Where Do I Keep My Bike

Calgary has approximately 700 kilometres of pathways connecting along the Bow & Elbow Rivers, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Nose Creek, West Nose Creek, the Irrigation Canal and the perimeter of Glenmore Reservoir. The Calgary Greenway is a 138 kilometres pathway that will eventually loop around the city and we already have another 290 kilometres of on-street bikeways in place. Bikeculture is growing and more and more people are taking advantage of the great cycling in and around Calgary. As an interior designer, the question I often hear is "Where do I keep my bike?" Don't worry; I have some smart, well-designed solutions for you.

Single and buying a new condo? How about a great bike storage solution from Knife & Saw? Their bike shelf will display your custom fixie or your upright cruiser like the piece of art it really is. I like the idea of hanging it in your entryway or living room and using the shelf above it for practical storage like mail or keys. It's available in either solid walnut or solid ash, comes in two sizes for an accurate fit and is available at www.theknifeandsaw.com

Have a family of cycling enthusiasts? Save space in your garage or basement by mounting all of the bikes on one wall. I like easy to use vertical systems like Steadyrack Bicycle Racks. You simply roll your bike up into a wheelie position and place the wheel on the rack to store your bike upright while protecting walls, tires and bike parts. You can find this system at The Bike Shop in Calgary.

Have a big backyard? Consider building a specialized bike shed. You will want something that locks even if your yard is secure. You will also want to keep all of your bike tools and a good bike stand in it so you can maintain your bike. The University of Calgary offers bike maintenance courses to help you look after your two-wheeled investments.

A bike for every sport? Ok, lets talk about the family or couple that have mountain bikes, city bikes, road bikes and cross bikes to store. I fall into this category. If you have a garage, chances are there is no room for the car once you fit all of the bikes in there. In this case my best suggestion is to purchase a cargo bike from bikebike.ca and get rid of the car altogether. Alternatively, you could always buy a bigger house and a larger garage. That's fun too.