Repair Stand Advice

[gdb2b]

A couple of comments on features to look for, and some observations on a couple of makes mentioned herin.

Jaw/clamp.
Replaceable heavy padding or foam clamping insert.
Rotating swivel.
One hand quick release.

Base.
Ever seen the big oscillating fans that they use in chuch on a hot summer Sunday? Remember the big, heavy, round slightly convex base. they had? That's what you want to get your hands on. Go into your bike shop and look at what is used by the wrenchs in the service area. 7 - 8 out of ten will have that kind of base. Their size and weight make for great stability. Lots of folks have religion here, proclaiming that this or that manufacturers tripod base is just great. Most makes have a telescoping mast. Try raising it just 2 feet and put a 25 lb. bike on it. Now rotate the bike 90 -145 degees and see if you are satified with the unit's stability.

I've tried the a Park unit, one that you rest the BB in a holder and the fork in a adjustable mount (forget its name) , and settled on the Feedback Sports Pro Elite. I found the latter to be a bit more stable, only slightly though. But none were acceptable (my opinion) or ideal. Found one of the big bases, and had a local machine shop mate my FSPE to it. Now I got what I want/need.

Do your own analysis for what you need. Folks even have a vid on YouTube on making your own.

Spare parts availability years later. 'Nuff said.

Mobility/portability. Garage floor space is at a premium. Being able to fold it up and store it out of the way often an important consideration. I'd love it if Feedback would engineer an interchangeable tripod (highly portable) base, AND the big stable base, AND something that can used as a stand mount in the receiver hitch of my pickup truck.

Lastly, the big names all cost a bit of coin. Kinda pricey. Perhaps consider getting a Jawhorse and making a fork dropout jig. Way stable, more versatile, and it cost less.

 

[Jussa]

Thanks for the replies guys. Taste in women aside, i'm kinda inclined to go for the clas ohlson, how stable is it? ...doesn't it rock over backwards if knocked?

It's very stable, the unit is very weighty but this is great as you can pivot and rotate the bike whilst clamped. The main vertical post when locked leans towards the legs ie it's not vertical and therefore the weight of the bike is positioned over the Center footprint of the base area. The reach from the top clamp also has movement so you can always clamp your bike and when setting up gears rotate the pedals without the offside pedal striking the vertical post. When collapsed down it stands in the corner of the Man Cave taking up minimal space. At £49 (current offer & sale price) it makes for a great bike servicing stand, but at the end if the day that's my personal opinion, and there are loads on the market

 

[Wylie]

Great advice, and very much appreciated. The Jawhorse is a nice piece of kit, very versatile. I think i might stick with the ohlson tho, as it seems right for me.

I prob would have ended up getting the Leisure pursuits stand here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MOUNTAIN-..._Cycling_Tools_RepairKits&hash=item231a956675

EDIT: Absolutely gutted, the one at clas ohlson is out of stock, and looks like it may even been discontinued :evil: ...maybe i'll contact my local store and see what they say

 

[gdb2b]

The pic of that unit in you link shows a nice large tripod base. A question for the other respondents to this thread. One of the pics seems to show a typical garage work area: the repair stand, another bike, bikes parts, a roll-away tool chest, a tool box (ammo box?) etc.

How big of a deal is the stand's base floorspace footprint fot you? For me it's frequently a nuisance and often an obstacle when trying to work on the bike. It bugged me enough to where I drilled appropriately sized holes in strategic locations in my garage floor and then fitted/epoxied threaded steel collars into them that I can drop stand's mast into. When not in use they are covered with std. PVC caps.

Voila! Sturdy stand placement and nothing to gets in the way or to trip over. Any Park or Feedback engineers or product managers in the audience?

 

[gdb2b]

A question for the mods and members herein. Is there any value in creating a forum thread in which participants can offer suggestions/requests for design changes/improvements to bikes and tools and service/repair gear?

Imagine a thread titled "Engineering Improvements Wishlist" or "If You Could Change or Improve X, What Would It Be"? I'm guessing there are lots of really good ideas that would improve matters if thay had a way/forum to be proposed, get critical peer review, and come to the attention of the manufacturunf community.

We got any manufacturer reps in the audience? How many of you make the rounds of your customers demoing new products, and listening/getting feedback from them, especially bike shops. How many of the mechanics ideas do you take back and forward on to your company's product engineering team? Most of the time it's not worth the hassle, right?

Mods, an idea here. Any value? Thoughts? Worth polling the membership?

 

[Jussa]

The pic of that unit in you link shows a nice large tripod base. A question for the other respondents to this thread. One of the pics seems to show a typical garage work area: the repair stand, another bike, bikes parts, a roll-away tool chest, a tool box (ammo box?) etc.

How big of a deal is the stand's base floorspace footprint fot you?

Very observant, that pic, roll away tool chest (also Clas Ohlson) several bikes including a friends ridgeback I was servicing, and my trusty Kona, plus lots more bike bits, and the Ex Military Tool Kit/Ammo Box, this is my 'Go Box' full of essential tools, gets thrown in the car when I go out riding but the picture is my Man Cave / Workshop. The footprint is important for stability, those with a smaller working area may look for something smaller but then you may sacrifice stability on your stand, I am lucky that my work area is large and I have a stool on wheels so I can sit and work on gears etc whilst moving myself around effortlessly. Having 360 degree access can be a bonus but not essential for the sake of unclamping frame / bike and rotating to access the other side. But once again I can sing the praises of my stand, but it may not suit everyone, it's a personal thing, just that this one ticked the boxes for me, cost, quality, versatility, and when not in use collapses down to stow away. Simples!!

 

[Jussa]

Great advice, and very much appreciated. The Jawhorse is a nice piece of kit, very versatile. I think i might stick with the ohlson tho, as it seems right for me.

I prob would have ended up getting the Leisure pursuits stand here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MOUNTAIN-..._Cycling_Tools_RepairKits&hash=item231a956675

EDIT: Absolutely gutted, the one at clas ohlson is out of stock, and looks like it may even been discontinued :evil: ...maybe i'll contact my local store and see what they say

Still have them in the Norwich Clas Ohlson Store, ring the help desk, they are usually very good it still appears in the catalogue also.

 

[twain]

i have this Minoura workstand - although i got mine for less than half what they are on the web these days (i got mine from a 'Bikehut' store as it was the last one left)

its heavy but packs away decently for storage,
a nice metal chuck with rubber pads and a quick release.
rotates through 360 degrees.

really simple design that's very robust and easy to maintain - i've only needed to wipe off some surface rust here and there and clean/re-grease the clamp bolt (i've left mine out in the rain several times and its still in decent working order)

2 fixed heights but the top setting sits enough above the floor to be comfortable (i'm touching 6ft)

stability is only an issue if i have the bike at a funny angle and one of the wheels is off.

never had any issues with it that made me want to change work stands.

all i need is a tray though sick of bending over so much :shock: