Sport and life: where to store a bicycle in a small apartment

The absence of a garage is not a reason to change cycling to chess. We are learning to store a bicycle in an apartment of any size!

The question of where to store the bike is somewhat surprising. Most often, it implies different answers: depending on whether autumn-winter is in the yard or spring-summer. In the first case, we are talking about where to remove the unit before the next season, in the second — where to leave it after cycling so that it is always at hand. Let's look at all the options.

Prudent people think about storing a bicycle even before buying it. This, of course, is not as interesting as shoving a big dirty bike into a one-room crowded with furniture in an emergency mode, but on the whole it is correct. The folding mechanism of the bike will save you from the problem of finding a place: such a unit will easily fit into a standard pantry or a typical mezzanine above the entrance door, will not take up much space on the balcony.

With an awkward model, everything is somewhat more complicated. But in any case, keep in mind: an aluminum frame is preferable to steel in terms of corrosion, and the absence of hydraulic lines (brakes, fork) will not allow them to suffer from frost if they have to leave it to winter outside.

Ideally, a bicycle should not be brought into the house at all, so as not to dirty the floor and walls — at least during the cycling season. Washing the wheels after every walk is still a pleasure: you can't run around with a rag, he won't fit into the bathroom. If the stairwells in the entrance are not suitable to leave two—wheeled vehicles there, it makes sense to look for like-minded people and rent a garage (ideally warm): you can store a bicycle there all year round, preserving it for the winter. Winter equipment storage services are also offered by warm underground parking.

The second option is to contact your management company for a duplicate key to the basement. Alas, often our basements suffer from high humidity — from such a climate, the equipment begins to rust. Yes, and the key may not be given: there are still important engineering communications, a thermal node, etc. In some HOAs there is the possibility of collective storage of bicycles in the attic from autumn to spring. In general, it will not be superfluous to contact the Criminal Code (HOA) — maybe they will tell you something useful.

A favorite place to store bicycles in Russia is stairwells. Appliances are always at hand, and dirt does not penetrate into the house — very convenient. But do not think that the neighbors are also happy with your resourcefulness: bicycles and strollers prevent residents from carrying bulky furniture, block access to flowers on window sills in the entrance and, finally, dirty the common property, and just irritate ("look, they put it on!").

The law is contradictory: both the Housing Code and SanPiNs require tenants to prevent mismanagement and cluttering of entrances, but at the same time recognize stairwells as "common property" — that is, all tenants can use them if they do not restrict the rights of neighbors. This means that even one reasonable claim is enough for you to restrict someone's rights with your bike.

The most weighty argument against the wheels in the entrance is the fire safety requirements. For fire supervision, everything is usually simple: evacuation routes should be free, any interference is a violation of requirements, an order and a fine. Finally, the entrance is the leader in the number of bicycle thefts, and even a thick chain does not guarantee the safety of equipment.

But if you are lucky with your neighbors and the entrance is carefully guarded, choose the most remote, unused places for storing the bike (for example, on the wall, using vertical fasteners or hooks, as in the photo) — so you will not interfere with the cleaning of the stairwell.

If the design of the entrance allows, you can adopt this method of placement. Although it is more suitable for individual homes.

Most Russians are firmly convinced that a balcony is generally the only place where you can store a bicycle in an apartment. But there are a few nuances here too.

An open balcony is only suitable for summer bike storage (if you love it, of course). Temperature changes and precipitation are detrimental to hydraulics, plastic, paint and metal. Even if you loosen all the cables, lubricate all the nodes with oil and hide the bike under a waterproof film, you still cannot avoid corrosion — for example, due to condensation. It will be a real torture for a bicycle to hang it out of the balcony grille — you can immediately say goodbye to it. Manufacturers generally recommend not to store bicycles in rooms with temperatures below zero.

Tip: think about how you will roll (or even carry) a dirty bike through the entire apartment. And buy special shoe covers for bicycle wheels or a bicycle carrier for the whole bike.

The insulated enclosed balcony is one of the best places to store bicycles in the apartment both in winter and in summer. There is only one disadvantage — you will no longer be able to set up a full-fledged summer garden here or arrange a workplace. There are two ways to combine pleasant and useful: hang the bike on special brackets (sold in bike shops) to the ceiling in a prone position or fix it vertically on the wall.

Thus, as in the photo, you can compactly store two or three bicycles even on the smallest balcony, while almost not using its useful area. The vertical system is also suitable for summer — it remains only to wipe the wheels.

Tip: make sure that the bike does not get direct sunlight: because of this, the protective varnish may deteriorate and the paint peel off, rubber and plastic crack. Just close the adjacent part of the window with a roll-up curtain (if it is not possible to store the bike in a case).

When removing a bicycle for the winter, it should be cleaned of dirt and old grease with your own hands, re-lubricate the parts (hinges, brakes, chain, speed switches), and wipe the metal parts with an oiled cloth. In addition, it is necessary to loosen the springs of shock absorbers and cables. If the bike is hanging, then the tires should be lowered a little, and if you stand on the contrary, pump up from time to time.

