Bicycle Mechanics - Alumium bike reairstnd mounting

Hello all,

What is the best way to mount an aluminum framed bike in a repair stand? The bike is a Cannondale T2000 so it has a suspension seatpost the stand is a Park PRS03.

Thanks,
Scott

Wrap a clean rag around the clamp and grab it by the seat tube.

If you're really concerned, buy a cheap seatpost and clamp it by that.

If you're really concerned, buy a cheap seatpost and clamp it by that.

Exactly. Buy the cheapest MTB length seatpost you can find and use it as the clamp location.

I've clamped Al frames by the frame tubes but the frame was relatively rugged (Trek 1420) and I was careful to limit the clamp pressure. A dedicated seatpost removes all worries.

first pad the clamp with old tubes - stuff slips less than with that hard plastic junk

second use a pos seatpost or one of these http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=24&item=ISC%2D4

Depends on what you are doing. If I am just throwing the bike on the stand for some peaking and tweaking, I clamp an old drop bar in the stand and just hang the bike on the bars. I padded the bars with an old inner tube. Not good for any heavy repairs.

I clamp them by the seatpost. Often I have to raise the seatpost to fit the clamp so I mark the insertion with a piece of masking tape first.

Some of the guys I work with hang bikes from the nose of the saddle to do simple adjustments. I hate that because the bike sways so much. I've seen them get dropped that way too.

The nice thing about clamping the bike securely by the seatpost is you never have to apologize for scratching or damaging the frame. Also, everything that you do goes faster because the bike is stable so it doesn't take any more time. Isn't that why we're using a work stand in the first place?

The real question today has to do with some of the newer, more aero carbon bikes. The seatpost might not be round and I can't find any safe place to clamp the bike in my workstand.

You can safely clamp a seat tube where it is reinforced by the seat post. Use a rage or old inner tube to protect the frame.