BIKE RACKS BLOG

I’m like you. I think the NAFTA freeway is a bummer. Because all these things are weird about it. First, it goes all the way through the county, without stopping, from Mexico to Canada, so now illegal people will be able to just drive into our country, and terrorists too, they can just drive in. Scary. And second, it will divide the country in half, and we will no longer be able to travel from the West USA to the East USA, or send mail, or call on the phone. Once the NAFTA freeway is built, you better like the side you live on. And third, it’s not going to be built from normal asphalt — they’re going to use mountains from national parks, and break them down, and use them. Starting with Mount Rushmore. Man, the world sure is changing fast. I just hope that when the make the freeway, they add a bike path, a bike lane, to it. So the foreign people have the option of being fit and healthy and going for a nice bike ride. Because oh yeah, did I mention? No Americans will be able to go on the NAFTA Freeway. Only non-Americans. Kind of a Bummer. Oh, well. Times change. But value never changes. You know what else I found out about (besides that Obama isn’t really an American)? This awesome Free Standing Bike Rack from Stacks and Stacks.

It’s probably the opposite of the NAFTA freeway. It’s cool, and it’s strong, and it’s black powder coated, and it could easily be called a steel framed free standing bike rack, one that gives you a storage option for your bikes that does not take up a huge footprint in your garage. Because footprints leave a trail. And that’s not cool, or organized, or anything you want in a bike rack. Since this unit is free standing it gives you the option of placing the rack anywhere! Anywhere! You decide, not like the NAFTA freeway, because we didn’t get to decide on that. They just started building it without telling us. But it’s okay, because this bike rack looks stylish and is able to handle up to 200 lbs worth of bikes. No wall required! Use it inside or outside, this rack can handle any bike holding job! So there you go. It’s a crazy world, but at least we can always count on Bike Racks to keep our bikes safe and secure, you know? Because it’s not like Chuck Norris is running for President or anything.

Oh wait, Chuck Norris IS running for President. Of Texas. Wow. Well, good luck!

As a huge fan of Bike Racks, I’m always suspicious of new ways to keep your bike safe! And that’s not just BECAUSE I like Bike Racks so much, but because these new systems of security are SO BAD. Really, really bad. Take this new EXCELOBIKE SAFE-T-LOCK SECURITY BOLT. It’s kind of like The Club, in that you just install it on you bike, and when you leave your bike, no one will be able to touch you bike and drive away. Because they would be electrocuted. But, see, even though I think that’s a worthy punishment for bike thieves, who deserve nothing short of painful death, look at what happened to a guy who had the EXCELOBIKE SAFE-T-LOCK SECURITY BOLT installed on his bike. He was just riding around in a parking lot. He wasn’t even parked and leaving his bike behind! Check it out:

That’s tragic! Crazy tragic! Oh well. Just use a Bike Rack, friends! Really. i don’t want what happened to that guy to happen to any of you! (Unless you’re a bike thief!) Boy, that is CRAZY! The guy just BLEW UP! Man. Hey, you know what else is BLOWING UP? The values at Stacks and Stacks. Check out this crazy Free Standing Bike Rack I found! It’s terrific!

It’s a strong, black powder coated, steel framed free standing bike rack, and it really gives you a storage option for your bikes that doesn’t take up a whole lot of space. Or blow you up! Since this unit is free standing it gives you the option of placing it anywhere. Which is why they call it free standing. AND this bike rack looks stylish AND is able to handle up to 200 lbs worth of bikes AND is awesome! No wall required! Use it inside or outside, this rack can handle any bike holding job! I want you to think about that. And think about not exploding, too! Good luck!

I’m going to show you a picture of a really cool Bike Rack that I found online at Stacks And Stacks, and then I want you to tell me that movie it reminds you of! Okay? Cool! No scrolling down to see the answer, either – no cheating!! Okay, ready? Here’s a picture of the Bike Rack – 2 Bike Road Comfort Stand:

Okay, I’ll give you 3 guesses to tell me what movie that looks like. No, not Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. He only had one bike, and it didn’t look anything like these two bikes. Guess again. I’ll give you a hint, think of a movie that is computerized! Okay, go! No, not Ghost Rider. He had only one bike, too. And his head was computerized. I’ll give you another clue, think of the word electronic. ElecTRONic. Okay, go! No, it’s not Wargames.  Yes, the kid was on a bike, but he wasn’t IN a computer! Okay, you give up. It’s TRON. The movie TRON. Remember Tron? Look at this!!!

