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So the first installation of my bike mount, I failed miserably because the wall isn't completely straight above the door and has a slight angle to it. I thought it'd still be able to hold up my bike but nope, the weight of the bike started pulling out the mount from the drywall (I used drywall anchors too).

So now I'm thinking of using a long-ass 2x4 to support, but I don't want to fail again or create a mess too difficult to fix. Does anyone have tips? (I will, of course, fix the wall)

See images so you can see my fail and get an idea of what I'm trying to do (sorry if my question/explanation is crude).

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  • I wanted to use the 2x4 to offset the weird wall angle and provide a sturdier base for the bike/wall mount
    – Mac Daddy of Heimlich County
    May 1, 2020 at 21:52
  • Welcome to Stack Exchange. You should take our tour so you know how the site operates with upvotes for helpful answers and checks for accepted answers.
    – HoneyDo
    May 1, 2020 at 22:01
  • Mix Elmer's glue 50/50 with water and soak some newspaper in it. Now, wrap the gluey newspaper around a piece of chalk until there are about 5 layers. Let dry. You have just made drywall. Would you hang a bike off that?
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    May 2, 2020 at 6:08

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Drywall is not meant to support weight.

If you want to "do it right", fix the damage to the drywall by replacing a large section extending from one stud to the next. While the wall is open, you can install a horizontal 2×4 between the studs (known as "blocking"). When you're finished, screw the upper screw of your bicycle mount into this wood, and it will support the weight. The lower screw can go into a drywall anchor to prevent twisting, but not supporting weight.

A much quicker, but uglier, fix is to simply attach a horizontal 2×4 to the surface of the wall, properly attaching it to two studs. Then screw your mount into that wood. In your case, it would work best with two horizontals to properly space the lower screw.

I used this latter approach to attach a large wall-mounted TV whose mount didn't line up with the wall studs.

And the idea can be extended to surface-mounting a long horizontal 2×4 along most of the length of the garage wall. It makes a convenient and secure place to install hooks, etc. for hanging equipment, hoses, tools, etc.

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Bike mounts like that are problematic because you will need two 2x4s that are horizontal or one that is vertical, or you will need to anchor the mount into an existing stud. Setting those two 2x4s will require a lot of work.

An alternative is to get a rectangular piece of 3/4"+ thick plywood and anchor it to the two adjacent studs, then mount the rack on that piece of plywood. Works even better if you remove the drywall before putting in the plywood.

Consider yourself lucky: the wall can be repaired easily, the rack didn't bend, and the bike didn't fall off and break a lot of stuff along the way.

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For something as heavy as a bike you need to mount it into the wall studs. It's hard to tell from the picture but you might find one just to the left of where the bike rack is now. Studs are 16" apart center to center. A stud finder will help you locate one. If you don't have one, even an inexpensive one is a good investment and will prevent this type of problem in the future. Sometimes you can locate a stud by knocking along the wall until it sounds solid and not hollow. Once you've located the stud, pre-drill the holes slightly smaller than the screw size you're using and you should be good.
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