Get your bikes off the floor: Steadyracks

A few months back, I asked the internet a question. I know, sometimes I like to live perhaps too dangerously, but I needed to crowdsource some information for the ongoing (and never-ending) garage organization project. And I wanted to get some bikes off the floor.

Fortunately, Avery still only has one, but between personal bikes, review bikes, her bikes, and cargo bikes, there's quite a few bikes in the garage. Mountain bikes generally get stored in a nook, hanging by the front axle with the wheel off - yes this is annoying to do, but it saves an enormous amount of space and they're not in use every single day. It's a fine compromise for the area saved and often times they go in the truck without a front wheel as well so it's no biggie.

But what about the Every Day Bikes? Bikes that get used to go to daycare, to the grocery store, and to work? Wheels on and off would be intolerable that often, so they've been living on the floor in a DIY wooden stand that's functional but takes up a lot of valuable real estate and makes sweeping a pain. I knew I wanted to a mounting system that would get bikes off the floor, hold them vertically, and minimize the amount of floor space consumed. Ease of use was a high priority, along with not lifting things high.

So I did the dangerous thing, and asked Instagram stories with a poll. Out of a sea of responses and choices, nearly everyone who messaged with something overwhelmingly positive was talking about their Steadyrack(s). Sure there were other answers, but it was notable how positive everyone was about the Australian wall-hangers, and how many people were using the system.

Choices, Choices

While there are many SKUs on the Steadyracks website, and the now-Classic Range forced you to think about fenders, tire size, and weight, the release of the new ProFlex line simplifies the process to three options based around tire width: Narrow, Wide, and Fat. All racks are roughly the same design, with a front wheel cradle that supports your bike, and can swing from side to side while loaded. The racks fold away for space savings when not in use.

The Narrow version fits tires up to 2.1" (~50c), Wide will be the choice for most readers here fitting everything from 2.1" to 2.8", and Fat goes up to 5". ProFlex racks are rated up to 55 kilograms and should be capable of supporting most battery-powered bikes.

Launched alongside the ProFlex is the new GearMate, a modular and adjustable system to store your cycling accoutrements on the wall, too. GearMate attaches to the rack with the SteadySpine,* a piece that fits between the rack and the wall - it's included with the new ProFlex line, but backwards compatible with any of the previous racks if you're already an owner.

*Steadyracks really likes combining title-case words into odd amalgams.

Installation

A little while later, a few big boxes showed up in the mail; as it turns out Steadyracks had just launched an updated version of the rack, effectively the second major iteration in the company's history. As mentioned, I picked two Narrow and one Wide ProFlex racks, and two GearMates.

If you're comfortable finding studs in your wall, installation is dead simple. Find studs, mount on wall. There are four fasteners on the upper portion that bear load, and two on the small rests for your rear wheel. Steadyrack has some guidance on recommended spacing, heights, etc, but as usual I over-complicated and over-customized things for the specific use-case of each rack. If you're going for a clean installation in studs, you're also more likely to be constrained by their spacing than anything else. My racks are on 24" centers, because Canada can't pick a system of measurement.

Steadyracks ship with installation hardware, including for masonry/concrete installations however I opted for some of my own GRX fasteners to maintain some consistency through the garage.

Use

One of the biggest features Steadyracks touts, and that I heard on my initial Instagram stories poll, was simplicity. Steadyracks just work in a simple, intuitive way. Whether you're folding them up out of the way, chucking a bike in, or swinging things around, it all just works simply and effectively. Everything feels - dare I say it - Steady. There's no janky wibbles or wobbles, no noises, and everything feels tight and secure. Importantly, they're easy enough to use I can do it with one arm. Open the rack, rotate a bike vertical with help from the rear brake, bump it into the rack, and with a quick lift/roll motion towards the wall the front wheel is over the "SteadySaddle" and it's done. This would be much harder if I was using a system that required more bike stabilization during loading, or if it was a hanging system higher off the ground.

Once bikes are loaded, the action to swing them around is incredibly light, and it's a great way to save further floor space. At more extreme angles, you need to be wary of clattering pedals into the wall, and your rear wheel can slip out of the U-shaped rear tire bracket, but these are simple things to keep an eye on.

The Steadyracks are good, and because of that, I don't have much more to say. The Narrow option fits tires much bigger than 2.1", and you're going to struggle if you have very tight, full coverage fenders. The GearMate can also restrict the full range of motion, especially with larger items like helmets. Beyond that, it's a strong case of "it does what it says on the tin," and the Steadyracks just work. To my eye, the ProFlex range is a more aesthetically pleasing, but if you're looking to save a few hard-earned bucks (and not worried about the GearMate), the Classic Line is still available.

While mine haven't been folded in and out for years on end, I know a lot of folks with Classic Series racks and I've yet to hear a tale of woe. This gives me confidence in the product's longevity, but I'll update this piece if anything unexpected happens.