Bike racks for garage are the best way to store mountain bikes, road bikes, e-bikes, and even kids’ bikes. These racks keep bikes upright and save them from the damage that leaving them on the floor could cause. Apart from that, a rack can help you organize your garage and make room for more things. Some of the modern bike racks for the garage have compact and impressive designs that may add aesthetic value to your garage. 

Different types of these bike racks are available in the market and they differ mostly in their mounting style. For example, there are floor-mount racks that are kept on the floor, and bikes are loaded in them, or there are wall-mount and ceiling bike racks that have to be drilled into a wall or ceiling respectively. 

All these types offer specific benefits and this is why every bike rack cannot be suitable for you. You should consider your requirements while looking for bike racks for your garage. These may include bike capacity, bike loading method, security, or size of bike rack. But generally, you should look for a rack that stably holds your bikes, takes up minimum space, and does not damage the frame of your bikes. 

In this review, we will see how the different types of bike racks for garages offer distinct features and mounting options. For your ease, we have also picked out the top racks for each bike rack type. 

What are the different types of bike racks for garage?

Vertical bike racks for the walls of a garage

Vertical bike racks are the best way to save the most space in the garage. They hold bikes upright by holding either the front or rear wheel. These racks for the garage can be wall-mounted or floor-mounted so you can choose according to your ease. For instance, you can go for floor-mounted ones if you do not want to drill in the walls of your garage or you can buy a wall-mount vertical bike rack and save the floor space for other stuff. 

These racks have a very compact structure and usually have hooks that go around the wheel. But other designs are also available like vertical racks that have a resting post for the bike seat while the front wheel is raised and fastened to a long post. The wall-mounted vertical bike racks for garage might require the lifting of bikes but the floor-mounted racks do not so this makes them suitable for kids’ use. 

These racks usually accommodate a wide variety of bikes easily. You just have to check the compatibility with your bikes beforehand, for example, if a rack has hooks that hold the wheel of the bike, you might want to check the range of wheels it will hold. You should also check if other bike parts come in contact with the rack and make sure it does not damage the bike. These racks are the best solution for storing multiple bikes.

Horizontal racks for storing bikes in the garage

Wall-mount bike racks can also be mounted horizontally. These racks usually have arms that allow you to load a bike. Mostly they have a capacity for one bike otherwise, two or more bike frames would come in contact and might get damaged. These racks are more stable than vertical bike racks because instead of holding the wheel, they grip the bike on the top tube or they may let you install a hitch bike rack for the car that in turn holds bikes horizontally. 

These racks are the best if you want to display your bikes and they are also helpful when you have to repair your bike. A horizontal bike rack would hold your bike upright in a fixed position and you can easily repair or make changes to it. Also, you can install these bike racks for garage at whatever height suits you. This means that if you want to use floor space for storing something else, you can install this rack on the wall, high enough for storage space below. But if you own heavy bikes and do not want to lift them, you can install the rack lower on the wall, so the bike would not hang, it would just be gripped by the horizontal bike rack so it does not fall on its side. 

However, the downside of using this rack is that the bike holders or hangers, come in contact with the bike frame. This might scratch off the paint on your bike. Also, these racks are only recommended if you own 1 or 2 bikes. Because, even though they do not take up floor space, they take up the wall surface. You can store multiple bikes at different heights on the wall to make the most out of it but you would need a ladder or other support to take off the bikes loaded on upper racks. 

Garage ceiling bike racks

Bike racks for the ceiling of a garage are very useful, especially for people who own multiple bikes but have no indoor space for their storage. These racks are installed on the garage ceiling and mostly have to be drilled into ceiling rafters. Since the bikes are lifted higher, there is enough space below to park a car. So if you want to make the most out of your garage, you should get a ceiling bike rack for your bikes. 

Most ceiling bike racks claim that they have a high load-carrying capacity. But we suggest you look out for ceiling bike racks for garages that have security features. Some bikes are quite heavy and hanging them by the ceiling might be a bit risky so if the rack locks after loading the bike, this would prevent the risk of any accidents. Moreover, since bikes are loaded higher on the ceiling, you should look for features that make loading and unloading of bikes easier for you. For example, some racks have a pulley system, gliding crossbars, or a motorized bar that lets you load bikes in quickly. 

But these racks are a bit difficult to install as compared to wall-mount racks. Also, you must be careful while loading and unloading heavier bikes otherwise you might end up hurting yourself or damaging your bike. Ceiling racks for garages are mostly recommended for adults or heightened people. 

