[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

I'm moving from a single-family home in the suburbs (with a backyard and hose for cleaning my bike) to the 16th floor of a nice high-rise in the city, and would love to hear any advice/feedback about being a mountain biker in the concrete/carpeted jungle. i.e. any suggestions for cleaning my bike off prior to getting to my high-rise? Dare I roll a muddy-looking bike down my fancy carpeted hallway even if no dirt is falling off of it... will my neighbors automatically complain about that?

And does anybody have pics of ways that they store their freeride/DH bikes in their apartments? I can't build anything in it 'cause I'll be renting, not owning. (I won't have a balcony, either.) Right now I lean my bike against a wall and sit it on a towel to catch falling dirt if I don't fully wash it before I get in the house.

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Jayridesacove]

I suggest something like this product.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=17082&subcategory_ID=6600

If you only have one bike, you can put it on the top, which leaves room underneath for items.

 

[pnj]

I won't be suprised if they don't allow you to keep your in your apt. more then likely you'll be forced to lock it up in the shared storage area. so buy a REALLY good lock or five.

no idea how you would clean it before you get in the apt. if you don't have access to a hose or bag of rags...

the only other advice I can offer is, be street smart. don't talk to strangers and don't buy drugs on the streets. don't hand out change to scumbags, it only encourages them.

 

[narlus]

moving out of the city was liberating in that i didn't have to worry about dirt/grease on the carpets, and i'd have a basement to stash the bikes.

this isn't as ideal, but can you keep the bikes at a local friend's place?

 

[stinkyboy]

Make friends with the building maintenance people, as they surely have access to a hose.

Oh yea, these suk: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=17438

 

[jmvar]

Hey Jen, I am jealous......I want to move out of the burbs and into the city.....

I asked people this and they said they have one of those garden sprayers that you pump up in their cars. Just pump it up and it shoots pressurized water that can help clean the bike off. That and lots of rags. Or just drag it through the creek at the shed.

http://www.cornerhardware.com/cat_756

Is there a service entrance/elevator in the building?

 

[N8 v2.0]

Advice? Moving from suburbs to city

I suggest something in a nice hefty .45 acp.

That should give you an edge over the local ganstas who pack 32 auto's or a 9mm.

 

[sanjuro]

I suggest something in a nice hefty .45 acp.

That should give you an edge over the local ganstas who pack 32 auto's or a 9mm.

Single shot pistol vs. Tec-9/Uzis/and AK's? Or is that a rap lyric?

 

[N8 v2.0]

Single shot pistol vs. Tec-9/Uzis/and AK's? Or is that rap lyric?

.45 acp semi-auto is all one needs when confronting those who spray and hope.

 

[narlus]

pretending to be charles bronson can be so liberating.

 

[sanjuro]

I'm moving from the suburbs to a high-rise in the city

My experiences with building management is that they are small minded people who at best, tolerate bikes. To them, bikes are $100 items which you lock up outside in the rain.

I worked in a luxury hi-rise office, and for 6 months I brought my road bike up to my office with no problems from security, cleaning staff, or other building tenants. I was careful about not scuffing the floors or bothering anyone.

After that, there was a change in building management, and the manager's assistant noticed me rolling my bike through lobby and told me to cease and desist. I told her I was not a bike messenger (which she assumed), and I politely told her to go toss off. Naturally it went up the ladder to the manager, and after a brief discussion she informed me in writing to stop bringing my bike into the building.

A week of locking my bike outside, I worked late and came out to find my bike robbed its light and pump. With approval from my company's office manager (who negotiated the rental of two entire floors), I called up their corporate hq (5 states away) and made a stink with the building manager's boss.

She was mad as hell after I did that, but what did she expect? I wasn't an individual bike messenger but an employee of a company which paid rent on two floors of their building. She relented and agreed to let me lock my bike in the loading dock. The first thing the security chief did after he showed me where to lock it was to apologize about this whole mess and said this is what he would have done in the first place.

My advice, be nice to the building manager and be sure what they will allow. They might expect you to lock your bikes in a rack outside.

Frankly, where can I put my bikes would have been been the first question I asked BEFORE signing a lease. Oh, and I use two of the Supergo/Performance bike stands in my apartment. Cheap and strong, but the first thing I did was peel off the Supergo sticker.

 

[OGRipper]

It's a pain. Yeah you should make sure you'll be allowed to even bring a bike into your apartment. Assuming you can, there are lots of storage options. I bought a heavy duty garment rack that is about 7 feet tall and 7 feet wide, then fashioned some sliding wheel hooks from some random hooks I found at a hardware store. I can get six bikes on there in the space of about two on the floor.

As for cleaning, if there is a parking garage in your building or nearby, there is probably a hose for people wash their cars, you might be able to work something out.

Or you could transform yourself into an urban assault warrior and never get muddy!!

 

[DamienC]

Jenn - next time you're over at my place, have a gander at my bike room/home office if you want some ideas. I'm pretty happy with the setup in there with 4 bikes stored on this and one hanging out on its own. Plus I have still have space in there for a workstand/work area and my home office. As for cleaning the bikes, I usually just let the dirt/muck dry, then brush/wipe it off outside. I have hardwood floors in the bike room covered by foam play mats like these so if I need to I can brush off dirt in there and just vacuum up afterwards.

To where are you moving? Somewhere in DC? Congrats!

 

[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

Thanks to everybody for the advice. No, I didn't sign the lease yet, but I loooove the place so I'm moving there no matter what and working the bike in somehow. I do have a place to store my bike out in the 'burbs if I need to, as I refuse to lock a $2000+ bike up in the bike storage down in the parking garage.

I came up with an idea that might help me out, too... I'll take the wheels off to bring it into the apartment. That way I'll just be carrying the frame in one trip and the wheels in another (on the service elevator)... I don't see how the management could be opposed to me carrying a bike frame into my apartment. A frame with no wheels attached to it is less intimindating, yes?

 

[Barbaton]

I just bought one of these. Installed it 2 days ago in my living room which is the only room i have enough space, and only vertical space. So far, so good, though i'm a little worried about putting weird stresses on my rims...