I need a decent maintenance stand.

[Framed]

Am sick of struggling to do building and maintenance on my bikes, -always having to crouch down or be on my knees, with the front wheel constantly swinging round, plus all the other nuisances associated with having to use tools with one or both hands and no way of keeping the bike in a stable position whilst I work on it!
Please can anyone recommend a decent work stand, (not a full team-pro job costing mega-bucks, nor yet a nasty 'looks-good-but-trash' Chinese model. I'm desperately trying to deal with several rear derailleur problems at present, and at this rate I'll never get out on the bikes at all this year!
Adverts aren't much help, as you can't try the things before you buy, then it's too late if they're not exactly what you needed.
What can other members recommend?

[NUKe]

I have a lifeline one for about 3 years which I would recommend £59 from the CTC shop
http://www.ctcshop.org.uk/cycling/p/CTC ... 360009217/

Or Parktool do a home mechanic stand which for them is relatively cheap at 94 pounds
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=5787

[kevinn123]

+1 for the lifeline

- I'm sure I got mine for less than £50 - wiggle seem to vary their prices quite alot - so if you can wait......

[dhowes]

Decathlon used to do a cheap one.

[deliquium]

I have used both of these in a professional workshop. Both recommended.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15811

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Elite_Spindoctor_Race_Workstand/5360036730/

My personal preference is the Tacx, although it doesn't allow the bike to be held as low as the Elite. Both are height adjustable. The footprint on the Elite is slightly larger making it marginally more stable. But the clamping mechanism of the horizontal-ish arm looks a bit naff to me.

They both have the advantage of holding the frame very rigidly. But either the front or rear wheel has to be removed. The bike being clamped to the stand by front or rear drop outs - this is very secure. Also both stands swivel so you don't have to move around the bike. Which isn't really possible with the cheaper types that clamp to the top tube.

And bear in mind that top tube clamp workstands clamp can often foul brake cables that run on, under or alongside a top tube.

Like most things though, what suits one person ain't everybody's can of GT85!

[delstron]

http://www.mynewcheap.co.uk/products/de ... lder/1532/

[Framed]

Many thanks to all of you for your recommendations, -will follow these up straight away!

[MartinC]

I've got a Tacx 3050 (amongst others). It's really useful - except when your bike has mudguards. Each of the 3 main types (clamp, drop out/BB, BB/down tube) have advantages and disadvantages - depends on the bike and what you want to do.

[Framed]

Thanks, MartinC; have just been following up people's recommendations and had marked your Tacx 3050 and the Tacz3000 as possibly the best bets of the bunch so far, as one problem is that I can't clamp by the seat post, as mine are of very narrow oval aerodynamic profile where they emerge from the seat tube. Feel a bit apprehensive about clamping by top tube or down tube only, too, as one road bike frame is narrow-guauge (-that spelling looks wrong!) aluminium and may be too narrow, or I could crunch it if it's weak! Bottom-bracket support seems the best bet so far, plus the useful front wheel stabiliser, but how height-adjustable are they? Decisions, decisions.......!

[pete75]

For a few quid and an hour or sos work this might do the job. There are links to other home made stands on the same web page.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Adjusta ... cle_Stand/

[Framed]

Thanks, Pete 75, for your info. One other of my stand problems is that all my bikes have external cable-routing along the top tube.