Need help with designing this bike rack

I would use a wooden closet rod. They are about 1 3/8” in diameter IIRC and can be found at good lumber companies. The ends and middle can be supported with standard closet rod fixtures. HTH

-- Art

That whole fixture looks very much like a standard closet shelf with rod brackets and a standard closet rod.
Only thing I see different is the little bands that wrap around the tire. Even those are hooked onto regular “S” hooks.
I think you could pick up that whole setup at the BORG.
If you want it to look classy, use Walnut dowell for the rod and mke a white painted shelf, for contrast with the walnut.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Yes closet rods. They come in 8’ lengths. You can buy metal support brackets that will hold these. they will also support a shelf for other gear etc. Time to go shopping. Support often. each end is not enough.

I think you all are missing the amount of torsion that those hooks are going to be putting on that rod. I would bet after a coupling hangings that wooden dowel is gonna split. I’m betting his road bikes are about 18lbs each, his CX is about 20, and the mountain bikes unless insanely expensive are 20-30 or more. In order for the left right swing, the base of the “s” of those hooks have to remain vertical. The reason these things are so damn expensive is they are probably using solid or very thick walled steel rod.

I don’t think your going to come off too far ahead if you don’t have the tooling to make wood look nice, or a drill press to ensure that your center drilling thru what ever rod your going to use. Not only that, but the garish colors that most bikes are are gonna look a bit weird hanging on black walnut. But I like the idea that a guy would rather do things himself.

What tools do you have available/beg/borrow?

-- Brian

I checked sagulator with the following assumptions: walnut closet rod, 1.375” square (sagulator is for shelves and doesn’t do round), 140 pounds total load over 8 feet, supports every 2 feet. The result was 0.01 inches sag per foot. FWIW

-- Art

Look closer at the photo, those hooks are center bored thru the dowel. That’s what allows you to swing the bikes left and right.

-- Brian

Thank you all for the help so far! Swyftfeet I can get access to about any tool I need. That is a good thought about the colors of bikes and a nice wood rack not really standing out. I am still thinking of making something but I need to make sure it will work with the center bored hooks that swivel in the rod. I am wondering if that is when the wood would not be the best material as constant use of moving back and forth would wear on that hook-bore area and create slop?

What is the diameter of the hooks? Could you drill the holes over sized to epoxy in a bushing?

-- Art