What workstand do you recommend?

davmaggs
davmaggs Posts: 1,008
edited August 2009 in Commuting chat
It's coming to that time again when I need to tinker with the gears on my commuter to get it running smoothly again. I've never thought that a workstand would be worth the cost or importantly the storage space as it would only be used now and again. However I'm starting to think it might just be a good investment.

I don't need a high-end commercial standard rig. Just something to hold the bike and keep the wheels off the ground when spinning the pedals.

What workstand would you recommend?

Comments

  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    I have recently bought one of these:

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 360009217/

    Relatively cheap (at £70 rather than its £100 list), and does the job well enough for me.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • FeynmanC
    FeynmanC Posts: 649
    I couldn't afford to get one after getting the bike and kit so I've bodged one from one of those free standing clothes hanging rails you can get for around a tenner and a few straps to hang the bike from it.

    You can change the height and attitude of the bike by raising and lowering the bar and the relative lengths of the straps.

    So far it's worked like a dream and you can dry your kit out on it when it's not in "stand" mode 8)
    us0.png
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    This one
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • toshmund
    toshmund Posts: 390
    Decathlon do a cracking effort, for about £50 if you have one nearby to where you live. Think they do mail order anyway nowadays...don't quote me though.
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    Toshmund wrote:
    Decathlon do a cracking effort, for about £50 if you have one nearby to where you live. Think they do mail order anyway nowadays...don't quote me though.

    They do two, a folding one and the bigger one for £50. Go for the £50, it's a cracker. The folding one is good too - I have that also...
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    I've got one of the Lifeline ones from Wiggle. They occasionally pop up at greatly reduced prices, think I paid about £60.

    It's great :-) Makes indexing gears almost bearable...
    Misguided Idealist
  • prj45
    prj45 Posts: 2,208
    I use my handlerbars and my seat.

    Don't forget to turn your bell round though or it gets scratched.
    Photos - Blog - Bike
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,584
    My lovely girlfriend bought me this for our anniversary last year, and it's a superb piece of kit.

    Teamed up with a decent set of tools, you can pretty much do anything - well chuffed with it.

    BOSSWORK200000000000_1_Zoom.jpg

    http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=BOSSWORK200000000000

    Cheers

    Dan
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • symo
    symo Posts: 1,743
    I have this it's great, washing the bike and tinkering is a joy.
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    we are the proud, the few, Descendents.

    Panama - finally putting a nail in the economic theory of the trickle down effect.
  • emdeef
    emdeef Posts: 98
    The one in Dan's picture and the £50 Decathlon one look the same.

    I have a different style one from SJS Cycles, which is fine and stable, but I suspect the clamp style ones are more versatile.

    http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-SJSC ... -10629.htm
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,584
    emdeef wrote:
    The one in Dan's picture and the £50 Decathlon one look the same.

    I have a different style one from SJS Cycles, which is fine and stable, but I suspect the clamp style ones are more versatile.

    http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-SJSC ... -10629.htm

    I shall have to have a look next time I go to Decathlon (once in a blue moon)

    The clamp is very handy, not wholly clear from the pic, but it rotates through 360 degrees, so you can clamp any tube at any angle, and it has a nice rubber insert so doesn't damage anything in the process.

    The little tray for bits is rather useful as well.

    It was a bit more bargainous last year, around £40 IIRC.

    Cheers

    Dan
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • davmaggs
    davmaggs Posts: 1,008
    Sub-question for Decathlon fans and for Gregg. Do those stands fold up for easy storage?

    thanks
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    davmaggs wrote:
    Sub-question for Decathlon fans and for Gregg. Do those stands fold up for easy storage?

    thanks

    Yep. The legs fold up parallel to the cross beam. and it comes with a strap to hold the folded thing together. The cross-members at the base of the legs don't fold, so you end up with something that like a large capital "I" (not in this font tho)
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    Greg66 wrote:
    like a large capital "I"

    It's always about you isn't it.
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Greg T wrote:
    Greg66 wrote:
    like a large capital "I"

    It's always about you isn't it.

    Funny that. Your missus said exactly that to me recently... :twisted:
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    Greg66 wrote:
    Funny that. Your missus said exactly that to me recently... :twisted:


    I'm not surprised.

    You left your hairdryer at our place by the way.
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Agent57 wrote:
    I have recently bought one of these:

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 360009217/

    Relatively cheap (at £70 rather than its £100 list), and does the job well enough for me.

    Stands of this type are very popular and are a great addition to any home shop. They are generally not of "shop" quality like a Park "top of the line" but like I say, for home use,
    they can't be beat. And the price is right.
  • toshmund
    toshmund Posts: 390
    Daniel B wrote:
    My lovely girlfriend bought me this for our anniversary last year, and it's a superb piece of kit.

    Teamed up with a decent set of tools, you can pretty much do anything - well chuffed with it.

    BOSSWORK200000000000_1_Zoom.jpg

    http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=BOSSWORK200000000000

    Cheers

    Dan

    Yes, that is the Decathlon version. The black vertical post is secured in the cup on the bottom bracket by 2 bolts (which release half of the cup) with Allen key heads. Personally I keep the vertical as one, and the base as one. The clamps are fully rotational. Cannot remember how much it was exactly, aroundabout £50 though.

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