Work Stands

[tim-b]

Hi

I used to work in a cycle shop in the late 1970s, we suspended bikes by the saddle and handlebars from the roof structure. I still do this today via some thin (6 - 8mm?) rope loops

If you're working on the front end you sometimes need to suspend from the frame just behind the headtube

There are no storage problems (stands are not used 90% of the time) and you can push past the bike for access (it just swings)

Not everyone has a suitable roof structure, but if you have this works well and costs little to try

Regards
tim-b

[[XAP]Bob]

I would say the desirability and usefulness of a bike workstand is in direct proportion to (cyclists age in excess of 35 years).

Hmm, does that mean I'm just going to want one more and more?
At what point do I just get one, saving myself all that wanting...

[graymee]

I've got an Edinburgh Bikes workstand as shown in the photo. I got it on special offer for £49 and I think it was good value for money. It's robust enough for my light use.

[aljohn]

My mate uses a rope hung from garage ceiling. I used to stand bike upside down on the floor, then upside down using Black and Decker work stand, clamping saddle and handlebar stem. I managed with these quite well until I saw the workstands in Aldi and Lidl for £30. Brilliant, well made and copes with most jobs. Doesn't cope that well with mountain bikes, but I rarely use it for them. To be frank I think that a lot that are on sale are over priced, the Halfords one is similar to mine and costs £100. I know most people praise Park tools stands, I've only seen pictures of them but wouldn't have spent that amount of money on a stand, they're too pricey for the times I'd use them. I'd urge anyone to check Lidl and Aldi when the bike stands are being sold, I hope they're pleasantly surprised.
Er, I don't work for either of them...........

[john4703]

I use one of these. http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/p ... 333901.htm. I have two rawlbolts fixed in a wall and it only takes a couple of minutes to fit this holder to them. At £9.99 it serves the purpose of letting me work on my bike easily.

[keyboardmonkey]

... I know most people praise Park tools stands, I've only seen pictures of them but wouldn't have spent that amount of money on a stand, they're too pricey for the times I'd use them.

That's a fair point. But personally I was tired of making do for so long. I also hung the bikes from a storage rack to work on, but in my cramped space it was rather frustrating.

I've put together some words and pictures re the Park Tool PRS-20 since this thread started, for anyone who is interested:

http://cycleseven.org/park-tool-prs-20-review

[IanW]

My preferred "work stand" is actually a Black&Decker "Workmate"

The bike is inverted and the top of the forks / stem / top-cap + first spacer are then clamped at one end of the workmate jaws (with a thin cloth as padding if needed) such that the top of the top-cap also sits on the workmate frame beneath the jaws.

Then at the other end of the jaws is some thick padding material folded in half and clamped into the jaws.
The resultant "V" then accommodates the saddle.

This then leaves everything on the bike (apart from the steering) fully operational (albeit upside down)
And allows the wheels to be removed if desired/needed

Also viewing the bike in an upside-down aspect gives you the oppprtunity to inspect bits of the bike that do not get noticed so much normally.

[freiston]

I'm now too decrepit to bend down to work on the bike for any serious length of time, (or to lift the back end with my shoulder under the cross-bar or saddle whilst steadying the handlebars with my right hand and spinning the pedals with my left hand when adjusting the gears ) without causing myself a few days of lower back pain. I bought myself one of the Aldi £30 jobs and imho it is a wonderful piece of kit. The clamp has a cable groove so that when used on the top tube, you can still operate the rear brake if you have bare cable routed that way. Folds up and leans in the corner of the outhouse.

[ianpallen]

I bought this off ebay for £20. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201138112626? ... EBIDX%3AIT
It is new and holds my bikes up well. I have limited room to work on bikes but this fits well and allows me to rotate the whole bike to get past if it is placed infront of a door. Easy to set up and I chose it because it has the lever clamp instead of a screw down clamp. I too am getting too old to be turning a bike upside down and kneeling on the floor to work on it and really, it is a must have to adjust derailleur gears. I dont use it all the time I do something to a bike, but it is there for when I need to do a few things at a time. The upright pole just slots in the bottom part and comes out easily for putting away. The only thing I say about it is it does sway a little, but I have never worked with another one to compare the stiffness of it.