How to Hang Bikes in a Garage

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner and her daughter hang their bikes in a small garage.

How to hang bikes in a garage

1. Measure and mark the location of a joist on the garage ceiling.
2. Use the impact driver to screw the first pulley bracket to the ceiling. Be sure to drill a ⅛-inch-diameter pilot hole first, then drive the screws into the center of the joist.
3. Measure the distance from the bike seat to the handlebars.
4. Transfer that dimension to the ceiling, as measured from the first bracket installed in Step 2.
5. Pass the rope through the hole in the second pulley bracket and tie a knot so that the rope doesn’t pull through the hole.
6. Secure the second pulley bracket to the ceiling with two screws driven into the joist.
7. Follow the installation instructions to thread the rope up and over both pulleys.
8. Thread the two hanging hooks onto the rope, positioning one below each pulley bracket.
9. Screw a cleat to a nearby wall stud for securing the loose end of the rope.
10. To store a bike overhead, slip one hook under the seat and the other under the handlebars. Then pull the rope to raise the bike up to the ceiling.
11. An antislip mechanism will prevent the bike from falling, but it’s still a good idea to tie off the rope to the wall cleat.

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