Mountain Biking - Work stand experience...

I'm thinking about getting a decent stand. Needing some experienced opinions.

-freestanding seat tube clamp
-freestanding "race stand" (bb shell rest)
-wall mount

The generic race stand is only like 40 bucks but I'm assuming you get what you pay for.

Park Tool with the old clamp. The newer clamps are horrendous.

So you're voting "no" on the wall mount too? Even a Park?


http://circlecitybicycles.com/tool/jpg/pt-prs4w.jpg
http://www.gearreviewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/pcs-10.jpg
http://mckgyver.pbworks.com/f/1227036450/park_tools_prs7_stand.jpg
http://www.westernbikeworks.com/productimages/images450/ptrs21-1.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513yxU2uzFL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


Is a Park stand worth an extra $70-80?

Not saying it's better than really nice ones, but if you're going the "budget" route, I like my Northern Industrial (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200419669_200419669) stand more than the couple lower end Park stands that I've seen/used, and the Northern is cheaper. And it definitely looks better than other companies stands in the price range. The feet are turn-able so that it can go flat against a wall and they provide a very stable base in the work position. Much better, IMO, than the tripod style.

Man prices have gone up.
I got this one a few years back, think it was like 90 shipped. Works real well.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-ROAD-MTN-BICYCLE-WORKSTAND-BIKE-REPAIR-STAND-/380264911249?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58898e1191

The free standing ones aren't the greatest if you really need to reef on something, but I like them for
the mobility, and I don't really have a good area for a permanently mounted one.

I was too cheap to get this one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Park-PCS-9-Home-Mechanic-Bicycle-Repair-Stand-New-Bike-Tool-Repair-pcs9-/200690725842?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eba1973d2
really wanted this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-2010-Park-Tool-PRS-25-Team-Issue-Bike-Repair-Stand-/180523192379?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0805503b

I used ropes to hang my bikes for workage for a lotta years. Last 10-12 yrs I have an old folding Park with big fatty tubes and full swiveling/adjustable clamp nearly identical to the shop version (like your pic of the wall mount). I like it just fine, although the legs are a bit in the way. No longer made.

At any rate, I totally like being able to walk around the bike. I wouldn't really consider the wall mount because of that.

If I had meself $400 or so to spare I'd love the Park shop single workstand w/the steel plate base. Maybe get the wall mount and have a base fabbed up..............

I understand from various comments/reviews that the Feedback Sports (Ultimate) is the goods for portable/folding workstand: http://www.aspirevelotech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=16415

Don't know a thing about using the bb type stand.

Yeah man...I've been hanging mine by the saddle to work on...but I'm tired of wearing out the leather under the nose prematurely, and I'm kinda limited on positions.


Well...I'd rather spend my money on something other than a stand, so this will make D happy:

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0263.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0264.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0265.jpghttp://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0266.jpghttp://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0268.jpghttp://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0269.jpghttp://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0271.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0272.jpghttp://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0275.jpg

The cheap Chinese clamp had holes drilled off center, so I had to get creative to align it, but no biggie. I'm going to grind the edges of the jaws down a bit and get some rubber with some oomph and Gorilla Glue it in there. Should be golden.

Def not quite as nice or smooth as a Park Pro...but pennies on the dollar.

Clamp - $10
Pipe - couple bux
screws - couple bux
pipe for jaws - couple bux

Already had the vice with tube jaws on it, but the normal side would work too.

I guess the bonus of my system is that I can do a lateral tilt and get the drive train up in my face if I want.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0290-1.jpg

Ed, you know how many years I resisted getting a real stand - - and I'm sure you remember my home-brew setups that worked but were less than ideal. Bite the bullet and get the freestanding stand. You won't regret it.

My experience is with the Ultimate Pro/Feedback Sports Pro-Classic (basically the same stand). My son's was the Ultimate we bought for him many years ago; mine is the Feedback Pro-Classic (new company, same stand). Solid, stable portable. Clamp on the full-blown professional Park stands are better but those are the ONLY (IMO) ones that are.

Freestanding is where its at. You can move it anywhere you need it, the garage, living room, etc. The wall and bench mounts would be cool for a dedicated garage workshop but it limits the movement of the bike you're working on and the accessibility.

Hey Ed, whatcha got for a vice there?

Here's the schizzle dog for the shop:

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/img/product/full/p/parsaprs3.jpg

Well...I'd rather spend my money on something other than a stand, so this will make D happy:

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/IMAG0269.jpg


Ah yes, DIY projects are near and dear to my heart fo'sho'.

A simpler set of jaws can be made, v-block-style, out of a scrap of Trex (or other composite) decking. Nice because with the plastic content, it's naturally non-marring:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/DIY%20projects/IMG_2646.jpg

Screwed them right through the backs of the clamp jaws with 4 wood screws each:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/DIY%20projects/IMG_2650.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/DIY%20projects/IMG_2649.jpg

Vee with relief groove means that it will clamp any size tube securely:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/DIY%20projects/IMG_2651.jpg

As a post-mount:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/ASX_stand.jpg

I was actually going to do that, Doug. I decided on the pipe just because.

I used a larger diameter pipe so I can go buy some non-lock-on grips and fillet them and glue them into the channel. Should give me a bit of squishy relief to hang on to the bike. (less twisting in the clamp) I almost used some "L" instead and made the corner flat so I could bolt it straight on, but it's working so far. I don't feel the clamp to be lacking in any way compared to a Park. I do feel the rotation via loosening the vice jaws to be a mild annoyance. I also think something freestanding would be nice.

I may get a wall-mount some day and build a base for it so I have both wall mount and freestanding. Just pull 4 bolts and pop it from the base to the wall. That could be fun.



Ken:
This is the vice I've got. Mine will rotate and has tubular jaws. It's not as expensive as this one though.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202786343/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202786343/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053


The base to that one is what I'd like to build. I'm worried about this flimsy looking tubular bases.

I bought a nashbar stand years ago and it has worked great, no complaints. I did the makeshift vise stand for a year or two and never looked back after buying a real stand. Will go with a PARK when the nashbar stand takes a dump.

Got some nice thick squishy grips from the bike shop (cheap used) to "Gorilla-Glue" to the inside of the clamp jaws. The glue says it's for rubber and metal...but it ain't sticking rubber to metal very well. I've got it wrapped in an inner-tube for now. Hoping letting the glue sit for a whole day will help. It's supposed to be "quick dry"...either way, it works as it sets. No unwanted rotation.

I'm already looking forward to my birthday list though. I'm thinking a proper freestanding unit will be what I need. A wall mount will be even shorter than the long pipe I'm set up with right now, and I can already see little annoyances with being tethered to my bench.

It's still a good cheap solution to the problem for now.

Park PCS-10. I have an Ultimate stand at home and the PCS-10 is the only stand I'd trade it in for. We use the PCS-10 at the shop as a triage stand and I can't recommend it enough. It will see 20-40 bikes per day during the spring, doing everything from shifting adjustments to running internal cables and full-bike assembly. It probably sees more use in a year than it would in a decade at home at holds up like a champ.

I have the SunLite, got a deal, love it. Agreed, it is not for a full production
shop, but at home it is great. Main thing it folds into a very small package
for storage.

http://www.amazon.com/SunLite-SUNLITE-Repair-Stand/dp/B0013GAQXQ

The deal maker was: He threw in four of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Bottom-Bracket-Bicycle-Display/dp/B000C17HJ4

Park PCS-10, no contest. There so many reason why, not worth the effort to list them.

The race stand will mar your downtube, no kidding. It may not happen the first ten times you use it, but it will happen. Then the support bracket will crack. :mad: