[richierich1966]

So I have a dilema... I've got a bunch of mtb related gear, alot of it that I need access to daily, and very limited space. No garage or spare room or even closet space. My bike is residing in our small living room, which my lil' woman loves!
I need some storage ideas for my gear, which is currently scattered in several cardboard boxes which are also residing in our living room.
Here's what I need to stow in an organized manner and still be able to easily access:
2 full face helmets and 1 regular
Googles
Knee and elbow pads
Shin guards
Camelback
Shock pump
Floor pump
Spare folding tires
Spare rotors
Spare bars and stems
Misc. Spare parts
Sealant quart
Misc. essential bike maintenance tools
Ideally I would like to be able to have something that could double as something manageable to haul my gear in as well.
What do you do?

 

[Finch Platte]

What about getting plastic stackable containers? I got a couple six packs from Costco a while back, and while I don't store bike stuff in them, what I do store is pretty compacted.

I was lucky to find a shelving (without the shelves) unit at my local recycle store that the containers fit in pretty well. I leave a couple out so if there's one near the bottom, I can shuffle the containers around without taking them out and setting them down.

 

[Phillbo]

Just toss it all in the corner of the living room and tell her to live with it...

 

[mik_git]

I've got one of those fake closet type hanger things that you put the fabric hang shelves in. Thats where gloves/helmets/shoes go. Cn't help otherwise, as Also have a tool chest for tools, a workbench, bikes stand and a couple of bike racks all in their dedicated room...and the bikes are still spilling into the living room and the other spare room!

 

[Nat]

No garage or spare room or even closet space. My bike is residing in our small living room, which my lil' woman loves!

Yikes. It would be hard to disguise all that stuff in a living room.

How about a van in which you could store the gear full time?

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

Just toss it all in the corner of the living room and tell her to live with it...

Lol

 

[scatterbrained]

I have this bag that my riding gear is stashed in:https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/axo-weekender-gear-bag-p

.
For $40 dollars it does the job well and keeps my riding kit together. Two helmets, two pairs of shoes, goggles, gloves, elbow pads, knee pads, Camelbak, hip pack, back protector, shock pump, etc, etc. I use a Fly Racing goggle garage inside the bag to hold goggles, sunglasses, HRM, windbreaker, gloves, knee and elbow pads, lens cleaner and cloth, and batteries. That helps to keep the inside of the bag more organized too.
.
My bikes are stored in our front room using crank stands, but I have a transit vertical rack to hold the kids bikes. You could get something like that or mount the bikes right on the wall above the couch. . .

https://www.amazon.com/Session-Bike-Profile-Indoor-Bicycle/dp/B079Y9M8SN/ref=sr_1_25?keywords=decorative+bike+wall+mount&qid=1573450448&sr=8-25
.
If I were you I'd head to the Home Despot and find a nice plastic bin to hold your spares and a decent small toolbox to hold your tools. Or, if it has to be in a visible place in the house jump on Craigslist and find an appropriate piece of furniture.

 

[natas1321]

I keep a lot of my gear in my trucks, both have helmets, a change of clothes, backpacks, extra shoes, shock and tire pumps, gloves, etc. The rest I would just keep in a box maybe in the corner of the kitchen or some place similar.

 

[downcountry]

Build or buy a rack of shelves along a wall and hide it with a curtain of some sort.

 

[ctxcrossx]

Build or buy a rack of shelves along a wall and hide it with a curtain of some sort.

This ^^

 

[Fleas]

I keep spare parts in a box/bin. It would fit under my bed if it had to.

I keep gloves, helmet, shoes, packs in a big duffle bag. Grab 'n' go.

Floor pump remains in my vehicle.

Shock pump is in the duffle (but I never use it).

2 FF helmets? Maybe create an art installation out of them, or just a regular hat rack or wall pegs. They would probably look cool.

Also, I have an old wooden crate, not unlike this one, that passes for a coffee table, that's full of sports gear. :thumbsup:

-F

 

[Ladmo]

+1 on the stackable plastic tote idea and the folding room divider. Far better than cardboard boxes, and if you snap the lid down, you can keep the stench to a minimum. Stand back when you open it, though.

 

[Lone Rager]

Chest of drawers for most stuff. Various sizes and styles are available to fit any decor and esthetic. Tool box for tools. Some big plastic bins for long term storage of parts/accessories. Tote for stuff I routinely take. High mounted shelf for helmets and other appropriate items. We have a lot of cycling stuff not counting the 6 bikes.

 

[Nat]

Get a mannequin, stand it up in the corner of your bedroom, and dress it up in all of your bike gear.

