The Tortec Universal Storage Hook is a very sturdy bike storage option for road or mountain bike, holding skinny and fat tyres equally well. The hook rim protection could be thicker though.
The first impression of the hook is solidity. This is one weighty bit of metal, welded in a manner that says your bike is safe with it. The hook is steel, and is compatible with wheels from 12-inch up to mountain bike 29ers. The weight limit is listed as 18kg, so you won't be hanging that 850W full-supension German e-mountain bike off of it.
The hook mounts on to any kind of wall, but it's up to you to fix it firmly. Included are standard 8mm brick/concrete plastic wall plugs and two hefty, long self-tapping Philips-head screws. If you have different needs - e.g. into wood, or a hollow or metal wall - these should do the job with the appropriate kind of plug. Tortec advise not to use the hook "on any kind of drywall, panelling or plasterboard".
Tortec recommend you mount the hook with the bike attached and 10cm of space under the rear wheel - you will need a friend for this. Holding the bike upright, judging the distance, keeping the front wheel straight and the hook attached to the wheel in the right alignment and then marking the holes will be beyond anyone with fewer than five arms.
Once it's fixed to the wall, putting the bike into place is very simple: lift with the wheel to the right of the hook, align with a gap in the spokes, shift the wheel left to put the hook over the rim and let the bike drop down. The tyre seats between the angled guides and is held firmly, regardless of size. A 23mm road tyre will sink deep enough to just sit proud of the wall plate; a 2.1in mountain bike tyre sat a little further out but was still gripped firmly.
The angle of the guides means there is a little sideways movement if required, i.e. if you have a line of bikes up on a wall you should be able to move them to one side to facilitate handlebar clearance while removing or mounting. The geometry of the hook and guides means the bike naturally returns to centre if moved.
The only concern with the hook is the thickness of the plastic powdercoating on the metal hook itself. This is there to save any scraping of the rim, but at just under 1mm thick is not overly generous. A rim with angled corners or ham-fisted mounting could see this cut through and subsequently might result in the rim being marked. It would have been nice to see Tortec use some sort of high-impact ABS plastic sleeve in place of a thin powdercoat. Wrapping/zip-tying a few layers of old inner tube around the hook should guarantee your pride and joy is totally safe from the risk of scratching.
Overall a quality product that can hang any bike, so long as it's under the recommended 18kg.
Verdict
Very sturdy bike storage option for road or MTB; the hook rim protection could be thicker
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
road.cc test report
Make and model: Tortec Universal Storage Hook
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
It's for hanging bikes on walls. Any bike, so long as it's under 18kg, and any wall except plasterboard or paneling. Tortec say "Tortec wall hooks are precision engineered by the latest 3D CNC forming machines using premium high-tensile steel for maximum strength and durability. Each hook is coated with a tough durable epoxy based powder-coat shell with soft covers to protect wheels from being scuffed."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Holds up to 18kg, and wheel sizes from 12" to 29" / 700c. Fixings for brick/concrete included.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
The words 'brick' and 'outhouse' spring to mind.
Rate the product for performance:
10/10
It hangs bikes, and does so without fault.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Aside from possibly wearing through the could-be-thicker hook protection, it should outlive you.
Rate the product for value:
8/10
£14.99 isn't cheap, but this is a quality product.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well. Bikes of all types hung vertically and safely. They aren't coming out by accident.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The tyre centering - which kept the bike where it needs to be.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Only the thin hook protection. Which won't be an issue if your rims are smooth.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes. It's changed my life for the better, in that there's one less bike cluttering the floor.
Would you consider buying the product? Yes.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.
Age: 42 Height: 183cm Weight: 71KG
I usually ride: Charge Juicer My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: club rides, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, MTB, singlespeed and Dutch bike pootling
Anything that relies heavily on Sustrans is going to be useless. They are an absolute abomination that either needs disbanding or radical reform....
Most of the issues didn't surface until after he'd done pretty much all of the work....
Quick - someone ask them to define 'woke' and see if they can do better than Bethany Mandel's brain freeze when asked the same.
Targeted patrols is the response: https://www.met.police.uk/area/your-area/met/southwark/south-bermondsey/...
Is it wrong to say that I really like the look of this? ...
Aside from the switch from Spin to Mips, are there any other updates from the Ventral Air Spin? Looks like weight has dropped (5g), but that's all...
No, it;s to blame the child for not wearing hi vis and then sympathise with the driver 'who will have to live the rest of their life with this'
The team agreement, definitely: if they've contracted to have all team members wear Scicon and then signed someone giving them permission to wear a...
The boats I've been on, mostly shorter trips from germany or denmark to norway or sweden do allow bikes. While this isn't a full cruise, you can...
That'll teach you to tuck it in first, very impressed by it's strength though.