The Outdoor Bike Storage Solution That's Great For Small Spaces

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Whether you do it to commute, exercise, or unwind, riding a bike is one of life's joys. Unfortunately, if you live in a small space or have an abundance of bikes, that joy can quickly turn to annoyance when it comes time to store your cycle. Even the thinnest, lightest road bike can take up a lot of valuable space, and if you're already dealing with a packed garage or yard, finding a good way to stow a bike while keeping it easily accessible can feel like an impossible task. But with the help of mountable bike clips, you'll have an outdoor bike storage solution that's great for small spaces.

A bike clip is a small clip or C-shaped bracket that you can pop your bike wheel into, and they work just as well outside as they do inside. There are a few different models of bike clips available to purchase, with some being adjustable, such as the HSayoli bike clip, and others being made to fit specific tire widths, such as the Hornit Clug. Most clips are easily installed with one or two screws and can be placed practically anywhere along wood fencing, siding, brick, or even concrete with the right anchors and a top-rated drill.

These clips allow for near endless customization when it comes to where you want to stow your bike, as you can decide on not only a location but also how high a clip will be installed to make it precisely fit your bike. For example, if you want to stow your bike in the narrow space between a shed and fence, just raise it up onto its back wheel, and align the clip with where the front wheel will touch the wall. This is great for the outdoors since it gets the bike frame, handles, and gears off the ground, freeing up space and protecting the bike from any dirt or ground moisture.

These clips are meant to hold the bike tires such that the tread is touching the inside of the clip, so it is not ideal for storing a bike parallel against a wall. However, you could put a clip on a perpendicular wall and store the bike horizontally that way. Note that if you can't fit your bikes under an overhang, you may want to add a cover to protect them from the elements. 

Mountain bikes, BMX bikes, kids' bikes, and more are all compatible with this type of storage, but the clips might not be strong enough to hold up heavier e-bikes without extra support. In that case, you may need to instead figure out a clever way to store your bike indoors.

For those who aren't sold on the idea of buying a bike clip, or who want something that will fit their own bike more precisely, there are a few ways to recreate the technology on your own. The most straightforward method would be to employ the use of a 3D printer, which is starting to become available at local libraries. If you prefer to go the handmade route, the quickest way to make a DIY vertical bike rack is to simply install some hooks into the wall that you can thread through the tires. Whatever you choose, make sure your bike clips are made from a material that will withstand rain or frost.

Another option, if you have the right tools, is to cut a notch out of a small length of PVC pipe. The average mountain bike tire is a little less than 3 inches across, so a 3-inch piece of PVC should fit around it snuggly. Cut away about a third to a fourth of the pipe's sides, screw it to the wall, and you've got one of the cheapest bike racks out there. Homemade or store-bought, bike clips are an easy, convenient way to store bikes outdoors — at least until you finish your DIY bike shed.