Affordable Bike Racks for the Budget Conscious
October 25, 2013
For the last few months I have been using a jerry-rigged “bike rack” to store my ride. While this has been extremely cost effective, I worry that my bicycle will get stolen at some point. The bicycle is simply tied up to a truss in the parking garage below my building. While this basement garage is fairly well-secured, it is not particularly difficult for an intruder to get into if he or she so desired. So I started to research an appropriate bicycle rack for my storage needs and came across and (perhaps not so surprising) revelation: bicycle racks are expensive! Here are a couple suggestions for affordable bike racks.
While you may not want to blow your money on a bike rack, it is important to not be penny-wise and pound-foolish. If your bicycle is not secured properly, you could end up spending hundreds or thousands to replace your bicycle or its parts when you could have just parted with 50 bucks or so to keep it properly stored. While it may seem like an unnecessary expense at the time, you will be extremely happy with your decision when you realize the garage has been raided but your bicycle was left untouched.
So let’s go onto the affordable bicycle racks so you can find the proper storage for your ride. While you can definitely spend some big bucks on a rack, there are plenty that are sturdy, secure and low-cost.
Two great affordable bike racks
The Lean Machine Gravity Bike Rack has a very fitting name – it is both extremely durable and lightweight, making it perfect for those that need to store their bicycle on the go. The rack can hold up to two bicycles, and with a price tag under 60 dollars, is certainly a great affordable bike rack choice.
For those that are a little more tight on space, the Platinum One Bike Adjustable Wall Mount is a great affordable bike rack option. This rack can be installed onto the wall and takes up next to no space! The rack can hold one bicycle at a time and comes in at a price under $40! This is one of the most simple affordable bike racks available today.
As you can see, there are plenty of affordable bike racks available for any situation and need. With so many options available, there really is no excuse for you to keep tying your bike up to trees and stops signs in your front yard!
Storage Space Organization Ideas To Maximize Efficiency
October 24, 2013
If you have been keeping up with my posts on Shelves Blog lately, you would be aware of the fact I am in the process of moving to a new apartment. In fact, I have finished moving and now am in the process of getting organized in the new home. Although my wife and I moved into a two bedroom over our previous one bedroom, we did not gain a whole lot of square footage. However we were given a storage cube in the basement of the building. Here are a few storage space organization ideas I came up with while trying to figure out how to best utilize this bonus storage area.
Not all apartments provide the luxury of having a mini “storage locker” on the premises. While the 4 foot wide by four foot deep by 6 feet tall cube is not exactly enormous, it does provide some great storage opportunities. Storage space organization can be a bit of a dicey proposition, because if you are not careful the storage items end up costing you more space than the save.
The first idea for storage space organization is utilizing storage totes, such as the 20 Gallon Latch Tote from Sterilite. This is especially helpful if you want to store a whole lot of smaller items. Instead of piling them in bags or something else, these stackable totes are a great way to keep them safe and organized. The totes are made from plastic, which provides better protection from dust and moisture than, say a cardboard box.
If you are looking to store items that you need to be able to access, a small shelf such as the Pine Stacking Shelf is a perfect storage space organization tool. This shelf is made from sturdy solid wood and offers a variety of storage surfaces for your garage needs. I use it to store our toolbox and other heavy chemicals we do not want to keep in the home.
Even though these are very simple touches for an additional storage area, they really can make a big different. It is very important to keep storage space organization in mind. That way your storage cube does not become a big pile of “stuff” that you just keep adding to.
Truck Bed Bike Rack for the Necessary Evil
October 16, 2013
I am sure most Bike Racks blog readers are like me, and would not really mind seeing all cars wiped off the face of the earth. Cars, ugh, why – am I right? However, I will admit that the self-propelled automobile is here to stay, and is an important cog in the transportation equation. Plus, you need a vehicle to get you to some of those amazing rides that are not within bicycling distance. Even though I despise automobiles, I have a truck and a truck bed bike rack to get to those far-off riding locations.
I feel a little pang of guilt every time I fire up the old F-150, but I know that pretty soon I’ll be blissfully riding along paths that are free from the stresses of cars. What is great about using a truck bed bike rack to transport your ride is that they are totally safe from other cars on the road. There is a saying that a rear-mounted bike rack basically turns your bicycle into a $1000 bumper. Even the slightest fender bender means ruin for your state of the art bicycle.
What to look for in a truck bed bike rack
So when looking for a truck bed bike rack, there are only a few things you need to keep in mind. First of all it is important to look for a rack that is fairly light weight. This is important because you need to lift that sucker up into the bed – if it weighs over 100 pounds that is going to be a difficult task that requires more than one person.
Another important factor is that it can be secured to the bed of the truck. You can use a regular bike rack as your truck bed bike rack, but if it cannot get properly attached to the vehicle, you are going to have some bikes in the middle of the interstate.
With these factors in mind, I would recommend the Advantage BedRack by Heininger. This brand is very well known for their high-quality bike racks, which are durable and very easy to use. This rack is relatively light weight at less than 50 pounds. This is a perfect choice for those truck-driving bicycle enthusiasts like me.
