We've been running into the same problem. If you have wall space a rather cheap way to get more packed in is to build a frame-work w/ 2-by-4s and screw bike hooks into them and hang as many bikes as possible by their front & rr. wheels (alternating them helps); keeping the hooks like 18" apart is a good distance we've found. If you built a self-standing framework w/ 4x4s and hooks you could store more bikes in an area without wallspace. However, after packing more bikes under the hanging bikes you'll find it's tough to then get at the hanging bikes, so while this is cheap and quick to build over time it's a hassle, not to mention the strength required to get heavier bikes hung up & the risks to staff in pulled muscles, etc.
I've seen some pics of Harvard's Quad Bikes storage of bikes and it looks like a much better way to store bikes for much less money. Here's a before shot: http://www.quadbikes.org/resources/photos/History/2006-Winter/WeightRoom2.jp g
And after: http://www.quadbikes.org/resources/photos/History/2006-Winter/WeightRoom3.jp g
Here's links to other photos of Quad Bikes that might be helpful: http://www.quadbikes.org/resources/photos/History/
Tim
Sam Santos writes:
I'm a member and volunteer at The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign. Due to a recent donation of abandoned bikes from the local university, we are dealing with some space problems. Space has always been an issue, but this new donation makes it plainly obvious that we need to build something that will allow us to store bikes a bit better than our current non-solution of leaning them against each other.
I'm certain other co-ops and collectives have run into this issue, and I would love to hear how you solved it. If you built some cool storage rack, shelf, hanging thing or whatever, I would be incredibly interested to hear about that. I would be even happier if you could describe how you built it or had pictures of the finished structure. No point in re-inventing the wheel here. If there is a great solution that can be built cheaply, I'm all for it.
Thanks... and have fun at BikeBike. Wish I could be there as it sounds like an awesome time.
--sam
Tim Potter Coordinator MSU Bikes Service Center Bessey Hall Auditorium, Lower level On the N. River Trail & 300 ft. West of the Farm Ln. Bridge 517/432-3400 bikes@msu.edu www.bikes.msu.edu