Halfords Bike Hut range

jme4

Has anyone owned or own a Bike Hut Repair Stand - £40?

It's a lot cheaper than the Park Tool etc.

Being honest I only want a stand to wash and lube my bike as I'm no mechanic.

So is the product decent?

Also they do a track pump and other bits - any views on Bike Hut kit in general?

Thanks.

The Rookie

It's a perfectly useable stand although Aldi sell what is almost the same item for half that and many stores have just had their cycling week so have some in.

Not that you need a stand, just makes it a little more convenient.

doomanic

I had cause to use a Bikehut double action pump on Thursday night and I was very impressed. It sealed properly on my hateful Presta valves and the double action meant the tyre was back up to pressure in no time at all. Certainly not what I was expecting from Hellfrauds.

JGTR

eBay do the same stand for £25

tomb57

Got similar one on Amazon from pure gadgets 29.99 use only for cleaning my self but hope to work
Up to minor repairs and this is very good .

jme4

Thanks guys.

Aldo only had a bike storage rack not a work stand, but good to know the Bikehut stuff is okay. Will look at their cleaning products too.

mattyfez

Sponge, cheap washing up liquid and a bucket is all you really need.
A garden hose head adaptor with adjustable spray settings I find very useful, as you can hose the worst of the muck off, whilst getting the stubbborn mud wet, then sponge it down by hand with water/washing up liquid, then with a gentle spray setting on the hose, clean off any suds/remaining muck.

I think the idea of bike specific 'shampoo' is a bit crazy.

plugp7

mattyfez wrote:

Sponge, cheap washing up liquid and a bucket is all you really need.
A garden hose head adaptor with adjustable spray settings I find very useful, as you can hose the worst of the muck off, whilst getting the stubbborn mud wet, then sponge it down by hand with water/washing up liquid, then with a gentle spray setting on the hose, clean off any suds/remaining muck.

I think the idea of bike specific 'shampoo' is a bit crazy.

Never use washing up liquid to clean bike, car or anything you don't want to go rusty or corrode. It can contain large amounts of salt.

doomanic

doomanic wrote:

I had cause to use a Bikehut double action pump on Thursday night and I was very impressed. It sealed properly on my hateful Presta valves and the double action meant the tyre was back up to pressure in no time at all. Certainly not what I was expecting from Hellfrauds.

I bought my own yesterday, priced at £15 in-store and £12 on-line, I just asked them to price-match their own website...
Just as well really; I managed to get a pinch flat on the final descent on the Verderers Trail at the FoD today.

larkim

Tomb57 wrote:

Got similar one on Amazon from pure gadgets 29.99 use only for cleaning my self.

Personally I prefer a shower, but each to their own...

larkim

plugp7 wrote:

mattyfez wrote:

Sponge, cheap washing up liquid and a bucket is all you really need.
A garden hose head adaptor with adjustable spray settings I find very useful, as you can hose the worst of the muck off, whilst getting the stubbborn mud wet, then sponge it down by hand with water/washing up liquid, then with a gentle spray setting on the hose, clean off any suds/remaining muck.

I think the idea of bike specific 'shampoo' is a bit crazy.

Never use washing up liquid to clean bike, car or anything you don't want to go rusty or corrode. It can contain large amounts of salt.

Isn't that an urban myth, working on the basis that all good washes end up in a good rinse which would remove / dilute the salts thus precluding rust or corrosion?

The Rookie

Eh? It's not an urban myth, no, washing up liquid does contain a lot of salt.

How would rinsing it be relevant if it was an urban myth?

I use just plain water or a car shampoo.

larkim

I thought the urban myth was that washing up liquid corroded due to high salt.

Factually, washing up liquid does contain salt. But the myth is that this salt has any effect on washing bikes etc as it all gets washed off when you rinse, so the salt has no lasting impact.

Happy to stand corrected, I'd read that it was a misdirection that wasn't relevant to bikes. For cars, waxes and polishes which are applied to the paintwork do get removed by washing up liquid, but as those aren't used on bikes (generally) it didn't have the same impact.

larkim

Just so I knew I wasn't making this stuff up - http://www.morebikes.co.uk/can-clean-bi ... ng-liquid/

Having said that, I just use MucOff or car shampoo anyway...

wolfsbane2k

It's ok, ive used bits and bobs from there for a few years.
Don't forget to ask them to price match online, and then apply your 10% British Cycling Discount as well, they hate that

mugensi

From a Bikehut work stand to fairy liquid in 14 moves.

Anyway back on topic, I have the €40 Bikehut stand for the last 2 years, its used several times a week between my 3 bikes and is probably the most useful bit of kit I have ever bought. Its very sturdy/steady and has no problem holding my 13.5kg Cube LTD safely and firmly. Well recommended.

FishFish

I've had one for a couple of years and it is good, collapses to a small size for storage. I use it weekly. Steel bolts on the legs near the ground should be greased - mine got rusty. It will last until the universe ends.

kinioo

The Rookie wrote:

It's a perfectly useable stand although Aldi sell what is almost the same item for half that and many stores have just had their cycling week so have some in.

Not that you need a stand, just makes it a little more convenient.

Was going to say that. Got mine form Aldi for £20 - exactly the same as in HAlfords

doomanic

Aldi only had bike storage stands this time, not workshop stands. Unfortunately.

ade555

I got one of the halfords stands which I purchase yesterday, when I got sick of kneeling down to work on bikes, there are cheaper stand out there on ebay if you can wait order that.

Tashman

I use a bike storage rack on my garage wall. Works a treat