That Bike Rack – 2 Bike Road Comfort is totally a Lightcycle from Tron! Well, it’s not the lightcycle part really, but when the bikes are on the rack, they look exactly the same. Which is really cool. And it made me think about the future and how bike racks will change in the future and how the Bike Rack – 2 Bike Road Comfort is going to be probably the benchmark for modern bike rack innovations in the years to come. And why not. Why struggle with obstructed walkways, damage to vehicles and wasted space when this bike rack does it all? Really! This space-saving bicycle rack is designed to hold two bikes of any style no matter what you and your family’s preference in bikes. The supercool, revolutionary design of this 2-bike stand accommodates front basket bikes, free-style bikes, hybrids and those BMX bikes if you have them, too! This garage bike rack keeps bicycles out of your way, yet is easily accessible with its patented nesting feature and narrow configuration that allows for a full walk space between the bikes and your vehicle, JUST LIKE TRON! Perfect for garages, apartments, dorms and basements, this bicycle storage rack eliminates bicycle sprawl, by establishing a consistent return-to location for a more organized space. It’s that cool. So make sure you think of Tron when you go shopping for a new Bike Rack, and be sure to pick up this awesome Bike Rack – 2 Bike Road Comfort! Good luck!

Check that guy out. Is he crazy? If he’s crazy, then he’s only going to be crazy for a few more seconds, because he’s about to splatter his brains all over the riverbed rocks. Ha-ha. But no, he’s not crazy! He’s a base-jumper, and he has a parachute. You can read about his crazy adventures right here on this cool bike blog that isn’t related to my bike blog. As much as it’s neat that he jumped of a cliff on a bike to base jump, I kind of resent that the bike is going to get destroyed, just in the name of fun. The bike doesn’t get a parachute, does it? No, I didn’t think so. It’s kind of like dog fights, where the dogs kill each other. Is that cool? No, it is not. I don’t like busted up bicycles and I don’t like dead animals. But anyway, the thing to look for in the picture above, is the gravity. No, you can’t see the gravity, but it’s there, believe me. If it wasn’t there, the guy wouldn’t need a parachute. And I wouldn’t be writing about gravity! Ha-ha. Okay, Gravity is pretty serious when you race off the edge of a cliff, but it’s pretty cool when you’re on the website Stacks and Stacks!

The space-saving Gravity Bike Rack holds 2 bicycles and helmets securely and needs no installation! Just choose a location and place the bike-rack against any wall. That’s all! No drilling into walls, and no mounting hardware. Pretty darn cool, dudes and dudettes! For added convenience, this unique bike storage stand has two hooks to hang riding helmets. Rubber pads on the back of the rack protect your wall. Perfect for apartments, condos, garages, homes and anywhere space is limited or permanent markings are prohibited. So think about that, the next time you can’t stand the situation you’re in, and want to jump off a cliff. Gravity is real, and it is dangerous, and it can kill you dead. But in the meantime, you can order this awesome Gravity Bike Rack from Stacks And Stacks.

I got so many nice letters about my movie review, that I’ve decided to do it again! Ha-ha! This time, instead of going to the video store, I decided to watch a movie on the line, from the Netflix, on the computer. My wife showed me how to do it, well, actually, she did it for me. The computer part.  I just watched it. It was called “Quicksilver” with Kevin Bacon, and it featured a whole bunch of bikes, and frustratingly, not a lot of bike racks, which is crazy because it took place on the fast streets of New York! Kevin plays a guy from way out of town, who gets a job with his rich uncle who owns a giant skyscraper business. The uncle has pity on him, and gives him a job as a bicycle courier. Kevin schemes to get to the top of the company by pretending to be a guy who got fired, and he does that guy’s job out of his vacant office, while still doing his bicycle courier job. Then the Uncle’s new wife starts hitting on Kevin, which is weird, but Kevin is in love with the Uncle’s mistress who is charge of Domestic Shipping. Then he discovers a secret that could get them all killed, and races around the streets of Little Italy and Hell’s Kitchen to stop the Russian Mob from killing the mistress, who he loves. It ends with a huge duel between Kevin’s bicycle and the mobster’s van. The aunt turns out to be an undercover FBI agent, and they stop the mob, and arrest the Uncle, who was bad, in a huge sting. The sting was called “Operation Quicksilver”. Kevin marries the mistress, and takes over the company. Man, it was some movie. But dude, NO BIKE RACKS.