To save space, the bike can be partially disassembled: remove the wheels and wings, saddle, steering wheel (or turn 90 degrees), rearrange the pedals so that they look inside. The occupied area will be halved — you can hide it on the mezzanine. Or under the bed. The voluminous podium allows you to hide a lot of useful things under the mattress. Sometimes it is not even necessary to disassemble the bike, it is enough to remove the pedals and turn the steering wheel.

By the way, about the mezzanine. In many old houses, for example Khrushchev, apartment layouts provided utility cabinets-mezzanines in the hallway and next to the kitchen. Usually, new owners dismantle them during repairs and do not return them back (from an aesthetic point of view, it is a rather sad design). However, it makes sense to leave such a mezzanine for winter bicycle storage. Again, we are talking about storing a folding bike or placing it by elements.

Under the bike (with a vertical storage system), you can lay a place by designing a dressing room. By the way, by hanging a bicycle with its wheels up to the ceiling, its frame can be used as a rod for hangers, the trunk as a railing, and the steering wheel handles as hooks for bags.

And you can use the end of the corridor by mounting a wardrobe there. Instead of washing machines in the photo, it's easy to imagine a couple of bikes. On the Internet you can find layouts of built-in cabinets for 2-4 bicycles.

Finally, there is special furniture for bicycles and sports equipment: it is either "screens" with shelves and hooks, or metal and wooden frames without walls (or only without doors): drawers and shelves at the bottom, a place for a bicycle on top. Thanks to the profile, such a cabinet looks easy, but at the same time complete. If you have a spacious hallway or a large technical vestibule in front of the apartment, we recommend this design.

Alas, there is not a place for a closet or in a closet for a bicycle in every apartment. You can use walls. Of course, in most cases, the wall arrangement is suitable only for winter storage of a clean bike, but there are options for off-season.It is best to find a place for fasteners at the front door, so as not to drag dirt into the apartment.

Important: do not place the bike next to a heating battery or an electric convector — the rubber "dries" from the heat and the protective varnish on the frame deteriorates.

Fasteners for the vertical arrangement of the bike are different: hooks, brackets, suspensions, shelves, baskets, racks — for one and two units. They are sold in bicycle and online stores, but it is often not difficult to make such ones.

When designing fasteners for a bicycle, expect that it must withstand the weight of a bicycle plus 5 kg, that is, for an adult model at least 20 kg. It is necessary to mount the fasteners so that at least 15 cm remains from the bicycle wheels to the floor, for convenience of cleaning.Shelves can be made of different designs — for books, flowers, hats.

If you have a ladies' or sports bike with an oblique frame, it can be installed on a hanging rack: it will be a shelf for wheels, and shoes or magazines can be stored inside.

Another method of fastening is vertical. Here, too, there are different suspensions: for the wheel (not very recommended — disc deformation is possible), for the frame and for the steering wheel. The bike can be hung parallel to the wall.

And you can — perpendicular. In this case, it will be convenient to use columns and other architectural projections. It looks spectacular and allows you to zone the room.

See if you have any "dead" zones in your apartment that are never used. It can be a niche between the wall and the wardrobe, a gap between the wall and the sofa, or 20 cm between the wall and the door — this is enough to accommodate a thin sports bike (especially if you remove the steering wheel and wheels). For vertical fasteners, any door is suitable (for example, to the pantry), but so that it opens at the same time.

Tip: provide supports for both wheels so as not to spoil the finish.

From the point of view of ergonomics, the position of the bike along the wall, of course, wins — especially in the niche.

Another ergonomic option is to build "walls": for example, two vertically suspended bicycles, with a rack or bookcase between them. A bicycle is a visually lightweight structure, so such walls do not look massive.

Roller ceiling suspension system is suitable only for high rooms, and in the domestic housing stock (typical high-rise buildings) is quite meaningless. The only way to use it is again along the wall under the ceiling, as a more effective alternative to wall hooks.

A bicycle on the wall will inevitably attract attention and will become either an ally or a destroyer of the interior. It will look best in a teenage children's room or in a loft-style room: here any technique and mechanics are more or less appropriate. Two-wheeled ones look good in cool Scandinavian interiors, not crowded with furniture.

Otherwise, a bicycle is the same interior element as, for example, an armchair. So the wall should be a good background for the bike. A win-win combination: a dark silhouette plus a white wall. Retromodels will look especially nice in such an entourage.

Ironically: imagine the same bike on the wall, but in a large picture frame. This is no longer a storage place, but an installation. Designer wheel covers will also allow you to fit an alien mechanism into any interior. Knitted ones look especially touching.

If space allows, the bike can not be hung on the wall and not hidden in the closet, but, on the contrary, put in a prominent place, turning it (for winter, for example) into a stand for flower pots — baskets on the steering wheel and trunk seem to be created for this.

In a non-standard bathroom, you can even put a bicycle under the sink (a series of designer coasters was even born from this idea). It is convenient to store toilet paper or towels in the basket.

By the way, another designer series of furniture originated from the combination of a bicycle and a bar counter (found on request in a search engine) — the bike's saddle has become a bar stool. You can do it yourself.