bike storage solutions Archives

Garage Storage for Spring Sports Equipment

April 7, 2019 by Rick Scully

After a long winter, everyone is ready for warmer weather and being able to spend more time outdoors. Spring means the start of summertime activities and sports such as cycling, soccer, baseball, ultimate Frisbee, kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboards, skateboarding, scooters and so much more.

custom storage overhead of canoes & kayaks

It would be ideal if the kids could grab their bikes and other sports equipment without dragging it through the house along with all the dirt, gravel or water that the sports equipment collects. One of the best places to make it easy for children to use and replace their toys and sports gear is the garage. If you’re not currently storing the sports equipment in the garage, consider these garage storage solutions and how the garage can be remodelled and redesigned to accommodate all of these storage systems while having the vehicles parked inside.

Garage Storage Solutions for Sports Equipment

Storing sports gear in the garage is a good idea. Kids can run in and out of the garage during the summer days to find their toys without running through the house to return dusty or muddy or wet sports equipment to a location in the basement.

sports equipment storage slatwall camlock hooks baskets mesh netting bins surf boards skateboards rollerblades helmet

Using an open style of storage makes it easy for children to figure out something they want to do. By placing sports gear and toys at the right height for your child’s age, each family member can fetch and replace things on their own. Learning good organizational habits early helps children maintain good habits later in life.

Using closed storage solutions allows the family to keep expensive sports equipment such as golf clubs behind closed doors such as inside garage cabinets which lock up. This also helps keep a clean look to the design to the interior of the garage when cabinets are added to the storage system of the garage.

Of course, there is also sports gear which you might want to put away when spring arrives. These might include skates, snowboards, skiis, hockey equipment, toboggans and more. You may not have enough garage wall space to hang out the winter equipment as well as the spring / summer ones along with other tools which you may want to have handy during the summer. In this case, overhead storage would be a good way to store items which you are unlikely to use for the season.

Overhead Storage for Winter Sports Equipment in Spring

When you’re using overhead storage, you likely have your spring / summer equipment located in this area in the winter. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to pull out spring and summer toys or sports equipment from overhead storage so you can lay it out for easy access. At the same time, snowboards and toboggans can be returned to overhead spaces until next winter.

bike storage solutions - bicycle storage ceiling lift

Depending on the height of the garage, seasonal storage spaces may include made-to-measure platforms as well as mezzanines where they can be designed to fit the overhead space from one corner of the garage to the other corner of the garage. Mezzanines are typically built with glass railings to easily view what’s stored above and still prevent larger items from rolling off the edge. To get up to the mezzanine, a pull down attic ladder or stairs can be part of the installation although we’ve also used lifts and electric stairs.

Other off the shelf overhead storage solutions include platforms and shelves which come in standard sizes. Shelves which are less than 2 feet in depth can be mounted to the wall. Other platforms with a 4 foot depth would need to be mounted in the centre of the ceiling so someone can climb up from any one of the four sides to be able to reach items closer to the centre.

Overhead Storage for All Seasons

Certain sports equipment may be stored in the overhead space during all seasons even if we use them mainly through the spring and summer. For instance, kayaks and canoes are bulky and won’t easily store on shelves or walls. If you garage has enough space, floor standing racks may be an option but most people don’t have enough space available in the garage to do this.

sports-equipment-storage-slatwall-camlock-hooks-baskets-mesh-netting-bins-shelves-balls-skates-rollerblades-skateboards-golf-clubs-camping-gear-1024x768

Instead, kayaks, canoes and even Thule cargo carriers can be stored away safely overhead with a sling. They can stay there whether it is spring, summer, fall or winter. Add a hydraulic lift system and it makes it even easier to mount or remove from the roof of your vehicle. With the touch of a button, the hydraulic system will do the heavy lifting.

Hydraulic racks for bicycle storage and golf club storage are also available. Even young children who wouldn’t be able to lift a bicycle onto certain wall rack systems would be able to use the hydraulic rack system. With the press of a button, they could have the hydraulic rack lower so they could position their bike into place and then push a button to raise the bicycle rack back into place in the overhead space.

