Does Hanging Bikes Distort Rims?

[Frankly]

Or does five minutes of rolling smooth out months worth of distortion?

I'm thinking of hanging less used bikes from simple large hooks screwed into the ceiling of my garage, we are out of wall space for a dedicated bike hanger or anything bulkier.

If you tell me it does then I'll just hang my wife and kids' bikes.

 

[scott43]

Ha! This has been a funny ongoing argument for years on bike forums!! my answer is no. Prepare for contrarian arguments..

 

[BlueDevil63]

People really argue about this? Never seen any arguments on all the bike forums I am on. As someone who has built many, many wheels I would have to say absolutely not. Hang away.

 

[François Pugh]

Compared to what happens when you actually ride the bike in the real world? Not at all!

 

[at_nyc]

What are the arguments? I'm now getting really curious.

When a bike sits on the ground for months, the weight of the bike is on two wheels. Assuming the bike weights 20lbs, that's 10lb per wheel.

When the bike is hung, its weight is on one wheel. That's 20lb total.

Does anyone really think that makes a difference?

When a rider sits on the bike, it's something like 50-100lb per wheel, to put it in perspective

 

[Frankly]

My thinking is that rolling on the bike is going to equalize the rims and make them circular again anyway but thanks for the confirmation that I'm not doing irreparable harm!

 

[at_nyc]

I get your thinking. That's my initial reaction too.

But then I realize a bike spend most of the time un-ridden, sitting on 2 wheels for days and months. The only difference to hanging is one wheel vs two. So if sitting on 2 wheels doesn't damage the wheel, hanging on 1 wouldn't either.

 

[scott43]

What are the arguments? I'm now getting really curious.

Some people believe rims are made out of pizza dough..

 

[CalG]

Since bike wheels are actually made of super cooled liquids like chocolate and glass, Hanging bikes by their wheels does distort the wheel.
The effect persists for approximately 14 nano seconds after the bike is "un hung", but the aroma of chocolate and the crinkle of broken glass persists for much longer periods of time. perhaps 100 times longer, in some instances, as verified by laboratory trials conducted in the chocolate factories of the Schott glass works.

Or, I could have misread the physical properties of metals tables in my copy of Machinery's Handbook. ')

 

[crgildart]

Only on Taco Tuesdays!


How about my fat azzz sitting on it??

 

[François Pugh]

I bet there is a finite elements program somewhere that could calculate the microscopic deflection in the wheel from hanging a bike by it's wheel. I bet you could also calculate the amount of creep (if any) that would come over time. I bet it's less than the tolerance of manufacture of the wheels themselves.

 

[Monique]

I've never noticed an issue.

 

[crgildart]

I was more worried about the stress on the headset and forks when I hung my vintage collectable bike in the shed.. Decided to hang it by the back wheel for those reasons..

 

[CalG]

Do the math

1 g static weight, vs 4-5 g PLUS dynamic (impact) loading.

Your "worries" are unfounded, hang the bike any way it fits.

 

[Monique]

Okay, what about the thing about not hanging by the fork if the fork has suspension?

 

[newfydog]

I'm sure it would---in geologic time.

 

[crgildart]

Okay, what about the thing about not hanging by the fork if the fork has suspension?

Do the front forks require fork oil sealed inside them like motorcycle forks do? I'd be wary of hanging the bike upside down if the fork oil could seep out.. I'd also be wary of hanging the bike from the front wheel if it's a lot heavier than non suspension bikes... Newer ones post Y2K are probably light enough and strong enough to be fine...

 

[scott43]

There's also nothing wrong with hanging it from the front wheel only, other than the fork oil possibly leaking if you have a weepy seal and an open bath fork.

 

[Don in Morrison]

I hang my bike by both wheels. No different than sitting the bike on its wheels to store it. The wheels are fine. No one will ever notice anything.

This is akin to the question of hanging skis by the tips. I don't think that's a problem either.

 

[crgildart]

There's also nothing wrong with hanging it from the front wheel only, other than the fork oil possibly leaking if you have a weepy seal and an open bath fork.

Would you do that with a motorcycle, say a YZ80??

The bike I have in storage is essentially a motorcycle with pedals instead of an engine.. I decided back wheel was better than front wheel.