If like us, you base the number of bikes you need on the n+1 formula (n = number of bikes owned), then accessing the particular bike you need for any given situation can be a pain as it's usually the one stuck behind all the others.
North Wales based company, Stashed Products, have looked to address this issue with the Spacerail, which essentially works like a fancy clothes rail for hanging bikes. Just like your wardrobe, the system allows you to store your bikes on hangers, which in this case are a series of movable hooks, and slide the hung bikes left to right and spin them 360 degrees to create more space.
I installed a Spacerail system in my garage in early summer and have been putting it to use on an almost daily basis ever since, so what's the Spacerail like to live with and is it worth shelling out for?
Design and installation
The test system supplied by Stashed consisted of two Spacerail units, a connection piece to join the rails together and eight hooks.
This particular setup adds up to £569.99, though the most basic system costs £159.99 for one rail and a single hook, though I'm struggling to see why anyone would buy a Spacerail setup if they only owned one bike. Handily, the system is completely modular and it's easy to add more hooks (£59.99 each) or rails to your existing setup if your needs change.
The rails themselves are 1196mm long and made from aluminium. They come with end caps to stop the movable hooks from coming off the end of the rail and a joining piece to attach rails to another if you buy a setup like ours with more than one rail.
The rails have a channel on the underside which houses the base of the hooks. The hooks themselves are made from stainless steel with rubberized plastic covering the lower section to prevent scratches to your wheel rims. The hooks sit in a wheeled trolley that can be positioned wherever you fancy along the rail. Spring-loaded internals stop the unweighted carrier from moving, making it easier to hang your bike. With a bike attached the hooks move freely and can spin 360 degrees in their trolleys too.
The test kit arrived in two boxes and I was pleased to see that Stashed have managed to avoid using any non-recyclable materials or plastics in the packaging. Building the Spacerail was pretty straightforward and the kit comes with detailed instruction booklets. You'll need a torque wrench with a 4mm hex bit, a number 2 pozi drive bit, impact driver, electric drill, spirit level and a long 3mm drill bit for assembly and fitting.
The exposed beams of my garage were ideal for attaching the rail mounting plates to and there was plenty of ceiling height – you'll need to account for the rail and hook which are 190mm in total, plus the length of your longest bike. Stashed say you should situate your rail 600 to 700mm away from the nearest wall, I located my rail 670mm away, which gave enough wall clearance for my longest 29er MTB to hang freely.
An extra pair of hands is essential when fitting the rails in place. Once up, you simply slide in the hooks and trollies on, add the end caps, hang your bikes in place then admire your handiwork. The width of the trolleys can be adjusted by adding a spacers to help prevent flat pedals etc from scratching adjacent bikes, though Stashed also make neoprene pedal covers to solve this problem too.
As well as the direct mount overhead system tested here, Stashed also make Spacerail systems with wall mounted and angled ceiling fittings.
Performance
The Spacerail system makes accessing individual bikes a doddle and it's easy to grab the one you want and hook it back on again after your ride. I've been storing a maximum of eight mountain bikes over two rails which is probably about right, though you could conceivably squeeze a couple more in, particularly if they were all drop bar bikes.
Weight-wise, each rail can take a maximum load of 120kg and each hook is rated to 30kg making Spacerail compatible with most e-MTBs – providing you can lift your e-bike into place without putting your back out that is.
The hook trolleys all run and spin just as smoothly as the day they were installed and there have been zero issues with end caps coming off and the like. My only minor gripe is that the spring mechanisms that hold the unloaded hooks in place could be a touch stiffer, as it's easy to accidentally knock the hook out of position if you're not totally accurate when lifting the bike into place.
Verdict
The Spacerail system is a great storage option for riding families and owners of multiple bikes as it makes accessing individual bikes much easier. It's not exactly a space saver though as bikes don't hang straight down. That said, the extra space it does take up, when compared to leaning your bikes against each other, is the relatively dead space above them and if you use the Spacerail as designed, you're less likely to damage your bikes too.
Price-wise, the Spacerail system certainly isn't cheap, but when you compare it to the (mostly) single bike storage offerings from other manufacturers, it's definitely competitive. I really like the modular aspect that allows you to expand the system as required, and this of course means you don't have to shell out a big wad of cash to get started.
All in all, this is a well thought out, well realized and robust solution to storing and accessing two or more bikes that's easy to expand as your bike collection grows. For product info and purchasing options, head to stashed.co.uk.
Tech specs: Stashed Products Spacerail
- Price: from £159.99 per rail with one hook, shipping not included
- Shipping options: International
- Length: 1196mm per rail
- Materials: 6063 T6 aluminium rail, stainless steel fixings and hooks, nylon trolley bases
- Max weight capacity: 30kg per hook, 120kg per rail