Slatwall Organization Systems & Bicycle Racks for Sports Equipment Storage

A variety of wall racks for bicycles exist including fold away racks that tuck bikes flush with the wall like pages in a book. Other racks allow bikes to mount flush with the wall to maximize space for parking vehicles. Some racks are installed into the ceiling and some are mounted into the wall. For young kids who ride in and out all day, using a floor standing rack for kids to wheel their bikes into the gride and walk in for lunch without minimal fuss. This may not be an all season solution but in the summer when the kids are constantly on the go, this may be an effective way to keep their bikes from being left just anywhere inside the garage or on the driveway.

Finally, for most sports gear, a slatwall organization system would accommodate most equipment. They offer a variety of camlock hooks, baskets and bags to store a wide variety of balls as well as gloves, shoes and other types of sporting equipment. Scooters, skateboards, bats and other equipment can be hung from hooks. Balls can be stored in the storage bags which hang from the wall. And, baskets for baseball gloves, shin pads, helmets as well as other protective equipment can be mounted in a wide variety of configurations to suit the outdoor lifestyles of everyone in the family.

Remodelling the Garage for Sports Equipment Storage

If you’re looking for a better way to keep the kids playing without dragging in the dirt, mud and wet equipment of their favourite sports, consider contacting our garage renovation specialists for a complimentary in-home consultation today. Storing sports equipment in the garage makes a lot of sense.

Bike Storage of Track Bikes – 2015 Pan Am Games

June 23, 2015 by Rick Scully

We have become a nation of bike riders. There has been a consistent increase in the number of cyclists in the country since the beginning of the millennium. It is not just the twenty-somethings either. People of all ages are getting out and about on their bikes. Whether for leisure, commuting, fitness or sport everyone from high school students to busy executives to retired seniors are strapping on helmets and pushing pedals.
This summer, the Pan-Am 2015 games are taking center stage and with the building of the brand new state-of-the-art Velodrome in Milton, avid cyclers are not only anticipating the thrill of watching the competition but with access to velodrome facilities people are trying their hand at track cycling. If you have an interest, there are already lessons available for anyone curious about this sport which has now become accessible to us in the Southern Ontario area.

For those of us with a cycle enthusiast in our family, this means more sports gear and a new bicycle to consider and store as well. Yes, the road bike purchased last year will not work for the sport of Track Cycling.

How Does Track Cycling Work

Riders will need a track bike with no brakes and fixed gear. It is designed for racing on a track at a velodrome. The track is a banked wooden track so the bike is lightweight, aerodynamic for racing and high gear. These professional riders are reaching speeds of 80km/hr while many of us are cycling at 20km/hr on the road.

Track biking is both a team and an individual sport and has its own set of unique rules and events. The following is what you can expect to see at this year’s Pan-Am games.

Sprinting Events

For the Pan-Am games there are three types of sprinting events:

The individual sprint where cyclists begin racing with a flying start (from a moving position rather than a stopped position), and race for 200 meters.
The team sprint, which is slightly different for men and women. For men, three racers sprint over three laps of the course, with each rider participating in one lap. In the women’s event, it is two racers over two laps of the course.
The Keirin sprint in which a motorbike is used to set the pace. The cyclists follow the pacer over a kilometer or two as it gradually increases in speed. When the pacer moves from the track, usually with about 700 meters left to go, the cyclists battle it out to the finish line.

Endurance Events

The endurance event for the Pan-Am games involves two teams racing at one time. The teams of four riders begin on opposite sides of the track and the race is completed over a distance of four kilometers. A winning team is declared when one team catches the other or whichever team finishes in the fastest time.

Combined Events

The combined cycling event for the Pan-Am games is called the Omnium (which is Latin for “belonging to all”). In this competition, cyclists compete in a series of six events over the span of two days which include:

Flying lap – Where cyclists complete one lap from a moving rather than a cold start.
Points race – Which is a mass start marathon race, 30 kilometers for men, 20 kilometers for women.
Elimination race – Where a rider is eliminated over a series of races.
Individual pursuit – Where two riders compete over four kilometers (three for women) from a stationary start position.
Scratch race – Which is a simple race where the riders start together and the first one over the finish line wins.
Kilometer time trial – Where the cyclists are timed over the length of one kilometer (500 meters for women).

