Gallery: The 10 Best Bike Storage Solutions

Big city life often requires residents to sacrifice more square footage for the convenience of living close to everything a metropolis has to offer. For bike riders, storing bikes in tight quarters can present problems. We compiled a list of products and methods that you can employ to store your bike efficiently in a shoebox apartment. Now your friends won't trip over your Trek in the hallway.

Most people who live in a city know you have to maximize your floor space. Storing things upward is ideal. With something as large as a bike, that may prove difficult and become a pain if you need a ladder or chair to bring your bike down every time you want to go for a ride. A ceiling-mounted bike lift like the Racor PBH-1R is an ideal solution to that dilemma. Using a pulley system, the Racor PBH-1R conveniently allows you to both pull up and lower a bike while standing at ground level. The contraption is good for ceilings up to 12 feet high and bikes weighing up to 50 pounds. It retails for around $30.

Gravity racks are a popular means of storing bikes in the home. The Michaelangelo 2 Bike Gravity Storage Rack is a stand constructed with a reinforced steel tube. It has an Art Deco design and a clean, classy look that's a suitable decoration. Giving you the ability to store one or two bikes while taking up the same amount of floor space, this product is great for those who live with another biker. The price tag on the Delta Cycle product is $80.

Another floor-to-ceiling storage method for your bikes, Topeak's Dual-Touch Bike Storage Stand is a trusty and efficient way to keep your bicycles in order. With two included mounts and space for an additional two mounts, this pole can hold almost 160 pounds. It features a handlebar stabilizer, which stops the front wheel from turning and becoming a precarious invasion of your space. You can grab one on Amazon for $135. 

Another simple means of storage from Topeak is the OneUp Bike Holder. The holder, which is attached to the wall, hoists your bike off the ground by the front wheel. A molded rubber bar keeps the front tire in place and secures the bike so it doesn't get twisted. The OneUp also has a molded rear wheel pad to keep any tire tracks or dents from marking the wall. The holder goes for around $35.

Even though city dwellers tend to stack their possessions upward, some may still prefer to spread their bikes in a slightly wider fashion, while still keeping a few wheels off the ground. The Racor Solo Vertical Bike Rack B-1R lets cyclists hang two rides vertically by the front wheel with some space between them. There is also a handy shelf atop the rack where you can keep your helmet and gloves. The solid steel rack comes with a lifetime warranty, and unlike a handful of other storage products, it requires absolutely no assembly. The price tag is in the $25 range.

If your home is stocked with wooden furniture, the Monet Single Bike Rack from Delta Cycles is a storage piece that will blend nicely into the surroundings. It comes with a custom-molded laminate wood shelf and rubber-coated arms to hold your bike away from the wall and off the ground. A perk of this product is that it can be folded to make room when it isn't being put to use. The five-pound shelf/hook holds up to 50 pounds. Pricing for the Monet Single Bike Rack ranges from $27 and up, depending on where you find it.

The Saris Cycle Glide is a ceiling storage unit for those with up to 4 bikes. However, with an optional mount for 2 extra bikes, up to 6 bicycles can hang upside down from you ceiling, getting wheels and handlebars completely out of your way. Although it optimizes space by consolidating the bikes, the rides are not crowded together, making it easy to get between them and take your bike down. Sounds better than stowing your wheels away in a closet don't it? This is one of the pricier options though at $207.

A different play on vertical storage, Saris provides a simple option with its Trac Vertical Indoor Bike Storage Rack. It's equipped with a full-length tray along the wall to keep the bike in place, and it has a wide-wheel track serving virtually every size tire. The downside is that it has only a one-year warranty. Priced at $40, it still sounds like a good value to us.

This is probably the coolest looking and least space invasive item on our list. Coveted as a simple solution to bike storage woes, Cycloc's wall mount designed by Andrew Lang is an easy to use and aesthetically pleasing way to stow your bike. Cycloc is a highly sought after brand for products in this category that has just recently become more available to the U.S. market. The plastic bucket style holder that grabs handle bars or bike frames runs pretty steep though at $130. On the upside, you can also store other gear in the wall mounted holder itself.

The Gladiator Claw is a high-strength plastic gadget attached to the ceiling that you can use to easily hang your bike. It's small, practical, and relatively inexpensive ($19). If you get two, you can hang your bike upside down so that both wheels and the frame are off the ground, giving you maximum walking room. The only catch is that if you get only one Gladiator Claw, the bike may swing a bit if anyone bumps it.