Work stand for carbon frame bike?

city_boy

Hi All

I'm looking a getting a work stand to start carrying out my own maintenance and was wondering whether the type that secure the bike by the seatpost are suitable for carbon frames with carbon seat posts?

Any advice on this and any recommendations for a decent work stand up to around £150 would by much appreciated.

Thanks

ForumNewbie

I've got a workstand from the Edinburgh Bicycle Company that cost about £80 a few years ago. I always attach it to the seatpost of my carbon frame bike, which is in fact alloy. However I am sure it would be okay even with a carbon seatpost provided you don't clamp it too hard.

thejimmymethod

What he said. Alternatively if your worried, get a cheap alloy seat post to pop in while your working on it.

Monty Dog

Tacx Spider - bike stands that hold the bike by the seatpost are alright for light maintenance, but don't support the frame sufficiently for jobs like BBs

city_boy

thejimmymethod wrote:

What he said. Alternatively if your worried, get a cheap alloy seat post to pop in while your working on it.

Would be a good idea but it's a Giant Defy with the Vector aero seatpost and I don't think you can get an alloy version to fit.

scottishgeek

+1 on the Edinburgh Cycle Company stand. I have one I bought I few months back for mine and the other half's bikes one of which is carbon (although with a metal seat post)

BillyMansell

Rather than a stand that clamps around a tube how about the variety of stand that attaches to the forks and supports the BB, like this one;

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-race-workstand/

I have one that clamps around a tube and for occasional light work have lightly clamped around the top tube, otherwise it's around the seatpost which is also carbon but far more robust.

declan1

This is all you need:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/gea ... 556/38755/

city_boy

declan1 wrote:

This is all you need:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/gea ... 556/38755/

That looks just the job.....cheers Declan.

cycleclinic

This works well and a bike is sable on it for all work. It is the stand I use the most in the shop. Not good for headset replacement or changing forks though and it is expensive.

http://www.parktool.com/product/team-race-stand-prs-20

city_boy

thecycleclinic wrote:

This works well and a bike is sable on it for all work. It is the stand I use the most in the shop. Not good for headset replacement or changing forks though and it is expensive.

http://www.parktool.com/product/team-race-stand-prs-20

Thanks for this, it looks like another good option.

What's your view with regards supporting the bike by clamping the (carbon) seat post, say with the Giant post adapter as above. Is there still a risk of damaging the bike/seat post?

declan1

City Boy wrote:

thecycleclinic wrote:

This works well and a bike is sable on it for all work. It is the stand I use the most in the shop. Not good for headset replacement or changing forks though and it is expensive.

http://www.parktool.com/product/team-race-stand-prs-20

Thanks for this, it looks like another good option.

What's your view with regards supporting the bike by clamping the (carbon) seat post, say with the Giant post adapter as above. Is there still a risk of damaging the bike/seat post?

There's no risk clamping it with the plastic adaptor. All that does is support the bike while you clamp the round part of the adaptor. No clamping of the bike involved.

defycomp2

Try one of these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fat-Spanner-Workstand/dp/B005Z19DX4

Works a treat with my Giant

rolf_f

DefyComp2 wrote:

Try one of these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fat-Spanner-Workstand/dp/B005Z19DX4

Works a treat with my Giant

Park PCS-9 does the same thing but looks better engineered and sturdier for £10 less.... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Park-Tool-PCS-9 ... m_sbs_sg_1

I have a PRS 20 as mentioned by the Cycleclinic. I't's probably more hassle for a quick, light fettle than the seat post clamp types but for more serious work I think a much more stable platform. If the Park is too steep, the Elite mentioned by BillyMansell looks similar though whether it is as well made is another issue. No reason to assume it isn't up to the job though.

city_boy

Thanks guys, some great advice.

I think I'll either go for the PRS 20 or the PCS-9 (or 10) with the Giant seat post adapter.

I'll pop down to the LBS and have a closer look at both options.