So I guess I give “Quicksilver” no stars, because it had no bike racks. Sorry, Kevin. Maybe “Taking Chance” has more racks. I don’t know, because I only have Showtime. And now it’s time to show you something cool!

Look at that beauty! I know! After and hour and a half of watching a movie with NO bike racks, it was cool to get back to Stacks and Stacks to look at their wide selection of racks for bikes! This one is awesome, it’s a Free Standing 4-Bike Rack, which they sure could have used in the movie with the four main characters of Kevin, the Uncle, the Mistress, and the Aunt who was an FBI agent! The Free Standing 4-Bike Rack is a totally high quality, built-to-last bicycle storage rack that can accommodate a ton of different styles of bikes! And it’s perfect for families and people who collect multiple bikes (of different kinds). It’s got a rad durable powder coated steel frame with a ton of epoxy coating for maximum protection against the rough garage environment, or wherever it ends up (if Kevin had it, it would be New York City). The bicycle rack is easy to assemble, with no tools required, so it’s perfect for the average user! Which isn’t me, might be you, and certainly isn’t anywhere to be found in “Quicksilver”! Ha-ha! Good luck!

Let’s face it, criminals are scum, and crooks are bastards. They take what is not theirs and they give nothing back to the community. They have no class, no common sense, and no soul. Bicycle thieves are the worst of the worst, because if they steal your bike, your walking home. Thanks, crook. But thank heavens there are ways to stop these scumbags in their tracks, short of what we SHOULD do to them, which would be remove their hands like in the bible, because it’s not so easy to cut through my bike lock with no hands now, is it punk? The ways we can protect ourselves from these monsters are many, and most of them involve bike racks, believe it or not! The National Crime Prevention Council has a rad list of suggestion on how to keep what is yours yours, and not let those scum crooks make off with your bike. If I were you I get someone to help me print that page out, and either take it with you to remember, or memorize it. it could really save your bike! And so can this Gravity Bike Rack from Stacks and Stacks!

No bolts, No screws, No installation! You have to see it to believe it. Just rest this well-built bike rack against any wall in your garage, mudroom, or basement. This rack is 26″ wide at the base, and extends outwards 19″ from the wall, and uses a beefy, semi-circular base at a 45 degrees angle for stability! Hang two bikes from their top tubes, and you’ve solved a big storage problem in close-to-the-wall space you’ll never miss! Made from a durable baked enamel metal with padded feet and wall brace, this thing is tough! Independently adjustable arms keep both bikes completely level regardless of frame design, so it’s all good when you rack them! If only I could carry this bike rack out with me wherever I went, I sleep well knowing my bike would never get stolen! Well folks, be safe out there. It’s a dangerous place and you might get killed. Good luck!

I need to get personal for a moment. I don’t often write about matters of the heart here on Bike Racks Blog, but as it is a blog all about bike racks, and this story has to do with bike racks, then I feel it’s okay to tell it. Sometimes (more times than you would think), people, mean people, will come up to me, or write to me, or call me in the middle of the night, and tell me this blog is a useless gesture, that no one cares about bikes and bicycle riding, and certainly not about bike racks, and that smart people have moved on. That there’s this new thing called an automobile, an invention so cutting edge that you don’t need your feet to pedal it. That they took that automobile and wedged onto a bicycle and are calling it a motorcycle. That 1846 wants to know why modern humans haven’t evolved past two wheels, a seat, a chain, a sloped, paved hill, and hope. To all of them, I say down with you and your negativity. You know who likes bicycles? Smart people.

Albert Einstein rode a bicycle. He loved bicycles. And his best ideas came to him while he was riding. In fact the large book I read on him said that ALL of his ideas came to him while riding a bike. And you can bet he had ideas for bike racks! He was the smartest man ever — he probably could have designed the best bike rack of all if he wasn’t busy with his math and science and mad wizardry. And I can tell you with all certainty that if Albert Einstein was alive today, he would own this awesome Garage Bike Rack from Stacks And Stacks.

He would be able to park his bicycle in the garage, without the worry of mounting or lifting! He would know that this free-standing floor bike rack is the best, that it firmly holds one or two bikes, and fits easily into slim spaces, like between car and garage wall (even though he wouldn’t OWN a car, because he wouldn’t need one because all he would need is a bicycle). Einstein would also know that this indoor bike rack would hold any size wheel securely, without using a bike’s kickstand, keeping his bikes as safe as the science secrets he told the government. He would enjoy the rubberized feet, that would protect his laboratory floor against scratches from the rack’s steel frame, because smart people take precautions. And you know what? Smart people also write blogs. Blogs about bike racks. So for all the “haters” out there that potty-mouth trash-talk this blog, just “chill”. Maybe you should stop making fun of me and invest in a bicycle and improve your I.Q. and then pick up a Garage Bike Rack to go with it. Sticks And Stones may break my bones, but Stacks And Stacks sells Bike Racks. I suggest you lay off teasing me, and buy one. Good Luck!

