Modern bicycles are big investments and storing them safely should be a priority. Australian bike storage brand, Steadyrack, has exhaustively explored the best way to store bicycles. It has added the GearMate gear organiser system to its offering and we recently tested both. Here’s what we think.
Both systems come in a box and require assembly and wall mounting. The actual mounting of the Steadyrack Classic rack wasn’t too difficult, but our garage wall, like many in South Africa, is a bit uneven and we had to redrill a couple of the holes. Once in place though, it was stable.
Unlike the clean images and videos you see advertising these products, our garage is cluttered. Part store room, part gym, part bike workshop and part bike storeroom. We only had one spot that was able to accommodate the Steadyrack Classic. It makes use of some vertical space that was essentially being wasted.
Made from chrome-plated steel and plastic, the Steadyrack Classic is very well made. It’s most sturdy and gives you a feeling of confidence. It stores the bike vertically against the wall, securely holding the front wheel of the bike and allowing for the rear wheel to simply roll into the clasp, without lifting. Our wall space has a vent at the bottom so we couldn’t secure the rear-wheel clasp, but it’s not essential.
There’s a slight vertical up and down movement of the bike as you roll the front wheel into the rack. But it’s incredibly intuitive and smooth and undoubtedly the lowest-effort wall-mount rack we have ever used. Ideal for women, youth and older riders to use.
An important feature is that the rack pivots from side to side so you can move the bike out of the way (to a point) or store several bikes next to each other. Another feature we like is that the Steadyrack Classic only makes contact with your bicycle’s tyre – no rubbing against the rim, spokes and fork.
The Steadyrack Classic is ideal for road bikes, eBikes, regular mountain bikes and BMX bikes. There are different models that accommodate gravel bikes, big-travel mountain bikes, time trial/triathlon bikes, commuter bikes, hybrid bikes and Fat bikes.
Because we were reviewing the GearMate too, we needed to install it with the Steadyrack Classic as they’re complementary storage systems. The GearMate adds a modular rack of bins, hooks and loops that mount either behind or alongside the Steadyrack Classic. It gives you over 200 arrangement options, so you can tune the layout to your gear. We didn’t spend too long configuring it and like that it can hold all ride essentials – bottles, spares, shoes, helmet, eyewear, gloves as well as other small, but important things like sunblock and lubricant.
SUMMARY
If you’re serious about your riding, you’ll appreciate the difference between a cluttered storage space and a dedicated bike zone: one where your bike is ready, your gear is organised, and you’re mentally prepped for your next ride. For the mountain-bike/gravel/road crossover rider in South Africa – who might be juggling different bikes (or if you’re in a cycling-mad household) – this combo offers a strong proposition.
If you’re seeking a premium wall-mounted storage solution ideally suited to the South African mountain-bike, gravel-bike and road-bike scene, then the combo of Steadyrack Classic (or its MTB-specific sibling) paired with the GearMate organiser, deserves serious consideration.
The Steadyrack Classic + GearMate combo is a bit of an investment (both financial and time-wise) but the payoff is in clarity: you’ll spend less time faffing and more time riding.
PRICE
Steadyrack Classic: R1 999
Gearmate: R1 999
Find out more about the different Steadyrack and Gearmate models at the South African distributor, Best Bike Storage. Here is the website.
Note: Pricing as at November 2025 and subject to change