Bike racks for the floor of the garage 

Floor bike racks are the most convenient bike racks for garages in terms of ease of use. This is because they are present on the floor and do not require a bike to be lifted. These racks are available with different bike accommodating capacities from one bike to as many as 10 or more. The best part is that you just have to roll your bike into the rack and you are good to go. Also, these racks do not require drilling but most of them have to be assembled. Thus, installation is easier compared to the wall and ceiling-mounted racks. 

Moreover, as compared to other types, free-standing racks do not have complicated mechanisms, and operating them is as easy as parking a bike. You can find these racks at a range of prices with varying features or different bike capacities. Some of these racks come with a locking mechanism for securing bikes. This is a helpful feature because, unlike wall or ceiling bike racks, they are easily accessible. One problem with most free-standing bike racks is that they take up a lot of floor space, especially the multi-bike versions. But still, they can help you organize the garage. 

Top Bike Racks for Garage 

Steadyrack Bike Rack | The Best vertical bike rack for the garage

Steadyrack bike rack is one of the best vertical racks for garages. This rack holds one bike but saves a lot of space even if you install multiple racks side by side on a wall. It is a wall-mounted rack thus you will have to drill it into the wall for installation.

This rack holds most bikes with wheel sizes ranging from 20″ to 32″. The rack has a pivot which allows you to turn the bike on a side. This feature is most helpful in congested spaces. We love this rack because it does not come in contact with the bike rim. This way you can use it for your valuable bikes without a second thought.

Other than that, it has high compatibility with various bikes because it is available in multiple versions. You can carry almost any tire width and almost any bike load. At around $90, it costs more than other vertical bike racks for the garage but it also has a high value for money so you will find it worth each penny.  

Find out the top vertical bike racks for the garage in our review on wall-mount bike racks. 

Free Standing Bike Rack by Delta Cycle | Best floor-type bike rack for your garage 

The free-standing bike rack by Delta Cycle is a flexible rack that accommodates a variety of bikes. The bike-holding arms’ width may be simply changed before you load your bike. This feature saves a lot of room; for instance, a kid’s bike will fit in there more compactly than a bike with plus-size tires.

We also love it for its sleek and stunning appearance while still being fairly solid and durable. It is made for 1 bike but you can buy more of these and set them up in your garage for increased capacity.

Compared to other free-standing bike racks for garage, it is reasonably priced. We highly suggest this rack if you own large mountain bikes or e-bikes since it will hold the bikes securely. The rack won’t touch the spokes; it will simply hold the bike via the wheel. You may also buy the wheeled version of this floor bike rack, which enables you to move the bike rack after the bike is loaded. 

Find out other free-standing bike racks for your garage. 

Saris Cycle Glide | Best ceiling-type bike rack

The Saris Cycle Glide is one of the high-selling ceiling bike racks that you can purchase for your garage. It is especially recommended if you own multiple bikes and each having a different geometry. We love this rack for its high adjustability.

The rack has crossbars, one for each bike and on each crossbar, there are two hooks. These hooks glide on the crossbars which would allow you to load bikes with a wheelbase of up to 56”. Moreover, the crossbars too can slide on the main bars. This would let you separate the bikes as required and you can also adjust them if you want to park a car below or store other things.

In our opinion, the Saris Cycle Glide is the most practical and user-friendly as compared to other ceiling bike racks for garages available. It costs about $255 and you can purchase the two-bike add-on separately for about $100 if you want to accommodate six cycles. This rack has good value for the money and is completely worth the price when you consider how convenient it is.

Find out other ceiling racks for the garage.  

1UP USA Rack Stash|Best wall-mounted bike racks for garage

The 1UP USA Rack Stash is a horizontal rack but unlike other bike racks, it does not have arms for loading bikes. This rack is a wall-mount hitch receiver that is made for installing a car hitch bike rack with a 1 ½” or 2” hitch.

Once the car bike rack is installed, you can load the bikes on it and store them on the wall of your garage. This rack requires drilling but other than that it has many benefits. You can store your car hitch bike rack as well as the bikes on the wall of the garage.

Also, Rack Stash does not make frame contact with bikes so they will be completely secure. You may install it at any height on the wall and in this way you will be able to easily repair and access your bikes. Rack Stash is very stable and it has high customer satisfaction. The rack can be bought at a reasonable cost of $50. 

Read the detailed review on wall-mount bike racks for your garage.