If all of this makes you want to try out track cycling, there are already lessons offered at the Velodrome in Milton . People are also thrilled at the opportunity of all-year training. With the building of this facility, Canadian cyclists no longer need to worry about the weather.

What Do I Need for Track Cycling?

You’ll need a fixed-gear track cycle and a body hugging skin suit as well as an aerodynamic helmet all in an effort to reduce drag and get every little bit of advantage out of drafting behind team mates while on the track.

Fixed gear means there is no coasting on this bike. The pedals are attached to the crank set so if the bike is moving so are the pedals. If we want to travel 10km then we will be pedaling the entire 10km. Think back to riding your first tricycle around the neighbourhood and you get the idea. There has also been a rise of other fixed gear bikes as city hipsters are bringing back retro no-gear bikes and riding them as commuter bikes. Track bikes are little more complicated but the basic idea remains the same.

In addition to the lack of coasting, these bikes have no brakes, as streamline design is more important on these wooden track speedsters. Therefore, stopping is different than on a regular road bike. There are two ways to stop on a fixed gear bike.

The skid stop – Think back to that tricycle again; you place backward pressure on the pedals so the back wheel stops spinning and skids to a stop. On a bicycle, you also need to remember to lean forward over your front wheel to improve the stability of your stop.
Have brakes installed – Many cyclists have front brakes installed for increased safety on city streets and while learning how to properly ride a fixed gear bike.

Surprisingly, with minimal technology, the track bike raced in a velodrome is still a bit heavier than a road bike even though, you would never see a spot to put a water bottle. In fact, water is not allowed on the wooden racing tracks.

How to Store Your New Bike

Chances are that if you (or someone in your family) has purchased a brand new track bike, there are already a number of bikes in the garage. No doubt you have a mountain bike, a high-end road bike, a leisure bike and even a few bikes for the kids. Fortunately, there are innovative solutions to your bike storage issues that keep your wheels secure and easy to access and still leave room for the car and lawn mower.

Automated bike lift on a pulley – This system can store up to five bikes at a time, raises them up to the ceiling, and out of the way, yet still keeps them easy to access.
Ceiling mounts – If you have a tall garage, you can take advantage of the space up top and store your bikes overhead on ceiling mounts.
School yard-type bike rack – This is the perfect solution for the warm months when everyone is riding. Park the cars in the driveway to allow this simple solution for bike storage. Easy to store, even for the kids.

The best bet is to talk to an expert who can evaluate the space you have, the bikes you need to store and the ease of access you require. They can help you use both the vertical and horizontal space in your garage to ensure you have enough room to store the entire family’s bikes, no matter how many that may be.

It should be an exciting summer for all athletes, but especially for the cyclists. The Pan-Am games are bound to rejuvenate the sport of cycling and the Milton Velodrome just may change the way Ontarians think about biking. Just ensure that if you take up track cycling you know the rules, purchase a great bike and store it securely.

Creative Solutions to Four Unique Garage Storage Challenges

July 22, 2014 by Rick Scully

In my last post we addressed two storage challenges you might be might be facing in your garage. Storing oversized items like building materials, winter tires and canoes can be a real pain. This problem is compounded if you have lots of space that feels “unusable,” like tight, odd corners or wasted overhead space.

We discussed four ways to make use of “unusable” space in your garage: custom-built overhead platforms; custom-built or customizable cabinetry; custom-built slings; and other custom-built options. Now let’s explore how Garage Tailors Garage has used these creative solutions to combat storage issues.

Client Dilemma #1: Cluttered garage with wasted overhead space

retractable attic ladder garage mezzanine The client’s garage had become a cluttered space where the family dumped anything that didn’t have a designated space or that they weren’t using. The garage had finished walls and a peaked ceiling, but not much else. The family needed room to park one car and all of their bicycles, tools and assorted sports equipment.

