Bicycles

Stowaway storage system is designed for people who look up to their bikes

Stowaway storage system is designed for people who look up to their bikes
Stowaway lets you stow your bike away against the ceiling
Stowaway lets you stow your bike away against the ceiling
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Attaching the Stowaway's loops to the stem and seatpost
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Attaching the Stowaway's loops to the stem and seatpost
Stowaway users start by pulling on the strap to which both lopps are attached, which raises the bike straight up off the floor
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Stowaway users start by pulling on the strap to which both lopps are attached, which raises the bike straight up off the floor
The Stowaway's second strap is then attached to the wheels
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The Stowaway's second strap is then attached to the wheels
The complete Stowaway system
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The complete Stowaway system
Stowaway lets you stow your bike away against the ceiling
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Stowaway lets you stow your bike away against the ceiling
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Bicycles can definitely get in the way when parked against the wall in a small apartment. That's why Dublin-based entrepreneur Sinead Geraghty created the Stowaway. It's a pulley-based system that lets you store your bike up against the ceiling.

To use the Stowaway, your first attach two of its loops to the handlebar stem and seatpost of your bike. You then pull on the strap to which they're both attached, which raises the bike straight up off the floor. Once it's at arm level, you then attach a second strap to its wheels. Pulling on this strap swings the bike sideways toward the wall, until it's flat against the ceiling. To get it back down, you just repeat the process in reverse.

The straps have a braking system, so they (and the bike) will stay in place if you let go of them. Additionally, the length of the horizontal yardarm-like bit can be adjusted to fit different bikes and different rooms, plus the Stowaway incorporates a counterweight system – this means that you're only lifting half the weight of the bike.

Stowaway users start by pulling on the strap to which both lopps are attached, which raises the bike straight up off the floor
Stowaway users start by pulling on the strap to which both lopps are attached, which raises the bike straight up off the floor

If you're interested in the Stowaway, it's currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. A pledge of US$107 will get you one, when and if they reach production.

For a more deluxe take on the same general idea (but one that's intended for installation in garages), check out the flat-bike-lift.

Source: Kickstarter

View gallery - 5 images
3 comments
3 comments
Daishi
I like the concept. My bikes are mounted flat on the wall but I use a couple kayak hoists similar to this for my canoe and a roof mount cargo box.
This would be great for cases where you have a shared apartment entry with a couple people and don't want to park your bicycle in the way. You could probably even combine it with wall hooks and use both depending how many bicycles you need to fit.
Intellcity
I have a lot of bicycles so I have made a lot of different ways to store them: two hooks for both wheels hanging from the ceiling, one ceiling hook and hanging vertically against a wall, one wall hook with the other wheel sitting on the floor, a center post with the bikes hanging 360 deg around it, same but with a rotating post, a free standing shelf for gear storage with hooks under it to hang bikes from one wheel, the same but leaning against a wall and the bikes turned 45 deg to save space.
This Stowaway design is similar but simpler than another that uses a frame with pneumatic cylinders to swing a bike up flat to the ceiling.
The Stowaway has given me an idea for an even simpler/cheaper way to do the same thing. You just need to have a lot of open ceiling space rather than a lot of wall space (if you have a dozen +/- bikes to store).
unklmurray
I hang my bicycle high up on the wall,However my Harley takes first place center of my living room.....I ain't got a hoist strong enough to put it on the ceiling!!........LOL :-)