Cheers

dennisn

FWIW A friend of mine simply loops a piece of rope over a ceiling beam in his garage. Says it works just as well as his Park stand.

47p2

I use the Feedback Sports Sprint work stand, similar in design to the PRS-20, very well made in anodised aluminium

Perfect for my vintage Alan


as well as carbon frames

ViperS15

Surely any clamping stand is only a danger to carbon frames if you tighten it up too far?

I use all sorts of stands with my carbon frame and I just make sure I only tighten it enough to keep the bike steady...

keef66

ViperS15 wrote:

Surely any clamping stand is only a danger to carbon frames if you tighten it up too far?

I use all sorts of stands with my carbon frame and I just make sure I only tighten it enough to keep the bike steady...

Carbon frames aren't designed to resist clamping forces. Even if you don't crush the tube when tightening the clamp, once you start heaving on the frame for eg bottom bracket cups you'll be twisting it in ways it's not designed for.

The top tube of my CR1-SL is so thin I can flex it using finger pressure.

navrig

I clamp the top tube on my Ribble Gran Fondo but I don't do any heavy work light BB removal when clamped.

When fixing the clamp I set the clamp very lightly and then hand tighten by turning the screw. That way I avoid any shock loading and I know exactly how tight it is.

dennisn

keef66 wrote:

ViperS15 wrote:

Surely any clamping stand is only a danger to carbon frames if you tighten it up too far?

I use all sorts of stands with my carbon frame and I just make sure I only tighten it enough to keep the bike steady...

The top tube of my CR1-SL is so thin I can flex it using finger pressure.

Serious question. This is actually a bike you feel comfortable riding? Note I didn't say ride comfortably.
I'm just not following how people are afraid to put a bike in a repair stand yet not afraid to ride it. Carbon paranoia is apparently alive and doing very well out there.

keef66

I trust the frame designers at Scott to have produced something fit for purpose. If it's good enough for Paris - Roubaix then it will survive me pootling round the lanes of Suffolk. I just won't be clamping the thing by the top tube.

ViperS15

dennisn wrote:

keef66 wrote:

ViperS15 wrote:

Surely any clamping stand is only a danger to carbon frames if you tighten it up too far?

I use all sorts of stands with my carbon frame and I just make sure I only tighten it enough to keep the bike steady...

The top tube of my CR1-SL is so thin I can flex it using finger pressure.

Serious question. This is actually a bike you feel comfortable riding? Note I didn't say ride comfortably.
I'm just not following how people are afraid to put a bike in a repair stand yet not afraid to ride it. Carbon paranoia is apparently alive and doing very well out there.

I think Cube will have designed it for weight distribution rather than crushing force on the top tube from an over eager clamper.

dennisn

ViperS15 wrote:

dennisn wrote:

keef66 wrote:

ViperS15 wrote:

Surely any clamping stand is only a danger to carbon frames if you tighten it up too far?

I use all sorts of stands with my carbon frame and I just make sure I only tighten it enough to keep the bike steady...

The top tube of my CR1-SL is so thin I can flex it using finger pressure.

Serious question. This is actually a bike you feel comfortable riding? Note I didn't say ride comfortably.
I'm just not following how people are afraid to put a bike in a repair stand yet not afraid to ride it. Carbon paranoia is apparently alive and doing very well out there.

I think Cube will have designed it for weight distribution rather than crushing force on the top tube from an over eager clamper.

My question still stands. Why would you ride a bike that the top tube can be flexed with a finger and you think will fail under clamp pressure? :roll:
I sort of like a frame that at least feels secure enough to support me. Sounds to me like more than a fair share of carbon riders are willing to overlook this "supposed" flaw in order to be "cool" and ride carbon frames. It seems a bit weird that these people will also buy, and never think twice about, carbon cranks, pedals, bars, seatposts, rims, etc. despite their somewhat intense carbon frame paranoia.