 

[bingemtbr]

So I have a dilema... I've got a bunch of mtb related gear, alot of it that I need access to daily, and very limited space. No garage or spare room or even closet space. My bike is residing in our small living room, which my lil' woman loves!
I need some storage ideas for my gear, which is currently scattered in several cardboard boxes which are also residing in our living room.
Here's what I need to stow in an organized manner and still be able to easily access:
2 full face helmets and 1 regular
Googles
Knee and elbow pads
Shin guards
Camelback
Shock pump
Floor pump
Spare folding tires
Spare rotors
Spare bars and stems
Misc. Spare parts
Sealant quart
Misc. essential bike maintenance tools
Ideally I would like to be able to have something that could double as something manageable to haul my gear in as well.
What do you do?

90% of my gear is stored in my vehicle. Extra tires and tubes under the third row seats (seats are stored flat, rarely used). Extra drive train(s), rotors, and chain whip are stored in storage area above the jack. I have three small bags for other tools, spare parts, and lube/sealant/cleaners. The larger of the bags is an oversized canvas laptop bag (it was free with luggage set), the smaller bags (one bag for tools, one for night riding lights) are canvas shower totes. I have one medium gear bag which contains gloves, helmet and shoes. The floor pump is stored in the cars cargo area.

Been living this way for 4 yrs. I also have a short (4'?) garden hose under the passenger seat (sponge and cleaner are in the canvas bag in back), I have 10' locking cable and 36" NYC Kryptonite lock under the drivers seat. The driver's side rear door (cupholder area) holds 4 bottles of lube, 3oz bottle of sealant, and a multitool. The passenger side rear door has extra tubes and 2 silipints.

I have a Kuat NV2 with the bike rack attachment. This set up has saved my rides several times. I nearly have a bike shop in my vehicle.

If you prefer to store your bikes/gear indoors, you only have one option: your girlfriend needs to have as many bikes as you. Then you can say, well 1/2 of that's yours!

 

[Rev Bubba]

Rent a small storage unit near your home. Something closet size is somewhat reasonable.

Why two full face helmets? Get ride of one. Get rid of your spares. They're available fast enough on line. If you miss a couple days riding to organize things, so what?

Do not do anything to p'!ss off your "lil' woman." It's her house too.

Put what you really need, which is likely much less then you have, in one of the plastic boxes others have mentioned and put it in your vehicle. You are the one who should be giving up space for bike stuff, not the other way around.

Take the wheels off your bike and store it in your vehicle too while you're at it.

Here's a better idea. Take up trail running and store your shorts and sneakers in a closet and get rid of all the bike stuff until you can afford a larger place.

My wife and I lived in a 380 sf condo on an island for a year while we were between houses and while she allowed two surfboards in the living room because she incorporated them in her décor, two bikes and bike gear spent the year in my Outback.
They were my hobby and were only allowed in the condo if we needed the back of the car for something else. I took responsibility for my things.

A life well lived requires compromises.

 

[Harold]

sounds like typical apartment living. I built a whole storage unit in the bedroom back when I lived in one. Plenty of shelves. Also hooks for things I needed to hang, since I couldn't put those hooks into the walls. When space is tight, you will have to get creative.

I am slowly improving the organization in my house now. I have plenty of space to use, but my utilization of it is poor. The bikes themselves are dealt with now, but I'll be making some trips to the Habitat ReStore to buy various cabinets and such, and adding more shelves with bins similar to what's described above. I currently have a whole closet inside the house dedicated to gear and I'd like to get that stuff into the garage eventually.

 

[dbhammercycle]

If you are somewhat handy, you find an old standing TV cabinet that looks like a piece of furniture the lil lady will like or at least not mind looking at in the living room and re-purpose it for your needs. The cabinet TV space would suit for the helmets and there's possibly room to put in a shelf or perhaps some small hooks along the side walls to hang stuff. Usually the cabinet will have drawers or small shelf cutout spaces for the ol' VHS tapes or DVDs which you can pack in how you like below the TV cabinet. Smaller plastic totes may help to organize the some of the stuff that can be grouped together.

I store my gear in a couple different places. I have a small table work area with a cabinet and drawers that stores tools along with some parts and mail slot style cabinet for other parts in the garage. Bikes hang from the rafters. I also have space in the basement for some tires and backup rims. I have nothing in plain view in the house, that's family territory guarded over by the wife, scribe of the laws of items acceptable and denied.

 

[tubbnation]

Get a mannequin, stand it up in the corner of your bedroom, and dress it up in all of your bike gear.

This, but use your lil' woman instead...

 

[Nat]

This, but use your lil' woman instead...

Ha, yes!!! "Honey, I'm ready for my helmet now. Come over here please."

I think she'll love this idea...