Workstands

feel
feel Posts: 800
edited January 2008 in Workshop
Anyone recommend a good bicycle workstand upto around £150.
cheers :)
We are born with the dead:
See, they return, and bring us with them.

Comments

  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Park PCS-11 from ribble for 135 looks good to me. Great thing to have for your home workshop. It's not the heavy duty bike shop kind but will give you many years of service
    at home.

    Dennis Noward
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    I have the Minoura W3000 and think it is awesome.

    I had one on loan from the brother in law last year and when he came to reclaim it i realise 2 things - 1) that I couldn't live without it and 2) that they cost a lot of money!

    I looked for ages at getting a cheaper one but ended up getting the minoura again - it is solid and well made - not portable mind - but a very good workstand,

    the ability to spin a bike in mid air at eye level is so usefull you just have to try it to belive it.

    it's this one:
    http://www.mcconveycycles.com/products. ... p790&rs=gb

    although I actually got it from wiggle (who don't list it anymore for some reason) and paid about the same.
  • top_bhoy
    top_bhoy Posts: 1,424
    Second the Minoura W3000. Make sure you order the tool tray for it as well. It will make working more convenient.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I've a Minoura, but it's a bit of a faff when doing things like BB's as you have to lower the bike. For a real pro workstand look at a Tacx Spider.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Cajun
    Cajun Posts: 1,048
    I've had the Ultimate Pro for 8+ years and really like it....no reason to change....totally portable, folds easy, sets up quickly and has good height adjustments to keep from breaking your back....
    http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Tools/product_23460.shtml
    I've also heard good things about Topeak's.. I know they build quality work tools.
    Cajun
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    I am looking for a workstand also, having heard of good things about the Ultimate brand, which not many exist in the UK it seems. bike shops always have limited stocks with only a couple of models, mostly one in fact. I don't think they're being distibuted anymore. Get the feeling the american market is one they're happy with.

    Heard about Park clamps breaking, which is a shame if true. Don't know much about Minoura i do admit. Tacx look good as Monty Dog says. There is a BikeTools one, which is about 70 quid, and very similar to the Edinburgh Cycles one, good value for the money.

    About time C+ did another workstand test I feel!!
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    I picked up a Park PCS-4 on Ebay for £75 recently as an upgrade to my venerable PCS-1. It is a solid beast and has the same type of clamp as the bike shop type stands.

    It is lovely to use and clamps heavy bikes at whatever height or angle you need. It exudes tank-like qualities and all the important bits are available as spares.

    The only downside with it is that the legs fold in when you lift it up - easily fixed with some black duct tape but irritating nevertheless.

    It might be worth keeping your eyes peeled as these things are so solid and low-tech threre's not much risk involved in buying secondhand.
  • With all workstands including the W3000 (unless a workshop one bolted to the floor) I would always that any jobs that could invlove a bit of brute force or leverage that the bike be removed, I would also recommend attaching the bike so that it is quite well balanced as this helps keep it stable in the workstand

    Paul_Smith
    www.bikeplus.co.uk

    Monty Dog wrote:
    I've a Minoura, but it's a bit of a faff when doing things like BB's as you have to lower the bike. For a real pro workstand look at a Tacx Spider.
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    I just stand on the legs!
  • Mog Uk
    Mog Uk Posts: 964
    Picked up a workstand from Decathlon yesterday.

    HapoG Velo Works. It weighs a bloody ton, has 4 fixed legs, adjustable height, adjustable worktray, 360degree clamp for top tube or seatpost... a bargain at £46........
  • JWSurrey
    JWSurrey Posts: 1,173
    I bought a Park PRS-20, which has the benefit of not clamping at the seatpost, but does mean you either have to remove the front or back wheel - the other end being a rubberised bottom bracket cup with a securing strap.

    Problem is that although it's really sturdy, I can't get the winter trainer on there as the mudguards foul it all up - a shame as I bought it so I could clamp the bike outside, hose it off and oil it! Doh!

    Otherwise, it's a good and reasonably sturdy stand.

    I've always been too much of a wuss to dangle my bike from the carbon seatpost.
    I may get a cheap toptupe hangar type just for the hosing off and chain oiling of the winter bike.
  • feel
    feel Posts: 800
    Thanks for all the suggestions have checked them out , but after trip to LBS and getting a comprehensive demonstration went for a topeak one that supports at the bottom bracket and clamps on the lower frame tube and also has small extension to hold handlebars, but unlike the park one (which i had fancied) allows both wheels to remain on. Haven't yet had a chance to use it , but will let you know what i think of it in a week or two.
    We are born with the dead:
    See, they return, and bring us with them.
  • top_bhoy
    top_bhoy Posts: 1,424
    feel wrote:
    Thanks for all the suggestions have checked them out , but after trip to LBS and getting a comprehensive demonstration went for a topeak one that supports at the bottom bracket and clamps on the lower frame tube and also has small extension to hold handlebars, but unlike the park one (which i had fancied) allows both wheels to remain on. Haven't yet had a chance to use it , but will let you know what i think of it in a week or two.

    What Topeak model is it?
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    Presumably no good for carbon fibre frames though? I actually have two stands - the PCS-4 for most work and a PRS20 for my carbon Giant roadbike. I can't use the 4 for the Giant, because of the carbon seatpost, and my Audax bike (with 'guards) won't go in the 20!

    The 20 also makes a cracking stand for washing bikes, and folds small enough to take on weekend mountain bike trips away.
  • feel
    feel Posts: 800
    Top_Bhoy wrote:

    What Topeak model is it?

    this one I paid slightly more but at least i know it was the right one for me and that i won't have to send it back. It supports the BB and down tube rather than clamps but since i don't plan on having a carbon frame it's not a problem.
    We are born with the dead:
    See, they return, and bring us with them.
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    I'm sure you will love it. Having a good stand is a revelation - they turn jobs that were once a pain in the ar*e into a pleasure.