Work stand

father_jack
father_jack Posts: 3,509
edited August 2009 in Workshop
Any recommendations for work stands? Ideally legs would fold up so I can fit in the shed.
Say... That's a nice bike..
Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)

Comments

  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    The Bike Tools stand from Merlin is great, I have one, folds up neatly, sturdy. May get one for a bit less on eBay.
  • MAMB
    MAMB Posts: 121
    I have an Ultimate workstand which I really rate (CRC sell them although the model I've got has been superseded - I think the nearest to mine of the current offerings on CRC is the Sport Mechanic). Legs fold a bit like those on a music stand so it's quite compact when folded. It's made of alloy (so doesn't rust), is pretty bombproof and very easy to use. Not super cheap (I paid just over 100 quid for mine) but will probably last a lifetime.
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    Turn your bike upside down, the floor makes an excellent workstand.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    antfly wrote:
    Turn your bike upside down, the floor makes an excellent workstand.

    What a stupid suggestion
    I like bikes...

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  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    antfly wrote:
    Turn your bike upside down, the floor makes an excellent workstand.
    :lol:
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    Tried that, bike needs to be upright to adjust gearing, Also pain as have to remove lights, and protect saddle with a book.

    Draper have a £15 one ebay but legs look fixed?
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Seriously, having a work stand makes working on the bike so much easier, not least getting the indexing set perfectly - try that with the bike upside down with the shifters on the floor :roll:
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    I use my turbo trainer for that, it`s the only time it gets used.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    redddraggon wrote:
    antfly wrote:
    Turn your bike upside down, the floor makes an excellent workstand.

    What a stupid suggestion

    No it isn`t.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    I've just recieved

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FOLDING-BIKE-BICYCLE-MAINTENANCE-WORK-REPAIR-STAND_W0QQitemZ400049917608QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Sports_Leisure_Cycling_Bags_Panniers_SR?hash=item5d24d54ea8&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A2%7C294%3A30

    - two day delivery, very sturdy, folds, tool tray.. I'm lovin' it. £45 + delivery
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    antfly wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    antfly wrote:
    Turn your bike upside down, the floor makes an excellent workstand.

    What a stupid suggestion

    No it isn`t.

    I suppose if you are riding a piece of crap bike it doesn't matter. But I don't want to knacker my shifters/bars/saddle.

    -Putting bar tape might be difficult if you have the bike upside down
    -Can't build up a frame with it lying on the floor
    -hard to wash the bike

    To be honest you must be as dumb as Willhub as it's neigh on impossible to do proper maintance with the bike upside, let alone do it without damaging it.

    It really is a retarded suggestion.
    I like bikes...

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  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    Thought this'll be ok but legs don't look to provide stability..

    http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=18141
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    redddraggon wrote:
    antfly wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    antfly wrote:
    Turn your bike upside down, the floor makes an excellent workstand.

    What a stupid suggestion

    No it isn`t.

    I suppose if you are riding a piece of crap bike it doesn't matter. But I don't want to knacker my shifters/bars/saddle.

    -Putting bar tape might be difficult if you have the bike upside down
    -Can't build up a frame with it lying on the floor
    -hard to wash the bike

    To be honest you must be as dumb as Willhub as it's neigh on impossible to do proper maintance with the bike upside, let alone do it without damaging it.

    It really is a retarded suggestion.
    My bikes are not crap.
    I put a sheet down first to prevent scratching,it`s perfectly fine for washing the bike and you hardly need a workstand to put bartape on now,do you?
    I was wondering how long it would take you to mention Willhub,you really are obsessed with that guy.You have a little man crush on Willhub perhaps?
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    antfly wrote:
    I was wondering how long it would take you to mention Willhub,you really are obsessed with that guy.You have a little man crush on Willhub perhaps?

    I'm afraid when you get bombarded with idiotic suggestions/statements/questions from him, anyone else who does the same will be tarred with the same brush.
    I like bikes...

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  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    The same guy from overclocks? If so asks for advice & recommendations but doesn't take it.
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    redddraggon wrote:
    antfly wrote:
    I was wondering how long it would take you to mention Willhub,you really are obsessed with that guy.You have a little man crush on Willhub perhaps?

    I'm afraid when you get bombarded with idiotic suggestions/statements/questions from him, anyone else who does the same will be tarred with the same brush.
    I think you are hiding your true feelings for Willhub and you are missing him sorely.You probably don`t realise you are doing it but there is barely a post goes by when you don`t mention him.You should really let him know how you feel.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • Special K
    Special K Posts: 449
    I have the park tools stand. I haven't had any other, so all I can say is that any money spent on a stand is money worth spending if only to not be spending it at the physio after spending hours hunched over...
    "There are holes in the sky,
    Where the rain gets in.
    But they're ever so small
    That's why rain is thin. " Spike Milligan
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    cheers bought the £45 one. That Draper only holds up the rear end, not very stable either.
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • alp777
    alp777 Posts: 211
    alfablue wrote:
    The Bike Tools stand from Merlin is great, I have one, folds up neatly, sturdy. May get one for a bit less on eBay.

