What I would like to create is something similar to the bike stands I’ve seen in some transition areas and bike races. Two triangles supporting a bar that holds the bike by the saddle. What are the pros and cons of making this from PVC pipe? Are there any commercial ones made?
Pros:
Inexpensive
Light weight
Only one tool needed, a hacksaw
Cons:
Can’t think of any cons
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Hid–In the end, do you have a design?
How large would the traingles be? Would they hinder your ability to adj your derailler by turning the cranks? if you can imagine the angle of the traingular supports being too large or too small. you know?
Burns
I don’t but a search on Google will probably turn up a few designs. I would just head down to the local hardware store and tell them what you are trying to do.
Here’s a link I found:
http://www.bicyclecommuter.com/PVCWorkStandMeasurements.htm
I take back the no cons statement. I would see no cons for home use but if you are making transition racks for a race, PVC would be a bit flimsy unless you used a decent sized tube.
PVC? Depending on the tubing it could be pretty flimsy. I would look at maybe electrical conduit or something a bit less flexible.
I made a bike stand that holds the front or rear wheel. Took a couple short pieces of 2x4, a couple pieces of 2x6, and 10 minutes later I had a stand .
Agreed. PVC wouldn’t be sturdy enough. I bit with $20, a Home Depot, and an hour or so, you could make a very sturdy stand. Think sawhorse with a QR skewer. If I didn’t have an Ultimate stand, this is what I would do (I love making things for next to no $$).
Years ago, Nashbar/Performance used to sell a very simple and effective device. I was an inverted “Y” brace made of steel rod that would fit (at the junction of the “Y”) under your bottom bracket and have a u-hook at the single straight end that “crooked” over your down tube about 8" up from the bb. It would create a tripod using its “Y” legs and the front wheel. It would lift the rear wheel off the ground 5" so you could run the pedals/chain/spin the wheel. You couldn’t sit on it, but it would help you store the bike or clean the chain and adjust the derails.
I haven’t seen one around lately. But if anyone knows where you can get it, pls. let me know. It cost about $8 in 1990.
This is agreat stand if you can locate one. I removed the sock frame protector for the pic.
The Y metal thing now it costs about 15 including shipping on EBay and QBP has it in it’s catalog so your local shop or Sheldonbrown.com can get it for you. Search under bicycle category with the search term stand on EBay.
I have six of them.
For an expensive version, I just realized one can get two of the A-frame Ultimate stand ends and buy one longer aluminum tube to go in the middle to get a portable bike race stand.