’re hip, active and have some serious coin to blow.

Bike Wood Home

Bike Wood Home – $139

Biking is arguably the greenest way to get about town (other than walking barefoot while wearing an organically-sourced hemp pantsuit). In continuing this theme, Quartarre uses locally-sourced bamboo to create a setup that can hold two bikes at once. For maximum space efficiency, of course. It also has a really cool look, like something you’d expect to see in a really cool lodge.

The Original Bike Shelf

The Original Bike Shelf ($150.72)

Not bad 150 for a design that kicked off the bike shelf craze. Simplistically elegant, this shelf would make a pretty great add to a lavishly furnished home.

Modern Indoor Bike Storage

Modern Indor Bike Storage $288.70

Gorgeous in the way anything from Brooklyn is gorgeous, this piece is a wonderful way to make your bike seem to pop from the wall. We heard Biggie Smalls used to keep his bike on one of these back in his days riding around Bed-Stuy as well. From who you ask? Some guy, don’t worry about it.

Scandinavian BIKEHOOK bike storage

Scandinavian BIKEHOOK $116.83

Got a stingy landlord who won’t let you nail anything into your wall or ceiling? This shelf actually extends, from floor to ceiling, to give you space for two bikes without any need to lie about the banging of nails late in the night.

These Are All Really Pricey, Can’t I Just Make My Own Bike Shelf?

There’s nothing stopping you, really. All you really need to hold up a bike are one or two well-placed pegs or a wooden block. Making it look pretty is a real trick, however.

Re-purposing old materials, such as shipping pallets, can give your space a unique vibe without spending too much on a designer’s vision. It also gives you a chance to show a little bit of your personality, something that, frankly, dollars can’t always express.

If you want to keep with the biking theme, some ideas, like re-purposing old handlebars, could be a pretty crafty fix as well. If you’re feeling particularly crafty, something interesting, like a birdhouse, could even be a cool idea. Heck, why not just go one step further and make a cuckoo clock bike shelf?