Bicycle Mechanics - Workstand

Quick question, Ive been looking for a fairly low price workstand, I just need it to make lubing easier and making little adjustments. In otherwords I dont need a high quality Park stand for $150+. I found this one on performancevike.com, anyone have this one or know if its decent?http://www.performancebike.com/shop/estore_all.html?store=33
Thanks

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.html?SKU=3636&Store=33
This is the actual link to the stand, sorry

Hmm, I've been looking for a workstand too.

I want the kind that clamps on, but what they are asking for one of those is re-diculous! well, to me anyway.

I figure with an old bedframe and my welder and an hour or two, I can make the stand part, the clamp part will be a tad harder though.

I figured a way to do it, but anyone know where to get a clamp like that without having to buy the whole bikestand, grainger?

sorry to hijack your thread...

take care,

Jester

P.S. my plan: weld a half round piece of steel to each jaw of some generic vice grips, and weld the handle of the vice grips onto a tube that rotates in the stand. Pad the reconstructed "jaws" of the vice grips with rubber or foam or something. Basically make a clamp like you see at the bike store, but cheaper.

Are you sure the vice-grips will spread wide enough with the rails welded to it to allow the seatpost to go into it? Just wondering...

Tridevil,

When first searching for a stand a long time ago, I was also temepted by the one you are looking at. After thinking about it and using a Park stand, I realized that that one by Performance wouldn't cut it except for the most minor work. I know you said you didn't want to get into anything major, but if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself getting into doing all of your own maintenance more and more. I ended up picking up a Park PCS-1 (Don't think it was that expensive price-wise) and still have it. With the new height-adjust feature standard on all PCS-1 stands this year, I think it is the best way to go and would suggest waiting a little while in order to afford one if you have to.

-Moab

Originally posted by TriDevil
Quick question, Ive been looking for a fairly low price workstand, I just need it to make lubing easier and making little adjustments. In otherwords I dont need a high quality Park stand for $150+. I found this one on performancevike.com, anyone have this one or know if its decent?http://www.performancebike.com/shop/estore_all.html?store=33
Thanks

I actually own this stand, works pretty well for most maintaince, except perhaps pressing in headset cups... but almost all other maintaince is easily performed with this stand... so for the price it's a pretty nice stand :)

I second the advice given by moabrider47. Dont buy a cheap stand because you will kick yourself in the nuts later on for doing so. A cheap stand is a waste of money and is in many cases worthless. The one like you linked up above requires the front wheel to be removed for the bike to be mounted in it. This keeps you from adjusting your front brake while it is in the stand and it keeps you from being able to drop your fork out to repack the headset etc. while it is in the stand. Also the base is not very stable because it is not wide or heavy. There is a reason why it is on sale - no one wants it including performance. Get a park, you will be glad you did. Maybe you can find a used one on EBay or something. The new ones are height adjustable but Park also offers a kit to convert the old stands to the height adjustable for about 25 bucks I believe.

-Ryan

How about this one?http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3604276236&category=27953
Its the park pcs 1 brand new, plus shipping it would be 75$, thats if I placed a bid and won at that price. Should I go for it?

$75!?! If I remember how much mine cost correctly, you should already be bidding!

-Moab

My workstand: 2 2x4's wrapped in old tubes and screwed to the top of a workbench. Works for me :D

Originally posted by Dirtgrinder
Are you sure the vice-grips will spread wide enough with the rails welded to it to allow the seatpost to go into it? Just wondering...

Oh sure, there are plenty of styles of vice grip, like these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=43668

if not, you can always modify the jaws to be longer, and longer jaws will open wider for the same angle at the V of the jaws...

take care,

Jester

Another idea since you weld. This thread has pics of one I made a while ago. Still use it frequently.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15220&highlight

Some guy has an auto bid thing on it so I keep getting outbid!!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3605024841&category=27953
What do people think of this one? Not a park but looks similiar in construction. Anyone have any Performance brand stuff? Performance Bike Stand (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.html?SKU=3802) , theres the link to the stand at performance.

Originally posted by TriDevil
Some guy has an auto bid thing on it so I keep getting outbid!!!!!

You really need to learn how ebay works, that's normal and happens due to the Proxy Bidding system. Go to ebay's help page and search for proxy. In a nutshell, you enter the MAXIMUM amount you would want to pay and it (ebay) will bid on your behalf up to that amount just enough for you to win the auction. I think ebay explain it better than I do :)

Originally posted by BikerRyan
The one like you linked up above requires the front wheel to be removed for the bike to be mounted in it. This keeps you from adjusting your front brake while it is in the stand and it keeps you from being able to drop your fork out to repack the headset etc. while it is in the stand. Also the base is not very stable because it is not wide or heavy. There is a reason why it is on sale - no one wants it including performance. Get a park, you will be glad you did.

this is actually incorrect, you can use the stand with the front wheel on, the picture just shows it with the wheel off... however, the base is slighly narrow, but as of yet the stand has not ever fallen over for me

Vegas Cyclist is right. I just glanced at the small picture and I thought it was like the one my friend has which uses a quick release on the fork to secure the bike. My bad, but I still stand by the park.

-Ryan

I dunno anything about it, and it probably dates back to the 70's, but a local bike shop just has a big clamp that looks like it's made to fasten around pipes, and it's attached to a post that supports the second floor (old wood-frame building). Maybe you could find something from a plumbing supply that could be tweaked for a bike stand.

Originally posted by Dirtgrinder
Another idea since you weld. This thread has pics of one I made a while ago. Still use it frequently.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15220&highlight

Interesting, I see that thread was statred by another guy thinkin about vice grips....

I have like 5 el-cheapo non vice grip brand pairs layin around, so i'll probably try that rather than a c-clamp, but you did do a real nice design job.

Think i might steal the stair handrail part of your idea :) looks better than my pipe idea.

take care,

Steve

I just bought a WrencForce maintenance stand. It has an infinitily adjustable jaw, whereas Park as two positions. It rotates 360 degrees, and, again, unlike the Park PCS1, has height adjustment.

In fact, I am 6'3" tall and I could raise the bike higher than I actually required! I had my Trek Navigator 300 on the stand, upside down, the rear wheel removed and 5 feet in the air, the stand was only a wee bit wobbly because it was sitting on a wooden deck and it is not perfectly level. On the cement garage floor, it was solid as a rock.

But everyway it is better than the Parks at comparable prices. It was $160, but my LBS gave me a 10% discount because I am so darned good looking.:D

Oh, yeah, I had a coupon, too.
;)