A Guide To Storing a Bike With Hydraulic Brakes

The best way to store a bike with hydraulic brakes is to keep it parallel to the ground. You can hang it on the wall, but do not hang it vertically or upside down as it could cause air bubbles to travel into the bike’s reservoir tank. You can use a wall mount or hook to store your bike.

Storing Bike with Hydraulic Brakes

An ideal way to store a bike with hydraulic disc brakes is by hanging it on the wall. This method saves space by getting the bike off of the floor. There are also many bike wall mount varieties on the market so that you can find the best solution.

There are two ways to store bikes with hydraulic disc brakes: a wall mount or a bike hook.

Here are the things you need for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes on a wall mount:

• Wall mounts – the wall mounts available on the market come with the screws you need for installation.
• Measuring tape – you will need to measure the height you want to place your wall mount.
• Pencil
• Drill – the screw you will use for drilling holes on the wall should be smaller than the size of the screws that come with the bike mounts.
• Screwdriver
• Wall plugs ensure that the screws will tighten on the holes, allowing you to secure the bike mount. (source)

Method 1: Hanging Horizontally on a Wall Mount

1.   Purchase a Wall Mount

One thing worth noting when storing a bike with hydraulic brakes using a horizontal mount is that it takes up a vast space on your wall. However, the main benefit of this bike storage method is that your bike will look like some art display.

When getting a horizontal wall mount for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes, look for a model with an adjustability feature. You can extend the mount away from the wall or contract it. This feature will allow you to fit various bikes with different handlebar widths on your horizontal mount.

In addition, you can lower or increase the height of the mount to accommodate bikes of different sizes. With this feature, you no longer have to replace your mount when you upgrade to a new bike.

2.   Find Where You Want to Position Your Bike Wall Mount

When installing a wall mount for bike storage, look for a wall with a lot of space. You will not have to avoid bumping anything when raising your bike to store it. Once you have a wall for storage, hold your bike up and find your desired height. The wheels and pedals should touch the wall when you hang the bike.

Moreover, the height of the wall mount should raise the bike about four inches from the floor. But you can raise it higher if you wish. Some also say that the bike’s space from the wall should be as high as the bike’s height. In this case, you will need a tape measure to get the height of your bike’s frame.

3.   Mark The Areas Where You Need to Drill Holes

Once you have your desired bike position, get your pencil and mark four inches from the floor or higher if you want to hang your bike high. Then, mark the areas where you need to drill holes to install the mount. Make sure to mark the accurate drilling areas so you can hang the bike straight when storing it.

4.   Drill The Holes in The Marked Areas Of The Wall

Now that you have the area for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes market, you next need to get your drill and make holes where you need to screw the wall mount. The holes you will drill should be smaller than the screws that come with the wall mount when you purchase it. For instance, if you have 6mm screws, use 6mm drills to create holes.

5.   Insert Wall Plug into the Holes

Wall plugs are essential to ensure that the screws of your bike mount will provide secure fixing. With these plugs, the screws you drilled on the wall will grip each hole tightly, preventing them from loosening up when you hang a heavy bike on the wall mount.

Moreover, you want to use wall plugs similar in size to the screws that came with the wall mount. You can purchase these wall plugs from your local hardware store.

DIY MTB Pro Tip: Have you ever wondered if you could ADD disc brakes to your bike? I’ve got you covered 👉 Can I Install Disc Brakes on My MTB?

6.   Screw the Mount in Place

Now that your storage space is ready and has the corresponding holes for the wall mount, it is time to install the bike mount using a screwdriver. Twist the screwdriver until the screws no longer turn to ensure your bike mount is securely in place.

After securing the mount, storing a bike with disc brakes is the last thing left for you to do. You must ensure that the bike hangs securely on your wall while storing it. This way, the bike will not fall off the mount when you let go of it.

Moreover, there are various benefits to using a horizontal bike mount for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes. (source)

It Offers Two Locking Points

Since a horizontal wall mount has two locking points, it offers enough support to prevent your bike from falling and acquiring damage. This storage option also looks good, making your bike appear like a piece of the display inside your home.

Space-Saving

If you have a small space at home or living in an apartment, mounting your bike horizontally on the wall is the best solution. It does not take any space on your wall, preventing the bike from being on your way when you move around the house. Wall mounts are also easy to install, so you will quickly have a place for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes.

Inexpensive

Horizontal wall mounts for bikes are inexpensive. For this reason, you do not have to spend a lot to have a place where you can store your bike. It also does not require any extra tools that you need to purchase. Even better, you can install the wall mount yourself, saving the cost of hiring a professional installer.

Method 2: Using A Bike Hoo

What You Will Need

• Bike hooks
• Stud finder – this tool is readily available at your local hardware
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Drill
• Screwdriver
• Wall plugs

1.   Find A Hook That Can Support Your Bike’s Weight

When buying a hook for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes, get the one that can carry the weight of your bike. Hooks have a maximum weight capacity, so check their labels before getting one. A bike hook that cannot support your bike’s weight can cause it to fall out of the wall, thus damaging it.

If you are not sure about the weight of your bike, you can use a digital weighing scale to measure it. However, you cannot simply plop your bike on the weighing scale and record the first weight that will show up.

When weighing a bike, you first want to weigh yourself while not holding your bike. Record the measurement as it is essential for getting the bike’s weight later. Next, get your bike and hold it upright on top of the weighing scale. You have to support the bike with your two hands while measuring it.

Finally, deduct the body weight you took a while ago from the bike’s weight. The result is the total weight of your bike, which is essential for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes.

DIY MTB Pro Tip: So if you get air in your bike’s hydraulic brakes, you need to read 👉 When to Bleed MTB Brakes and Why

2.   Use A Stud Finder to Find A Stud On Your Wall

You can easily purchase a stud finder at your local hardware store if you do not have one at home. Using this tool, carefully and slowly move across the wall where you want to store your bike to find the studs. Your stud finder will be beeping once it detects studs in your wall.

Moreover, finding these studs is crucial as they are the best places for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes. Thick and durable wood makes up these studs, so they will not easily acquire damage no matter how heavy the bike you are hanging is.

3.   Measure The Space Between the Front And Rear Wheels Of The Bike

Using your measuring tape, get the length of space between the farthest tips of the front and rear wheels. This measurement is essential for installing the bike hooks for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes.

4.   Measure How High You Want to Store Your Bike

The height you want to install your bike hooks depends on you. If there is a lot of stuff on the floor below the wall where you want to install the hooks, it is ideal for placing them in a high position. However, the best area for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes is a wall clear of anything that can make it challenging to hang the bike in place.

Use your measuring tape to measure how high you want to install the bike hooks. However, it is essential not to place the hooks too high. The reason is that your bike can be too heavy, making it difficult to lift and put it on the hooks when you need to store it.

5.   Mark The Areas Where You Found Wall Studs

Now that you have the areas of your wall with studs mark the first area where you want the front of your bike to sit. Make sure that this area is along the studs that you found.

Then from the first mark, measure a space equal to the distance between the wheels you took a while ago. Mark the end of the measurement as this will be the area where you will install the second hook.

6.   Drill Holes for Screwing the Hooks

After marking the areas where you want to install your bike hooks, get your drill and make holes in the spots where you need to secure the screws. As mentioned, the holes need to be a little smaller than the actual size of the screws. Similarly, the holes’ depth should accommodate the entire screws from one end to another.

In addition, you can opt to use wall plugs if you want to secure the screws better. This way, you will not have to worry about the hooks’ screws loosening due to the weight of your bike. It will also prevent your bike from falling when the hooks give up from the bike’s weight.

7.   Insert The Hooks’ Screw into The Hole That You Drilled

Now that you have the holes where you can screw the bike hooks on, you are ready for the actual hook installation. If the screws are built into the hooks, insert each screw into their respective holes and twist the hooks counterclockwise until they tighten. Each hook should be parallel to the ground.

The main benefit of using hooks for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes is that they are cheap and easy to install. Propping your bike on these hooks is also fast and easy, especially if the position of the hooks is pretty low.

Even better, using hooks mean that you do not have to hang the bike on its frame, which can potentially cause its paint to chip off. The position also remains upright, which is best for storing bikes with hydraulic brakes.

Can You Hook Your Bike with Hydraulic Brakes Vertically?

Whatever happens, do not ever hang a bike with hydraulic disc brakes vertically or upside down. While vertically storing a bike with hydraulic brakes saves much space, leaving it hanging in this position for hours is not ideal. It is because vertical and upside-down hanging can cause air bubbles to travel into your bike’s cables and reservoir tank.

When these air bubbles reach the reservoir tank of your bike, it can negatively affect the performance of your bike. The bike’s performance will also remain poor until the air bubbles return to the top of the reservoir. When worse comes worst, this poor bike performance can lead to an accident. (source)

8.   Place Your Bike on Your New Storage Hook

After making sure that the bike hooks are tight and secure, you can use them to store a bike with hydraulic brakes. Remember that the bike’s position is essential for keeping it from falling. The bike seat should be facing outward so it is away from the wall. Then, the tires should touch the wall, keeping the bike in place with the hooks. (source)

Summing Things Up

How was this tutorial? Were we able to provide you with the instructions that you need for storing a bike with hydraulic brakes?

If your bike has hydraulic disc brakes, knowing the proper storage method is vital to ensure, you are not damaging your bike. For instance, it is not ideal to hang your bike vertically or upside-down as it can cause damage to the bike. So, you must keep your bike parallel to the ground when storing it.

That said, what do you think about this article? Make sure to share your thoughts in the comment section below. Also, feel free to share this article with your friends!

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Sources

1. Emily Pilloton. Girls Garage: How to Use Any Tool, Tackle Any Project, and Build the World You Want to See. Chronicle Books, 2020. https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=tjneDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA280&dq=how+to+install+bike+mount+on+wall&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiGvc3xo_X4AhVMaN4KHSgWAO4Q6AF6BAgLEAI#v=onepage&q=how%20to%20install%20bike%20mount%20on%20wall&f=false.
2. John Forester. Effective Cycling. USA: MIT Press, 1993. https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=0n2t7P1v2M8C&pg=PP53&dq=how+to+store+bikes+on+a+wall+mount&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSirPtqPX4AhUFx2EKHRnUAFcQ6AF6BAgLEAI#v=onepage&q=how%20to%20store%20bikes%20on%20a%20wall%20mount&f=false.
3. Chris Nodder. The Little Book of Bike Boo Boos – How to Fix Your Mountain Bike When You Are Miles from Civilization. Lulu.com, 2008. https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=nl3yzBTqxsEC&pg=PA47&dq=storing+bike+with+hydraulic+brakes&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjBo5WRqPX4AhWLSfUHHUpbCf0Q6AF6BAgGEAI#v=onepage&q=storing%20bike%20with%20hydraulic%20brakes&f=false.
4. Eben Weiss. The Ultimate Bicycle Owner’s Manual: The Universal Guide to Bikes, Riding, and Everything for Beginner and Seasoned Cyclists. Hachette UK, 2016.https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=G-8sCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT56&dq=how+to+store+bikes+on+a+wall+mount+using+a+hook&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_tbHHqfX4AhVHad4KHbu4AFQQ6AF6BAgHEAI#v=onepage&q=how%20to%20store%20bikes%20on%20a%20wall%20mount%20using%20a%20hook&f=false.