Review: Steadyrack Mountain Bike Rack

$80

Figuring out how to store your bikes can be a real hassle, especially in smaller spaces. And if you have a small space, you probably also don’t have any spare space to turn into a makeshift warehouse of ugly hooks. I had been putting off getting a bike rack for fear of it not being the right design, looking too ugly, sticking out too much when not in use and taking up that space forever. Instead, I just had a stack of bikes in the kitchen, and another in the basement of the less-ridden bikes.

The Steadyrack MTB Rack is a fantastic solution to a number of problems that had kept me from investing in a quality bike rack. It is stylish and sleek, with a black backing and steel chrome arms that fold into each other when not in use. It doesn’t take up any space when folded up and is easy to forget, but when it’s holding the bike, it looks like it is on display rather than in the way. What’s more, it swivels. This is a huge bonus and one that sets the Steadyrack design apart from other racks. With this design, a bike can be placed on the wall and then pushed to the side, so it isn’t sticking so far out into the room. Again, for small spaces this is a big bonus. It also helps with hanging multiple bikes. The rack only holds one bike, which is possibly the only bummer besides the price, but with multiple racks you can still have your livingroom/kitchen/bathroom space with the bikes conveniently swiveled out of the way.

The Mountain Bike Rack is meant for bikes with 2.1- to 2.8-inch tires, but they also make an Original and a Fat version if your bike doesn’t fall within that spectrum. They suggest measuring in such a way that you don’t have to lift your bike, but I installed mine a few inches off the floor so I can easily sweep underneath. It also comes with a rear wheel stabilizer, which I didn’t install because I only have one rack and multiple bikes of varying sizes that I may want to store. Installing the rear wheel stabilizer will prevent tire scuffs on the wall, but that’s my own burden.

I’m pretty thrilled about this rack. At $80, the Steadyrack Mountain Bike Rack a bit pricey, but it installed very easily and considering it’s become one of the most-used items in my house besides the coffeemaker, and that it’s given me a whole section of my kitchen back that used to just be bike storage, I think it’s money well-spent.