Review
Most of the mountain bikers I know have a lot of gear deal with. There are tools, work stands, shoes, apparel, pads, helmets, spare parts and seasonal variations of many of these. The longer you’ve been riding, and the keener you are, the more crap you likely have to deal with. If, like me, you have a smidgen of hoarder DNA, your gear stack might be particularly unruly. This becomes a bigger problem when you are late for a ride with your buddies and a vital piece of gear (helmet? gloves? a shoe?) is nowhere to be found. If you were late the last time, you’ll be buying the beer.
Stashed, makers of the Spacerail bike storage system I reviewed in early 2024, know your pain, and they have a slick and comprehensive system that will help you store and organize just about anything you’ll need for your next ride.
The system is as simple as it is ingenious. There are three ways to mount the 30 different attachments to your wall: bolting directly to your wall, using rails similar to those from the Spacerail system, and, with small grids (“Lodestar Boards”), you bolt to your wall. Each has its advantages, and both systems are modular and adaptable. The rails can be cut to length (they arrive at 950mm / 37.4″), used full size, or joined together. The boards can’t be made smaller, but they can be attached to make a larger grid. They are each 400 x 300 x 26mm (15 x 12 x 1″ inches). The attachments work similarly on either mounting system.
The attachments can be easily loosened and repositioned across the rails and easily removed without having to slide them off the ends.
The mounts are springloaded so you can easily rotate them to swap between vertical and horizontal mounts on the board. Boards can be mounted in portrait or landscape and also attached together.
Accessories to Hang Your Gear
The attachments I was sent included several different types of hooks, including multi-hooks, double shoe hooks, and rod hooks (useful for storing tools) in three lengths. Also included were an eyewear storage attachment, a bottle opener, an accessory tray, double and single wheel hooks, and an attachment to mount the tray above or below the rails or boards so as to take up less mounting area.
These straight hooks can store multiple packs or jackets in one place. Anything with a loop to mate with the hook really. All of these accessories can also be mounted to the Spacerail with an optional mounting kit.
Around here, almost all craft beer comes in cans these days, sadly. It may be sacrilegious, but you could also use this as a hanger for the right gear. Tools would be good candidates.
These are two pairs of Leatt Speedviz glasses stacked. The mount doesn’t seem to be designed for multiple pairs, but it works with identical frames.
This is the multi-hook. You can first hang up a pack of some sort, and then place your helmet above to keep things compact. This can also be split into two different hooks if you have an extra base kit, as I did.
Set Up
The walls in my shop have been treated badly over the years, most recently by some unskilled dart throwers, so I wasn’t too stressed about the drywall, but if you are, take your time.
The kit comes with quality Torx head screws and masonry anchors. I don’t like drywall anchors personally, and I managed to find studs for all but one mount. In that case, I used a toggle bolt and wingnut combo and it bit securely.
I was sent a handy jig that works as a guide for drilling or cutting the rails. It slides onto the rails and then can be tightened using the same fastening system found on the other attachments.
This jig makes cutting and drilling the rails a breeze. The boards are pre-drilled for several mounting options. This sucker costs 56 CAD / 41 USD / 30 GBP or 36 EUR so if you are good with tools, freehand should work just fine.
The jig slides securely onto the rail and can be tightened accurately using the same system as the attachments. Stashed will even sell you a quality bit to get through the aluminum.
Once the rails and boards were mounted, installing the various accesssories is dead simple. You can slide them onto the ends of the rails or the edges of the boards, or loosen them enough so you can tuck one side of the base under the edge of the top of the rail, slide it up, and then the other side is easily connected. Then you simply tighten things up.
To slide the accessories into place directly, rather than from the ends, simply loosen the plate enough that you can tuck it under one edge of either a hole in the board or the rail.
Once one side is in place, push it all the way in that direction, and you’ll be able to sneak the other side below the opposite edge. Then just centre and tighten things up.
Voilà! This multi-hook is shown with the optional Lodestar Quick Adjustment Kit. You can cinch these finger tight so they can be adjusted without tools, or you can use a 4mm hex to secure them.
Wheel Storage
Stashed also makes some handy wheel hooks for those of us who have extra wheels banging about. These are meant to be mounted to rails or directly to the wall and I chose the latter so I could use the rails for other gear. Stashed sells mounts with holes for two screws for this purpose. My kit included two of those, presumably so the accessory tray could be wall-mounted, but I used them for the upper mount of each double wheel hanger.
Wheels are a pain in the ass to store. This is a great way to get them out of the way. One double and one single mount shown.
I managed to find a stud so three screws should be plenty to hold up a pair of wheels.
So Far
I have just begun using the system but so far I like it. About the only attachment I’m not sure about is the clothes hanger. Previously I used a horizontal wooden board with six pegs. I could strip off my wet gear and hang each piece on a separate peg to dry. This feels more efficient than dealing with hangers, and removing friction is key to riding more.
Everything else works very well. I particularly like the accessory tray near the door, where I can keep a multi-tool, some lube and a water bottle, so I don’t forget them on the way out. I’m quite sure all of this will help me get a little more dialed so I might even be early for the odd ride.
I think I’d rather not deal with hangers so I might go back to my previous wooden pegs for hanging wet clothing post ride.
Made in the U.K.
My experience with the Stashed Spacerail bike storage system has been excellent. Frankly, I have a hard time thinking about living without it at this point. While I anticipate getting along well with the LodeStar storage system, it doesn’t seem to be as essential as the Spacerail. I previously put my shoes on an elevated grid shelf above the heater to dry and used hooks for some other gear. I wasn’t able to hang nearly as much previously, though, so this should make choosing between different items faster and easier.
Here’s an example of Stashed Lodestar that is just slightly more dialed than mine.
Everything from Stashed is manufactured in the United Kingdom. Quality is excellent but it’s not cheap. To ease the sting, there are several kits that bundle items at a more reasonable price. The Lodestar Starter Kit comes with one rail, a double shoe hook, an accessory tray, a multi-hook and an eyewear holder for 325 CAD / 240 USD / 175 GBP / 206 EUR. You can get the same kit with a Lodestar Board for a little more money or go à la carte and make the bike room of your dreams.