# Dorm Room Storage



## 800m (Jul 24, 2010)

Hi all, I've posted a few times here and there, but am definitely still new to the forum. Anyway, I'm a freshman in college and am considering buying a road bike. The only issue I'm having is when I should get it. I'm planning on purchasing it from an LBS near my home (~5 hrs away from school), since I figure to be there during the peak riding season (summer). 

Anyway, I would like to purchase it soon, (maybe over winter break since I will only be home for 4 days during Thanksgiving--hardly enough time to test ride multiple bikes from different shops) but I'm not sure about storing it in my dorm room. Its not exactly a huge room, but I think I can figure out a place to store it, somewhere out of the way so it would be safe from getting bumped and jostled. 

Now obviously no one can see the inside of my room, but I was just looking for general suggestions. Bring the bed out from the wall a bit and slide it back there? If I had my way, i would drill a couple of hooks up on the wall and hang it there, but campus housing might have a few things to say about that


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## Aindreas (Sep 1, 2010)

Hooks might be the best idea, since dorm life can get a bit rowdy at times. You can fill in the holes with plaster, then repaint it and no one is the wiser. We did this many a time. Sometimes with toothpaste. What the Dean/RAs don't know about won't hurt them. Hell, maybe they won't care. The bed idea may result in bike grease-covered sheets. 

Also, see if there is a bike registry program at yr school. Use it. Ohio State even has a free tracking device program going on. Even if yr new bikey is in yr room, don't assume it's 100% safe, esp if yr roomie forgets to lock the door. College campuses are notorious for bike theft. (Much of that theft is done to people who do a crappy job of locking and securing their bikes.) 

What bike manufacturers are you looking at? And if you don't already know, many places sell hooks specifically for bikes.


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## aengbretson (Sep 17, 2009)

A few years ago I was an RA and I kept a bike in my room, which was against rules. My senior RA didn't care, nor did the rez life administrator for my building. Fortunately I had a room to myself (although only a standard single in which I put my own double bed) so I just kept it in a convenient spot. Just stay on your RA's good side and they're generally reasonable people (remember, they're students themselves, often doing the RA thing to minimize the cost of living, not because they want to have power or are giant douches).

Depending on your ceiling, you could consider hanging it from there with some straps. I know a lot of dorms have dropped tile ceilings. Slide two tiles aside, find some reinforced mounting points, and pass the straps around those. Hang by your wheels. A fellow RA hung his rez-issue single bed from the rafters so he could put in a double bed so they can often take quite a bit of weight...


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## old_fuji (Mar 16, 2009)

Take the wheels off and stash the whole thing under your bed...Or, what I've done is slide a piece of furniture out from the wall and slide the back wheel in there. That'll give you an instant work stand as well, since it immobilizes the back of the bike!

Ooooorrrr, look into your school's bike storage policy. If they have some sort of covered or indoor storage, look into it! People in general are huge pussies, and don't normally steal stuff, especially bikes. I can't tell you how many pretty nice bikes I've seen abandoned for months at a time on campus around here, simply because people don't pick them up. Around here, anyway, bike theft is not much of a problem.


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## DWbikeNY (Aug 26, 2010)

Aindreas said:


> You can fill in the holes with plaster, then repaint it and no one is the wiser. We did this many a time. Sometimes with toothpaste. What the Dean/RAs don't know about won't hurt them.


LOL...gum and white out works too if you have white walls.


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## 800m (Jul 24, 2010)

Thanks for all of the good suggestions! While we do have covered bike racks outdoors, I'm kinda reluctant to leave a $1500 purchase outside, even double locked. While the campus itself is mostly safe, my dorm is right on the edge of it and a pretty rough area is not too far away. There are some problems with bike theft, and a brand new road bike will certainly look more enticing to a potential thief than the rust bucket huffys that make up the majority of bikes on campus. Even though there is a registry program, I'm not sure how much help that will be if the bike is stolen and taken off campus. Also, would it be ok to leave a bike outside in freezing temperatures? 

Anyhow, at this point i'd like to do it without making holes in the wall, just because it would be less hassle later to take care of. However, it does seem like the best option in most respects, so that may just be what I end up doing.


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## Aindreas (Sep 1, 2010)

Taking care of holes in the wall or ceiling is usually very easy. Even if you do it right (i.e. no toothpaste or gum/white out). In the winter, parking the bike outside is often better, since the bike is already cold. A warm, room-temperature bike is way more likely to have its derailleurs or brakes freeze up when water freezes up inside all the little moving parts. But don't park it outside unattended. Just hang out with your new two-wheeled pal for a few minutes until it becomes as cold as the air temp before heading out on a ride.

Check out yr campus's registry program. If it's free, why not? And if you absolutely positively _must_ lock it up outside, you cannot spend too much on one of those 10-lb krypto-chain thingies.


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## dust3313 (Jul 30, 2010)

I am also a college freshman, although i go to a community college and still live with my parents, my bedroom is smaller than most dorms and i keep both of my bikes in it. they are usually between my bed and a wall but i do work on them quit a bit so sometimes one just floats around by the foot of my bed which is the only place in my room with a considerable amount of floorspace.


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## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

when a friend of mine told me how to keep my new bike in a small space he said to put one hook on the wall to stand the bike on the back wheel hook on the front wheel to hold it up. Put hook up about the length of the bike up the wall


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## aCab (Oct 28, 2010)

why not a rack that leans up against the wall that can store two bikes? Just keep your bike on the upper rack and slide your desk in front of it? 

Something like this:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1023855_-1_1552500_20000_400245

just keep the bike on the upper rack and put furniture like a dresser or your desk in front of it at the bottom.


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## aCab (Oct 28, 2010)

this one may work better as it doesn't have to be bolted to the ceiling:

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1023873_-1_1563500_20000_400245


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## estone2 (Sep 25, 2005)

I just jammed my bikes into my room, apologized to my roommate, and gave him a 6 pack. He was so happy to get beer that he immediately consented to me putting 4 bikes in the dorm.

Keeping bikes in a dorm room, you'll have to make compromises about being able to do things like, for instance, walk around the room. And your roommate is going to f*cking hate you, but it all evens out.


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## pdh777 (Oct 7, 2005)

When I was in the dorm - the bike was in my car trunk - no way it wasn't going to piss off the roomate.


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## m_s (Nov 20, 2007)

When I was in the dorms we had the option of getting our beds lofted. I did this and then fit 1-2 bikes comfortably underneath, along with some other stuff.


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