    Would you use this stand to clamp to seat post or frame, or either? Ok to use with carbon?

    £55 on Ribble if anyone is thinking of buying this stand.
  • Ollieda
    Ollieda Posts: 1,010
    I built my bike up with no workstand and it's fine other than I used some budget parts but thats irrelevant. In hindsight I should have got one. I'm deffinantly going to get one when I get some more money in September as I've got some big changes planned
  • Elushion
    Elushion Posts: 115
    Can you get a workstand that has a pivoting head so you can rotate the bike around? Somehow I think this would be handy for building/cleaning the bike.
    "It was eleven more than necessary."

    -Jacques Anquetil (after winning a race by twelve
    seconds."
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    Cheap workstands are fine for little jobs and washing and any of the sub-£100 aluminium types will do for these jobs.

    If you are going to use it regularly, work on older/heavier bikes or do more demanding jobs - changing neglected bottom brackets, frame machining etc - then it's worth investing in a proper stand.

    The professional series Park stands are good (and allow rotation of even the heaviest tourers and downhill bikes) as are Kestrel stands. You do need a proper workshop though as solid and reliable is not compatible with folding. (My PRS-3OS weighs over 100lbs as well.)

    21PVTGEE1ML._SL500_AA280_.jpg

    If you need a folding stand the race-style stands such as the Park PRS-20 are very useful, and are kinder to carbon composite tubes and seatposts too. The design makes them very solid for a folding stand, but they have limtations - for example bikes with mudguards can't be serviced easily and bottom bracket jobs are a bit fiddly.

    Park%20PRS-20%20Team%20Race%20Workstand.jpg

    These are great wash stands too and good for the car park at events and trail centres!

    Turning the bike upside down is how we all start but once you've used a workstand, you won't want to go back!
  • Wappygixer
    Wappygixer Posts: 1,396
    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Ultimate_Pro_Classic_Bike_Workstand/5360019434/
    I have this stand and cant fault it one bit.
    It folds small enough to hide but strong enough for even the most stuborn jobs.
    All alloy and stainless steel so it wont rust
    Height adjust,ent is enough so you can almost look at the bottom bracket without bending
    And to top it off it rotates very easily
    The folding action is super smooth
    Very well made and they have excellent customer service, I emailed them to ask about replacement jaws they contacted the UK importers and told them to send me some and all for free.Not many have customer service like that
  • Meds1962
    Meds1962 Posts: 391
    I have an identical one to the merlin, it serves it's purpose well but is not particularly well balanced and easy to tip over if you're not careful. If I was buying another, I'd look for one with a tray to hold tools and bits.
    O na bawn i fel LA
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    I had a merlin one arrive today. Shoved my mountain bike straight on it (heaviest bike I have), nice and steady, well built, really impressed for the money. Just thought Id post to say I'd recommend it and I was ummming and ahhing a bit over spending more on a Park Tools, I needn't have it seems now.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,869
    Miffed about the price of some of these workstands, I set about making one. I used a gate leg table from the charity shop and with one side up and the other screwed down, I used various bits of wood to support the bike with padding and a QR skewer for the front forks.

    MK1 worked okay except it was heavy and cumbersome and I could still use the gate leg table for other jobs.

    MK2. This I set about in a different way. I got a 2 x 4 plank of wood cut to length. I drilled a hole into the front of the plank for a QR skewer. I pushed a pice of window wash wiper through the hole so that the QR skewer would not move but would have a little flexibility. Then I cut and shaped a short piece of wood - about 10inches and screwed it to the plank.
    The plank sits neatly in the vice and takes up almost no space. It is wide enough to put your bolts and allen keys on it (very usefull). I also thought of attaching a small tray for this purpose, but that will be an upgrade.
    The bike rear stays perch on top of the vertical piece of shaped wood (just behind the BB and the front forks fit to the QR skewer at the front and it is remarkably stable even though the rear end is not attached. The only downside is the fact that the vice is mounted on the workbench and the other side of the bike is not so accessible but that aspect is negligible. Pics if you want them - pm your e-mail address.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    alfablue wrote:
    The Bike Tools stand from Merlin is great, I have one, folds up neatly, sturdy. May get one for a bit less on eBay.

    For HOME use this one, or one like it, seems to be more than suitable. Buying top of the line is OK, IF you have the money, but they are not necessary. IMHO

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