To the question posed in the title we can answer immediately and emphatically: of course! Conveniently storing a bicycle in a small apartment is not at all an impossibility – clever solutions will suffice. We suggest how to fit a bicycle in a studio apartment so that not even an inch of precious space is wasted!
What will you learn from this post?
- Why find a place for your bicycle in your apartment instead of storing it in the basement or on the balcony?
- How to store a bicycle in a studio apartment?
- What kind of bicycle rack is worth choosing?
At a glance
A bicycle in a block of flats can sometimes be a problem – keeping it in the basement is not safe, while on a balcony it is exposed to harmful weather conditions. However, with a functional wall rack, storing a unicycle even in a small studio apartment can become much simpler and more convenient. All you need to do is to choose a handle accordingly.
Bike in the basement? Better not!
Well, you will say. But actually, why do I have to keep my bicycle in the apartment when I can store it in the basement? This is primarily a security issue. Unless you live in a guarded housing estate, where the entrances to residents’ storage cells are so secure that a thief has no chance of slipping in, you’d better not take any chances. According to police statistics, it is from basements that bicycles are most often lost. This is not surprising – anyone can enter a tenement in the center of the city or a block of flats. Taking phantoms out of the basement under the cover of darkness is not difficult for a thief. And even more so for fantasies such as a bicycle, on which, after all, you can just ride away….
In view of this, how about a balcony?
If not a basement, how about a balcony? Unfortunately – keeping a bicycle on the balcony is as bad an idea as in the basement, although for different reasons. Equipment left outside is exposed to adverse weather conditions. The biggest destroyer is, of course, moisture, which accelerates corrosion, but the condition of its components is also badly affected by low and high temperatures or harsh UV rays. A special protective cover can be a helpful solution, but during the autumn-winter season or summer storms you still need to regularly check for moisture buildup under it.
Bicycle in a studio apartment – it really can be reconciled!
It’s hard to imagine that a bicycle could still be stuffed into 30 square meters that can barely accommodate basic furniture. And yet you can! And this does not at all mean a drastic reduction in space. All you have to do is to develop … a wall! Because when there’s not enough floor space, it’s a good idea to use other available spaces.
Convenient storage of a bicycle in a studio apartment is guaranteed by a functional wall rack. “Functional” is the key word. The bike rack must be sturdy, stable and comfortable to use. The latter feature is especially important if you use the unicycle on a daily basis, for example, commuting with it. If using the rack is difficult and inconvenient, the bike will sooner or later end up on the floor, terracing the passage and making it difficult to move in a small space.
What kind of bicycle rack to choose? 3 proven suggestions
The most common bicycle rack for small apartments is a horizontal mount – such as Crank Pro. It takes the form of a single pedal “clip” and two wheel support troughs. It allows you to maximize the use of space in the apartment, because you can hang it above the sofa or lower dresser. The Crank model is additionally equipped with two hooks, which become additional storage space. You can hang your backpack, helmet or other bicycle accessories on them so that you don’t have to search for them in other nooks and crannies when you head out for a ride.
Another patent for a bicycle in a studio apartment is a vertical wall rack. It takes up a little more space, but for that it is more convenient to use compared to horizontal. To hang a bicycle on such a holder, you don’t need to carry it – just put the unicycle on the rear wheel, and point the front wheel at the arm of the holder. This type of storage will work especially well for heavier bikes. For example, the Kranked Twist hanger will hold unicycles weighing up to 25 kg. It’s a swivel bike mount – Its arm can be rotated 180 degrees, bringing the hung bike as close as possible to the wall. This gives you even more space, which is great for a narrow hallway, for example.
As you can see, storing a bicycle in a studio doesn’t have to be a torment at all – clever solutions will suffice. Invest in a decent bike rack and never again trip over a bicycle placed on the floor (or worry that your precious equipment will fall prey to thieves snooping around in basements). Functional hangers and racks can be found at rtrbikes.com.