That’s right, Folks! The Tour of California rolls into my favorite town this weekend! What better Valentine’s Day present can you think of than to have Lance and Levi roll through your backyard? To me, it’s hard to imagine anything more fun than watching the pros take on some of the toughest, and arguably the most beautiful, courses in the world!

I will be watching with my kids. We are going to drive close to the finish and then, appropriately, bike into the main event! So, how to get the bikes, the riders and the car safely to the show? A bike rack that mounts to the car, of course!

Here are some tips on different types of car bike racks, how to choose and where to find them:

• Trunk Mounted Bike Racks – These are great for beginners, since they are easy to use and don’t require much in the way of tools. A system of straps and cradles safely attaches your bike to the car. They usually transport anywhere from one to three bikes.
• Car Roof Top Bike Carriers – These have been around for ever, so you know that they have improved greatly over the year. If you do a lot of biking (for example, if you ride everyday after work), this is a great option because you can just leave it hooked up to your roof rack, you don’t have to set up a carrier each time you want to ride. They also have a high capacity, holding anywhere from one to five bikes, depending on the size.
• Hitch Mounted Bike Racks – Great if you are an outdoor enthusiast in general, as having a hitch mounted to your car will come in handy for more things than just biking. Since I have a boat, and therefore, a hitch on my car, I use this Car Bike Rack available at Stacks & Stacks.

Sometimes when I’m searching for great new Bike Racks to share, I’ll come across an item that will totally surprise me. Completely surprise! I have been well schooled in the ways of “normal” Bike Racks, or “standard” Bike Racks, if you will. In fact, I could probably teach a master class in the subject, ha-ha! But after looking at, buying, using, and reviewing only the best in Bike Racks for years, I was totally knocked over when I saw this:

Do you know what that is? Can you tell? Your eyes are probably playing tricks on you, but don’t be fooled, that’s a BIKE RACK! And even better, it’s a FOLDING BIKE RACK! I found it over at StacksandStacks.com, and man, it’s stunning! And innovative! It stores two bikes flat against the wall, and when this rack isn’t being used, it totally folds down! It folds flat! So it’s not hard to move around like most big racks, and because it’s small, when you fold it down, it takes up NO ROOM except a small amount of space on your wall! It also has a neat shelf to store shoes or helmets. The Folding Bike Rack is made from tough epoxy coated solid steel, and it has PVC cushioned sleeves to protect the bike’s finish AND comes with a lifetime warranty. Amazing! You should check it out. I’ve ordered 3, and I’m going to surprise my family. I’m sure my wife will figure out what it is quickly, but my two daughters, not so fast! It folds!

Bike races are tough business for real tough competitors, and they sure put those bikes through some real rough punishment. Have you ever been to one? Sometimes the sight of wrecked bikes is amazing. Someone called it “carnage”. But it always seems to come down to two riders, two riders at the top of their form, and they’re racing next to next. And while they respect each other’s talent, they usually hate each other. And these rider slam their bikes into each other at furious speeds, each trying to knock the other out of the race. It’s crazy. The bikes are just SMASHING into each other! Finally (FINALLY!) the battle comes to an end. We’re all out of breath, and a winner is awarded. Whew. Exciting!

You would never believe me if I told you, but it’s true, so I will — those very same bikes, bikes that lived to destroy each other, will sometimes find themselves mounted and secured on the SAME BIKE RACK! I’ve seen it happen. The world of Bike Racks is pretty mellow as a rule, but when you see these fierce competitors hanging around together, when you see that everything worked out okay in the end, it kind of gives you comfort. And that, speak of the devil, is the name of this really neat bike rack called The 2 Bike Road Comfort Stand from Stacks and Stacks! It’s a well-built bike rack and features a tough innovative narrow nesting feature, so the bikes can come together close and leave plenty of space around the rack. It holds almost any type of bike you can throw at it, and it’s patented, so you know it’s something special. If two intense rivals can end up calm and collected on the same bike rack, a rack called Comfort, who knows what else could happen in this crazy word?