Workstand advice

[jgoodwood]

Hi,

I'm after getting a workstand for my bikes - so I can clean them and perform simple jobs without scrabbling around on the floor. I've heard that I need to be careful when clamping carbon frames so want to make sure I get the right one...

Not wanting to spend a fortune (say £100 max) but also don;t want to damage my shiny new Bianchi frame....

any recomendations welcome..

cheers in advance,
J

[Vladimir]

Park tools one from Merlin - around £100, utterly brilliant.

[donfisher]

I got one of these:

PARK TOOLS

I occasionally borrow some space in a garage and it's really easy to fold the legs back in so it doesn't take up to much room or to chuck in the back of the car.

The height adjustment bit needed fudging so I could get a seat post quick release in there to make that easier.

It could also do with a tray but I'm going to bodge something for that as well. Very happy with it. Was only £65 IIRC.

I've heard good things about the Aldi/Lidl ones.

[Magic919]

Bit of an FAQ, but here is mine http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/B...

[Celtic Dragon]

I have one of these. The jaws are ok with the help of that anti slip matting you can buy in camping shops. Certainly sturdy enough for home work, the only downside is the head clam that holds the head bar in does need to be done up very tight or it rocks on its axis.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Folding-Cycle-Repair-Maint...

[IroningMan]

I have the Aldi/Lidl one - it's been very good and was something like £30.

Stands are brilliant for adjustment, but very iffy for high-torque assembly: bottom brackets, pedals and such like are better dealt with on the floor - otherwise there's a good chance of frame damage.

Dismantling I almost always do on the floor for the same reason.

[LotusMartin]

Don't buy a cheap one - Park are the business. Buy cheap - buy twice!

[WinstonWolf]

Wait till the Lidl one's come on sale again. They're brilliant and you could buy three and still be quids in

[jgoodwood]

Cool. Thanks chaps.. Are all ok to use with the carbon frame? Have read some worrying stories....

J

[Jimbo.]

Clamp the seat tube, not the frame.

[Magic919]

There are some stupid people out there. Don't blame the bike stand.

[jgoodwood]

Ok cool.. Seat tube it is... Off to LBS to try and buy JUST a workstand.. Odds on me coming back with more stuff???

J

[CoolC]

I really need a stand now, and keep getting drawn back to these Feedback ones.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

I keep seeing them in pictures of bike workshops so they must be up there on a par with Park.

A buddy has a Park PCS-9 which is pretty much the benchmark for workstands and it can't be faulted really.

[bingybongy]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150544733103

This is the Lidl stand.

[jgoodwood]

CoolC said:

I really need a stand now, and keep getting drawn back to these Feedback ones.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

I keep seeing them in pictures of bike workshops so they must be up there on a par with Park.

A buddy has a Park PCS-9 which is pretty much the benchmark for workstands and it can't be faulted really.

I ended up buying a Park PCS-9 - still in the box but it feels pretty heavy so i'm guessing it's sturdy enough.. As per the above advice, they said it's fine on a carbon bike if you use the seat post - they also showed me three in their workshop - which sealed the deal. Also bought a new pair of gloves, two bottle cages (to match the bike), a Park chain cleaning thingy (old one cracked when i dropped it) and spent far too long chatting to them about the best bike for winter.........

J

[Kermit power]

bingybongy said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150544733103

This is the Lidl stand.

I've got that as well off a seller on Amazon. It's excellent. Rock solid, easy to use, easy to store. I've yet to see anything approaching a downside to it.

If you're a bike shop using a stand all day every day I guess it might make sense to spend more, but for home use I really can't see how anyone could begin to justify spending more than this. Saying this feels like a weird betrayal of man maths!

[Viperzs]

jgoodwood said:

Cool. Thanks chaps.. Are all ok to use with the carbon frame? Have read some worrying stories....

J

They are fine to use with a carbon frame, just don't clamp it like the Hulk.

[gazza285]

I've never used anything other than a nylon sling round the seat and fixed to the roof trusses of my garage, and we had an old inner tube fixed to the ceiling in the bike shop I used to work in. Anything that required force was done either using the optional second inner tube under the stem, or the bike was put on the floor.

I'm not against stands, as long as you have plenty of room, but they have always seemed to be an unnecessary extravagance.

[CoolC]

^^ That's pretty much the method I use now ^^

It's OK for most things servicing wise, but obviously isn't portable, and it's nice to work outside when the weather's nice.

A stand would also make cleaning the bike an easier affair.

Plus man logic means I can have a nice shiny new thing

[caul pope]

I've got a Lidl and I've found it to be great so far!