tiger1964 

A friend with carbon-fiber bikes (and simply does not understand why I persist with my old steel bikes) has been over rather a lot recently, asking for service/repair help; indeed, he's on his way right now. Fine, but I am wary of clamping the frame in either of my repair stands, which I understand is to be avoided. There is not quite enough space of the seat post showing to clamp there, either. I seem to recall seeing once a stand for this purpose, supporting the bike at the bottom bracket shell. I am looking online, not seeing any -- just the conventional tube-clamp type; apparently just not using the right search words. Is there a name for that particular type of stand? I don't need a professional-grade stand (or, more accurately, do not want to pay for one).

cb400bill

Euro Stand or Race Stand

tiger1964 

Thanks! Wow, $337 -- on sale? He's a really good friend but...

I'll keep searching.

Kontact

Raise the seat to expose more post.

Trakhak

The bike shop where I got my first 10-speed and track bikes in the early '60's had a T-hook on a chain from the work bench that was used to grab the handlebars; the front wheel went between two vertical 2x4's under the bench.

There are still old-school professional bike service shops in Italy and elsewhere in Europe that suspend bikes from the ceiling with ropes: two for the handlebars, one for the saddle. Now that e-bikes are common, I'd imagine that the ropes have been replaced by chains and winches.

Of course, for high-torque jobs, the bike is brought down off the ropes and placed on the floor.

[Edit] Otherwise, what Kontact said.

cb400bill

It was posted more as an example of what name to call it .

dsbrantjr

Mark position with a Sharpie and move the seat up temporarily?

Crankycrank

Here's an option: Hirobel Frame Clamp | Jenson USA I've seen other brands so shop around. Never used one myself so can't give a review.
Option #2: Tell your friend to buy his own special stand.
Option #3 Hang it on a storage rack. 1 example- Two Bike Gravity Stand – Delta Cycle (designbydelta.com)
Option #4 Tell friend to get a metal bike.

cyccommute 

Yup. Standard procedure at home and at the co-op. I haven't clamped a frame in a work stand in nearly 25 years. Seatposts are cheap.

smd4

All of these, in addition to Kontact's exceedingly simple (and free) solution.

veganbikes

Just raise the seatpost that is the ONLY part of the bicycle designed to be clamped in a stand. The Euro race stands are nice as well but I would really say just raise the seatpost these days it is exceedingly rare to see one of those short little campy seat posts most seat posts have enough length to clamp into a standard bike stand and especially newer stuff has smaller jaws so it is even easier.

You might as others have suggested mark the spot with a paint pen or permanent marker so you know where to move it back if the seatpost doesn't have exposed markings.

The Hirobel is nice as Silca makes nice stuff but if you have a non-funky seatpost clamp it by the post.

zacster

If you can't clamp it to the seatpost on the bike, take it off and put another one in to clamp. This is all fine and good unless it has a matching aero post, which I wouldn't clamp to either. My own bike has a round carbon post but in an unusual size. I'd hate to ruin it but I've used it to clamp.

tiger1964 

Thanks, all; I will keep shopping for a different stand and/or pursue the seat post option (the Sharpie will have to be Silver of some other color, why do modern bikes insist on black components? Sheesh)

This solution, I like! (actually, different topic in a different sub-forum, I am restoring the bike he bought in 1974 and it has NO problems on the stand)

Troul 

if it happens to be a Newer Domane or similar style seat post, I'd be leery of messing with the seat height if it isn't slipping.

Rick

Here is another expensive option for carbon frames from Silca.
There are several videos about this on YouTube.

