First, do you know how hard it is to accurately search for threads about something with the word “stand” in it? I apologize if this has been discussed at length before.
But what is a good, sturdy stand for home bike maintenance. I’m probably never going to get into anything more serious then cleaning, lubrication, swapping chains, etc. but want something that won’t fall over. Portability MIGHT be nice but isn’t a requirement. I was looking at the Feedback sports products that seem to have good reviews. Are the tripod/3 leg versions sturdier then two legs? I’m open to suggestions.
I have been putting off getting a work stand because I move around a lot and don’t want to drag a heavy, cumbersome stand along with me. But, after building up or significantly working on 7 bikes in the past year using a fluid trainer and a cheap display stand for support, I think it’s time to get something that won’t make me curse while trying to tune a RD!
To help us both out, I linked some threads discussing work stands. The Park Tools ones seem well regarded, especially the PRS-20.
Cycle repair stand?
Bike work stand
PRS-20 Bike Work Stand - Any Good?
Bike repair stand
One issue you may or may not care about is the clamp location. The PRS-20 and 21 use a fork and BB mounting system, which work great unless you have a bottom-bracket-mounted Di2 battery, in which case they would be unusable. In the same manner, a top tube or seat tube clamp could potentially damage lightweight carbon frames.
Thanks for the links. The PRS-20 is pretty nice. I actually expected it to be a lot more expensive too. Not that it is super cheap but then cracking the top tube on my carbon Tri bike or having the whole thing topple over would be pretty pricey too.
Thanks for the links. The PRS-20 is pretty nice. I actually expected it to be a lot more expensive too. Not that it is super cheap but then cracking the top tube on my carbon Tri bike or having the whole thing topple over would be pretty pricey too.
On any “clamp” style stand, you should never clamp to the top tube (regardless of fram material), you clamp to the seat post. I’ve got a PCS-10 and it has a great clamp design that works on round seat posts as well as aero styles.
I prefer the style where you remove the front wheel. You can get these up higher, typically, - saves my wonky back. I can work on the bike standing straight up.
PRS 20 (or the lighter PRS 21 if you move it around a lot) are great. In addition to the benefits Fleck mentions theis type of stand also tends to work better than stands that clamp a tube when you are using it with aero bikes with funky tube shapes.
Highly recommend Feedback Sports workstands as well (over Park). I also prefer the ones where you take the front (or rear) wheel off to clamp in rather than clamping your seat post or top tube. They are a bit more expensive then Park, but should last forever.
I have 2 other repair stands and I like the feedback the best. Actually, been meaning to sell one if you want one real cheap, PM me (an Ultimate Sports one in perfect condition)
Questions for you guys using stands that clamp on the fork.
can you get to the brakes mounted under the chain stays (such as a BMC TM01 or Blue Triad)? And if there’s a cable outlet (like on a Cervelo P2), can you get to that?
Do these stands rotate at all in the plane of the bike (like tilting the front end up so you can see under the down tube)?
if you have a BB cup that’s really tight, can you apply a lot of torque safely? You certainly can’t when clamped by the top tube, but if you have enough seat post in the frame, I consider clamping by the post ok for this.
I should probably just go play with one but thought I’d ask.
I have a Feedback Sport-Mechanic work stand and it works great. Tripod design, clamps both aero and round seat posts, rotates 360 degrees and I am able to raise it plenty high enough to work on all my drivetrain components without stressing my back. It also fold down to a fairly protable size in case I want to take it with me to any races. No complaints!
I should be receiving the Feedback Sports Sport Mechanic stand tomorrow. I have the Felt B16…can someone tell me if I am able to and if it is safe to clamp the seat post? Rather than the top tube. Thanks
The clamp on my Feedback Sports Mechanic is 3 and 3/4 inches. As long as you have enough seat post exposed you should be fine. It uses a spinner-knob clamp so just be careful not to over tighten that. I have clamped it on the carbon top tube of my Madone a couple times (when necessary) with no harm done.
Thanks for all the input. I wound up getting the Feedback Sports Sprint . Very similar to the popular PRS-20 from Park Tool but the base on the Feedback is actually a little more stable. Very nice! I used it for a bit this morning while working on accessories on my Felt B10. It is nice to be able to focus on what you are doing and not have to worry about the bike falling over. Later on today, I’ll probably put my road bike on it and give the drivetrain a good cleaning/lubrication.
First, do you know how hard it is to accurately search for threads about something with the word “stand” in it? I apologize if this has been discussed at length before.
But what is a good, sturdy stand for home bike maintenance. I’m probably never going to get into anything more serious then cleaning, lubrication, swapping chains, etc. but want something that won’t fall over. Portability MIGHT be nice but isn’t a requirement. I was looking at the Feedback sports products that seem to have good reviews. Are the tripod/3 leg versions sturdier then two legs? I’m open to suggestions.
I’m a cheapskate, so I use my trainer with the roller adjusted so it doesn’t touch the rear wheel. The only contact point is the rear skewer.
I really like the feedback sport’s sprint work stand. It gives you the ability to spin the bike completely around as you work on it, is highly adjustable, and super stable. Its great when working with Tri/Tt bikes that often have deep aero seat posts that can otherwise interfere with clamping. The only model that seems to be an issue is the Specialized Transition, with its rear brake routed on the bottom of the down tube.
can you get to the brakes mounted under the chain stays (such as a BMC TM01 or Blue Triad)? And if there’s a cable outlet (like on a Cervelo P2), can you get to that?
Getting to breaks under the chain stays is no problem. I do have a slight issue getting to my shiv’s breaks which are more under the BB
Do these stands rotate at all in the plane of the bike (like tilting the front end up so you can see under the down tube)?
No.
if you have a BB cup that’s really tight, can you apply a lot of torque safely? You certainly can’t when clamped by the top tube, but if you have enough seat post in the frame, I consider clamping by the post ok for this.
I would like to get either the PRS20 or the Feedback Sports Sprint but …
I’ve got a BB-mounted Di2 battery on my bike and it would appear (from measurements taken by helpful members of this forum), even the deep cradle of the PRS20 won’t be deep enough to accommodate the battery
I’m from Australia and it would almost appear that the Sprint is only sold in the US (even though all other Feedback Sports model is sold here and in the UK where they do free international deliveries). There doesn’t appear to be any online bike store in the US that would do free international deliveries such as Wiggle and CRC. So for me to buy a Sprint, the shipping costs is just too high … in one case jensonusa.com’s calculate shipping charge to Australia was a ridiculous US$280 and the sprint only cost $250!!!
So now, I’m looking for anyone who may have “customised” the PRS20 to work with BB-mounted batteries???