Garage Storage Solution: A snazzy second-floor mezzanine

To create the storage space that these clients required, we took advantage of the peaked ceiling by constructing an overhead rear wall mezzanine. We framed the mezzanine with a glass and aluminum railing for safety. A retractable ladder was installed to allow access to the mezzanine without sacrificing floor space. See the complete transformation here.

Client Dilemma #2: An outside-the-box storage solution that didn’t quite work

The clients had already purchased a car lift to be used as a “second story” of storage. While it did provide a bit more storage space, this option didn’t meet the clients’ needs. They needed a viable storage solution that would allow them to take advantage of the considerable ceiling height in their garage.

Garage Storage Solution: A second-story storage space accessible via car lift

We incorporated the car lift that the clients had already purchased into the design. Rather than using the car lift to store additional items, it serves as a lift to raise people and things from the ground floor to the second-story mezzanine. Two tables were built to create additional workspaces on the second-story mezzanine. The raised platform was framed with an elegant, tempered-glass railing. This was important to the clients because the raised platform can be seen through the garage door window.

Client Dilemma #3: Oversized items were taking the garage over

2 car garage oakville overhead storage platform slatwall organization system hooks camlock baskets tire storage racks after The clients were busy professionals with a young family and lots of oversized items to store. They required storage for two sets of winter tires, a Thule roof rack and leftover house siding in addition to the family’s bicycles and all of the other typical items one stores in a garage. The walls were bare, concrete block, so the family stored all of their items on the floor around the perimeter of the garage. This only permitted them to park one of their two vehicles inside the garage.

Garage Storage Solution: Rack ‘em up

First, we framed the concrete block walls and installed slatwall so that the family could neatly store bikes, balls, tools and more on hooks and shelves as well as wall-mounted baskets. We installed two racks on the wall, each with the capacity to hold a complete set of winter tires. A custom-built ceiling platform was installed to store the leftover siding safely overhead. Finally, a custom-built sling was created to keep the Thule roof rack stored overhead and out of the way. Yet, the sling also made lowering the rack onto the vehicle a breeze. See the full transformation here.

Client Dilemma #4: 1 Car garage needs to store 7 bikes and a BMW

after - garage wall storage - household supplies - 1 car garage - North Toronto The client had never parked in his narrow, one-car garage. As an avid cyclist, he owned seven bicycles that had to be stored in the garage. Additionally, the family had garden tools and a variety of other items that required storage. When the client purchased a new BMW, he wanted to park it safely in the garage while also finding space for all of his other important items. The client also had a challenging item on his wish list for the garage: a workbench for bike maintenance and repair.

Garage Storage Solution: Custom shelving and a hideaway workbench

To achieve the client’s goals, we used nearly every square inch of available space in the garage. Custom shelving attached to the sidewalls creates a wealth of storage space for bike repair and gardening tools and accessories. Additional storage space for seldom-used items was created by installing custom-built overhead storage platforms. Though the garage was narrow, it was deep enough to accommodate the storage of five bikes hung vertically on the back wall and the storage of two others on a sidewall horizontally. See the remarkable transformation here.

Are oversized items or “unusable” spaces creating a storage challenge in your garage? Discover the amazing results you’ll get when we use creative solutions to transform your garage.

Reclaim Your Garage with Creative Bike Storage Solutions

June 3, 2014 by Rick Scully

Summer hasn’t officially begun and already you find yourself climbing over bicycles to get into the house. Worse, perhaps you’ve run over a bicycle left in the driveway.

It’s difficult to find room in the typical garage for everything your family needs to store. No wonder homeowners often surrender the garage to their kids’ bikes during the summer months. However, surrender isn’t the only option. An organized garage that can accommodate your active family and your vehicles is possible.

The storage capacity of any garage can be increased. However, your family’s lifestyle dictates your storage needs. So the first step to finding the right bike storage solution for you is to assess your family’s overall needs.

Determining Your Family’s Needs

In addition to parking your vehicles and safely storing the family’s bikes, you might also require space for tools and gardening utensils. Perhaps you’d like a workbench or space to store the kayak you’ve always wanted. Your garage renovation plan should accommodate all of these factors. If that seems overwhelming, consider hiring a garage renovation specialist to devise and execute your plan.

Once you’ve got the complete plan in mind, it’s time to choose a bike storage option that works for your family’s lifestyle. Let’s review three possible storage solutions to see which one will work best for you.

Schoolyard Style Bike Rack

Remember riding your bike to school and locking it to the bike rack? A similar style of bike rack can be used in your garage. The traditional (or schoolyard-style) bike rack is easy for kids to use. They simply roll the front wheel into the rack and engage the kickstand.

However, the traditional rack has a large footprint, requiring lots of valuable floor space. A schoolyard-style bike rack requires enough space to accommodate the rack and the bikes that will be stored there. This style of bike rack works well, if you have a deep garage with sufficient space along the back wall. schoolyard-style-floor-standing-bike-rack-1024x768 Another option is to park one vehicle outside and utilize that space for the bike rack during the bike riding season.

As garage renovation specialists, our goal is to help you store all of your bikes and vehicles inside of the garage. However, over the summer, some clients choose to park one vehicle outside in order to make bicycles easily accessible to small children. During the winter months, the bikes are stored along the wall or overhead so that the vehicle can return to its space inside the garage.

Horizontal Bike Storage

A second option is to hang the bicycles flat against the wall. horizontal-bike-storage-on-slatwall-camlock-hooks-102x768 This requires the installation of strong, durable slatwall panels which come in a variety of attractive colours. When paired with compatible Camlock hooks, shelves, baskets or racks, slatwall creates a completely customizable organizational system.

Bike racks can be inserted into the slatwall to hold each bicycle. The bike must be lifted onto the rack. Therefore, the height and physical ability of each rider determine the height at which the slatwall and racks are installed.

Since the bikes hang flat against the wall, horizontal storage is ideal for sidewalls. Another option, which also relies on slatwall panels, is hanging bikes vertically.

Vertical Bike Storage

slatwall camlock hook rear wall vertical bike rack storage As with horizontal wall storage, storing a bike on the wall vertically requires lifting the bike. However, since vertical wall storage requires that the front tire be hung on a hook, lifting the bicycle this way is physically challenging.

Vertical bike storage can be quite attractive. However, because of the strength required, it isn’t recommended for anyone with weaker upper body strength, including young children. Some families use vertical bike storage to store bikes during the winter months while using a traditional, schoolyard-style rack for the summer months.

When storing bikes on the wall vertically, the full height of the bike extends from the wall. Therefore, vertical bike storage is usually only recommended for back walls. If installed on a side wall, the extension of the bikes might impede vehicles from entering the garage.

Overhead Bike Storage

overhead-motorized-pulley-5--bike-rack-storage-system-lowered-1024x768 Look up for the third option. The area overhead in a garage is often wasted space, but it has lots of potential. However, since it isn’t easily accessed, overhead space is typically reserved for storing items not frequently used.

Sounds great for storing bikes during the winter months, but is it feasible for the months when your bikes are in constant use? Absolutely! Bike pulley systems enable bikes to be stored overhead and easily accessed. Motorized pulley systems can store up to five bikes. Many feature one-touch control, so anyone can operate them.

overhead-motorized-pulley-5--bike-rack-storage-system-1024x768 Overhead bike storage is an excellent use of wasted overhead space. However, in order to install the five-bike overhead pulley system, the ceiling height must accommodate the height of the bicycles plus allow for 60-inches of clearance. Since this type of overhead pulley system requires a high ceiling, it isn’t right for every garage.

An alternate option for overhead storage is the two-bike pulley system which stores the bikes overhead flat against the ceiling. Therefore, it doesn’t require as much clearance space. 2-bike-ceiling-mounted-motorized-pulley-storage-system-768x1024

Which bike storage solution is right for you? A garage renovation specialist will help you choose a creative bike storage solution that fits your space and unique lifestyle.

However, bikes aren’t the only sports equipment stored in the garage. Next time we’ll discuss creative solutions for organizing the other sporting goods stored in your garage.

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