Mtracer

I can't recommend the Hirobel Frame Clamp enough. While it is a very safe way to hold a carbon frame, it's just plain easier than farting around clamping a seat post for any bike. I rarely even need to strap the bike down. Just lift the bike, set in on and done. It's perfect for normal frame shapes. Doesn't work for my wife's step through frame though, you do need a top tube.

wheelreason

Use painter's or masking tape...

cyccommute 

Black Sharpie is surprisingly easy to see on black components. If not, use red or silver.

letrebici

I was wondering if a DIY version of the Silca Haribel would work? Then it occurred to me....when visiting a friend for a ride who had a hanging type rack on her vehicle, and we both have non-straight top tubes on our MTbBikes, she has a TopTube Cross-bar Adapter which connects from seat post to stem. That adapter bar could be clamped in the bike stand jaws in a horizontal orientation. These adapters seem to be from $30-50

That said, I have two carbon bikes, gravel and Mt bike so I have a Haribel. and it does work very well in my stand. I even use it with my steel LeMond since I only have very short amount of seatpost exposed (offset type). But I have also raised my MTB dropper post to allow the regular clamp to the bike stand. but that post is robust.

Camilo

You're going to buy a new repair stand, not for your bikes, but for a friend's? Whew.

You can also just hang the bike from the nose of the saddle and if you are just a bit careful, can do shifting and brake adjustments easily.

sweeks

Something like THIS is inexpensive, and is handy for a lot of simple tasks such as drivetrain adjustments.

rm -rf

I want a stand that allows both wheels to spin. I want to check the brakes or examine the tire tread on the front wheel, not just work on the rear wheel drivetrain.

Silver sharpie is very useful. Note that it's removable with 90% rubbing alcohol (completely removed on most surfaces, test first if a faint leftover marking is unacceptable).

~~~~
short jaws:

Feedback / Ultimate stands!
A long time ago, my old bike didn't have enough seatpost showing for my (at least 20+ years old now, maybe over 25) Ultimate ultralight repair stand. I unscrewed the two (cast zinc?) rubber covered jaws, and sawed off about 3/4 inch at one end of the jaws. That worked.

It's now Feedback Sports, and there's still replacement parts that fit both my stand and the current ones they sell! Ultralight stand

My clutch mechanism stopped working 4 years ago, slipping instead of locking in place. The replacement is still available. about $12 then, it's only $14 now. That's amazing to me. The replacement I bought is obviously sturdier too.

So, when I ordered the clutch, I got a pair of replacement jaws too. $14 for the set of two. Now I don't have that ragged, cut off rubber jacket on the old shortened jaws.

The Feedback jaws are 3 1/8 inches tall, or 80mm. That might be short enough for your seatpost?

cpach

As a pro mechanic:
We use insanely expensive EVT clamps specifically because they will clamp to less exposed post allowing us to clamp to the seat post without raising it more of the time, improving efficiency many times a day per work station and paying for itself fast in a commercial setting.
Standard operating procedure is to mark with electrical tape if we have to raise the post.
We also have the hirobel. Its a fantastic option for a lot of things, but the majority of the time I still clamp to the post instead.

base2 

FWIW, and it may not necessarily apply directly here ...But, there are clamshell adaptors for aero seatposts. The clamshell wraps around the odd shaped post and terminates in a regular round handle which inserts into a standard repair stand clamp that has been turned horizontal. Here is the only one I can think of: https://activesport.co/epages/80c85f...9&Locale=en_GB




One of the inserts looks pretty round and the tool itself is very not tall.

Russ Roth

Took 23 posts for someone to finally mention electrical tape. I keep the stuff on the repair stand on one of the handles. Every mechanic should have a roll right there. Just wrap at the line of the clamp and and move the post all you want. And I know I'll get crap for this, but I'll just clamp the top tube if the post is something weird. Can't/wouldn't do it with ultra light aluminum but with carbon it has never been an issue, just don't be an idiot in how you do it. Creep up on the fit, the frame should be able to easily rock/rotate side to side but just tight enough no rocking front to back. Even the tension for being able to rotate the clamp should be set a touch loose, just enough so you can move the bike and it stays where you want it. Carbon frames are fairly robust, though it might freak your friend out.