Could the pandemic usher in a golden age of cycling?
We all know the environmental benefit of riding a bike versus driving your car in the city. However, until recently a lot of us have lacked the motivation or the courage to actually get the bike out and use it. Now that we are self isolating for long periods and reluctant to return to crowded public transport, the idea of riding your bike to work is much more attractive. The fact that cycling is a great way to get exercise and enjoy the outdoors is providing that missing motivation. Cities are taking notice of this shift in attitudes and working to accommodate those who want to use their bikes as a preferred mode of transportation.
It looks like our “new normal” will include a lot more riders and the $6 billion US bike industry will soar. Revenue was already predicted to increase by up to 8% in the next five years, but new estimates at the end of this pandemic will be telling.
For every plus, however, there is a negative. Bike storage is one of the biggest storage challenges for the rider – what do you do with your bike when you’re not on it? Bike storage is awkward and if you have limited storage space, you need to be creative. Leaning your bike against a wall isn’t a solution. Whether you keep your wheels in your apartment or in your garage, there are a number of things that can go wrong. Bikes are notorious for falling over, either on your car and scratching the paint, or on the walls, creating dings that may leave marks on the paint or even holes in your drywall. Bikes have also been known to track water, mud and grease into the storage area. And let’s not forget that kids tend to drop their bikes wherever they dismount and parents have been known to run over them.
So what are your bike storage options? The choices are floor stands, wall hooks/racks, and motorized overhead ceiling storage. Floor stands will hold multiple bikes, but you must have the floor space to spare. Walls hooks/racks free up that space, but you need the strength to lift the bike up and onto the hook. This may involve lifting the bike over your head or perching on a step ladder to reach the hook. The ideal solution for bike storage would free up your garage floor by using the unused overhead ceiling space. A mechanized bike lift is easily the safest and most sensible option if you need your bike out of the way but want to have frequent access. Only one person is needed for the job, the bike is loaded onto the lift from the floor level and the bike, or bikes, move up and down at the press of a button. You can rest easy knowing that a key lock switch will prevent accidental release. The bike lift itself is easy to install and simple to use.
If bike storage is your garage storage headache, consider ceiling storage as the best solution.
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