It can be challenging to store your mountain bike when you’re not using them. Full garages, limited spaces, and small apartments can make it challenging to store your mountain bike. One of the most common ways of storing an MTB is by storing it vertically.
But is this method safe for your mountain bike? This article has everything you need to know about storing your mountain bike.
Table of Contents
Is it ok to store mountain bikes upside down?
There’s no harm in hanging your mountain bike upside down. However, if it has a hydraulic brake system, you shouldn’t hang it vertically or upside down. Hanging the MTB upside down causes air bubbles inside the cables or reservoir tank. This can affect the brakes until the air disappears to the top of the reservoir.
Therefore, if you like having function brakes at all times, you need to look for a different way to store your bike. Additionally, you need to be careful when lifting and removing your bike to avoid dropping it.
Vertical vs. horizontal
Vertical
This is a great method for riders living in small homes or apartments. This method takes less space to store the bike. You can use a basic hook and hang your MBT from the front or rear wheel.
Horizontal
Horizontal bike racks are designed to help you hang your bike parallel to the floor. This is ideal for riders with sufficient storage space.
Why would you want to store a bike vertically?
If you’re living in a small room or apartment, storing your mountain bike vertically will ensure that the bike doesn’t occupy the most important part of your living space.
Will hanging a bike vertically damage the wheel?
If your bike hook has a high-quality rubber coating, it won’t scratch the rim. Most riders worry about wheel deformation, but this won’t happen. Handing your mountain bike by its wheel has no effect at all. The bike’s wheel can withstand loads far in excess of the bike’s weight. The only issue will be if your bike is held upright by the wheel and the wheel deflates!
Will hydraulic brakes still work if I store a bike vertically?
If you store your bike vertically, air bubbles rise to the brake levers. When you put the bike down, the brakes may feel spongy at first. However, pulling the levers severally should sort out the problem.
Always ensure that the brakes are working before you hit the road. If you squeeze the levers severally, but the sponginess persists, your bike has brake problems.
Will hanging a bike damage suspension forks?
No. Hanging your bike won’t affect the suspension forks. In fact, this is one of the best ways to store a bike with suspension forks.
Is it Ok to store bikes horizontally?
This is a great way to store your mountain bike with hydraulic brakes. The only issue with horizontal ranks is that it can be challenging to store multiple bikes. You need to research before settling on the wall mount to use.
The wall mount you choose depends mainly on your living space. Most riders in small spaces like horizontal mounts because they are practical and turn their bike into a piece of art on the wall.
Tips for Hanging Your Bike
Use 2 contact points
If you don’t like all the weight of your mountain bike on a single spot, then you can hang it on two hooks. This will distribute the weight evenly.
Wipe down the wheels
Ensure that your wheels are clean after every ride. If you hang your bike with dirty wheels, you can stick sand or dirt on the hook’s softcover. The dirt or sand can scratch your bike’s rims. Cleaning your bike will not only keep the rims scratch-free but also keep your bike longer.
Hang horizontally
If you’re not limited on space, hang your bike horizontally. This will ensure that your bike hangs on its frame rather than the wheels. The frame can comfortably handle the weight of your bike.
Take it down slowly
You don’t want to crash your bike when taking it down. Even if you’re in a hurry, be gentle when taking your bike down.
Inspect the installation area beforehand
Determine where you want to hang your mountain bike in advance. Never place your hooks directly into drywall since it won’t be strong enough to support your bike. The best place to install the hooks is into a stud.
FAQs
How close can you hang bikes?
You can put the bike hooks about 18-20 inches apart. This will create sufficient space for your bikes and is also a great way to save space.
Final Thoughts
There are several ways you can use to store a mountain bike; the method you choose depends on your living space and the type of bike you have. If you have a bike with rim brakes, hanging horizontally or vertically will work well. If you have a bike with hydraulic brakes, hang it horizontally to avoid brake issues.