Forum menu
You really need a dartboard.
And a disco ball.
Will be able to give more advice once we've had a nosey round at the housewarming weekender. ๐
Theres an opening in roof storage to climb up on a ladder or upturned milk crate. Being slatted means you can see where your stuff is from below, and also helps keep things well aired.
The hooks are are just like these tortec ones although mine are branded "Flinger".
http://www.bikesyoulike.co.uk/product/938/TorTec_Wall_Mount_Bike_Storage_Hook
I got a box of ten of them off ebay for a steal
I also recommend installing a corkscrew and a wine rack. A digital radio for 6M, natch, and a nice stool.
Also, screw the environment and fit a f-off big halogen spot lamp which can act like a heater in winter ๐
OH and depending on whether you're likely to be disturbed by the other half or kids, fit a throw bolt on the INISDE so you can lock yourself in. LALALALALA I CANT HEAR YOU!!!!!!
ianv - fantastic idea! A mini climbing wall (bouldering mats could double up as a spare bed, or extra large throw cusions to keep TSY happy?)... or maybe a couple of traversing routes round the room? Plus a finger board ๐
mmm - at this rate I'm going to have to knock through the wall and expand the wo-wo man cave into the utility room to make more space
Rusty Spanner - I sure am having a housewarming party, just not sure that an open invite to a (predominatly male!) mtb'ing forum would be wise! However, I might organise a North Wales ride at some point after moving ...
Indeed... Our (wo)man/kids cave has the following... bikes, tools, workbench (with 2 vices, large and small) tools, inc. DIY ones, all camping, climbing, etc. kit and an adjustable bouldering wall (overhang to vertical/slab). Also use the space for turbo sessions.
Good lighting and a fan for the summer. Radio/music device.
Could just do with being a bit taller for the wall, but other than that, pretty spot on.
Sorry, no photo's though... I may get some later if I remember!
I'm getting excited now...we have a prefab garage which is stuffed to the gills with mine and MrsPJM's accumulated junk. We need to spend a weekend clearing the crap out and organising the place.
She's a rock climber too so maybe I can install some rafters for her to store her climbing gear on? I love the idea of a rubber floor and beanbags too.
And a stereo...
Thanks for the inspiration all!
Graham_Clark - adjustable bouldering wall sounds great ... any details / info? Did you make it yourself, or buy it?
Layout doesn't only depend on dimensions but also on height and the position of the door.
Your 5 by 3 isn't the handiest as its a bit of a narrowish corridor.
Assuming your door is on one of the 3m walls that is if its in the middle of the 5m wall you are lucky.
You will need a passageway all the way through so count on either in the middle or on one side a 1m corridor unusable(thats one third of your surface gone).
Am setting up a similar cave of 2.5 m by 5
Bikes will be mounted from ceiling wall in vertical position over the whole width of the 2.5 wall this is by far the most space efficient. Put your hooks not to high so you only need to lift the bike a little say wheel 10 cm from floor its the high mounts that people regret.
So your last 1m by 3m is all suspended bikes. The spot before them is an ideal working place say 2m by 3m in this space shelving will take up to much width to be on both sides but one side you can do or the above mentionned wal mounted boards.
If you insist on horizontal if sufficient height mount two above each other saves space of course the less used higher up as lifting takes energy. If so lucky to have a very high ceiling say 3m plus you can get a bike lift and suspend bikes from ceiling and save wall and floor space. My recumbent is about 15 feet up in my old cave.
Don't forget room for spare wheels its not only bikes but wheels also plan for the future if you have 5 bikes design for 7 if no boyfriend husband bikes counted ad some.
Shelving very important you will want some open and closed shelves(for smaller bits or dust free storage.
The open ones are great but there are some but's. Make sure your wall is flat and that they are attached to the wall else stuff might fall inbetween. VERY important shelve debth you will see lots only 30 cm or 40cm rubbish. get them as deep as possible its all extra space for and costs you no extra wall space. Make sure your shelving is strong enough( stuff is heavy). Yet you shelves high enough so you can make use of the top for not often needed stuff once a year big tools spare climbing rope you actually only get out once a year. The spare tent stuff you keep but should have actually trown away 5 years ago(at least you still have it and it won't loose place.
Proper lighting several power points(as inevitably some will get inacessible or get a permanently attached iteam to it). For lighting think of shelves make sure they don't take light away, Stronger lighting on the work spot think of you own shade when choosing where to mount.
Source of heating.
Think of safety ground or wall anchor so you can get your bikes nicely attached and less burgular prone.
Always nice to work on a cave though you will want another on or a bigger one soon. Currnetly have at 4 by 2.5 and high ceelings in parents place. A 4 by 5 utility/cave and then the 2.5 by 5 bikes only cave in progress I do have more then 10 bikes though and some extra wheels
I wouldn't bother with an adjustable wall. They are a pain to make and a slab/vertical section is pretty useless for training. Start with a 30degree overhang and as you get stronger either put smaller holds/ wood edges on or rebuild at about 45 degrees. 3 sheets of 8 x 4 ply and a kickerboard would make a nice little wall in the space you have.
The wall is self-build, and pretty simple really. It needed to be adjustable enough to suite our kids (5 & 8) and me and the missus, and also to ensure there was enough space in the room to do other stuff - turbo use, maintenance, etc. Having a fixed overhang would have left us too short of space.
Pretty easy to construct, have a hunt around on the web as there are many ideas on how, but I basically built a short up-stand on the brickwork (good for footholds, etc.) then mounted a frame on top of that with a number of larg-ish gate hinges mounted directly to the frame (before covering with ply). Wall held at an angle with a number of heavy duty gate bolts on each side. One side into existing vertical wall, and the other into a wall I built to have more shelving and storage behind.
Also a useful storage space behind the wall for long-ish timber, set of steps, etc.
TV? In a cave? 2m Beamax Electric screen and projector, I think you mean!
Nothing wrong with hanging bikes from the ceiling. I have two tandems hung this way. You wouldn't want to remove them daily. But my commuter sleeps vertically. Spacing is standard joist spacing (18" I think). I wheel them up the wall.
And you need a 30 tonne vice bolted to a workbench (mine's an old pine table). For seatpost removal, obviously.
[i]Assuming your door is on one of the 3m walls that is if its in the middle of the 5m wall you are lucky.
You will need a passageway all the way through so count on either in the middle or on one side a 1m corridor unusable(thats one third of your surface gone).[/i]
One of the first things I did when we moved in was to move the back door in the garage to the side, that way I could get a full width bench across the back wall.
