Garage Ceiling Bike Rack

If you're like me and like bikes, you need a place to store them where they won't get banged up, they're easily accessible and not in the way.  My solution is to simply hang your favorite* bikes by the saddle on a galvanized pipe fastened to the garage ceiling, or your bedroom ceiling if you're single and so inclined.

*I've concluded that only the "nice" bikes qualify for hanging from the pipe.  Kid bikes and heavy steel cruiser bikes that weigh 50 lbs. won't be on this pipe.

I wish I could take credit for the idea, but I'm not that creative.  I first saw this concept in my brother-in-law's garage, who claims he got the idea from a bike shop in San Francisco.  My brother-in-law has many more bikes than I do and a smaller garage and he hangs most all of them from a pipe.

Here are the parts you'll need to build this rack, all purchased at the local hardware store:

1.  qty. 2 -  3/4" X 18" galvanized pipe**
2.  qty. 2 -  1/2" X 72" galvanized pipe
3.  qty. 2 -  3/4" to 1/2" galvanized elbow
4.  qty. 2 -  3/4" threaded pipe flange
5.  qty. 1 -  2 X 4
6.  qty. 8 -  4" Hex lag bolt with washer
7.  qty. 8 -  3-1/2" wood screw

**Depending on your ceiling height, you'll want to adjust the length of these pipes accordingly.  My ceiling is 11-1/2 ft. high, which results in the bike's front tire being about 65" off the ground....low enough where I can stand on my toes and put the bike on the rack and high enough that the bikes are not in the way.

As you can see, I'm currently hanging 3 bikes, but there's easily room for two more:

Make sure you're careful about finding the ceiling joist and then predrill holes for the lag bolts.

Simply hangin' by the saddle: