After building 3 bikes and overhauling 3 more and spending hours crawling around on the floor or standing on my head I finally got around to selecting and ordering a modestly priced work stand. After looking at all the possibilities in the price range I was willing to splurge on ($50-60) I settled on this one because it had them most useful looking clamp, a camlock quick release. The other units in this range have clamps that require turning a crank or screw to close. Too much work. For $30 more I could have had a folding version with the same clamp and head unit but I do not think it will be necessary although I may regret it in the future. I can pull the legs off of this one without too much trouble if I need to store or transport it.
The gold standard in bike tools is the Park Tool Company. Their work stand design is very nice in that it has only 2 legs which are attached to the upright a few inches above the bottom forming a tripod of sorts. The upright leans in towards the bicycle and the whole affair is very stable and works on surfaces less than flat and also folds up into a relatively compact package. The problem is that the least expensive comparable Park costs 3 times more than this one without a tool tray ($30), or a handlebar stabilizer ($15). For $100-145 less I can live with this setup which seems to be perfectly serviceable if a bit bulkier and less "cool".
It arrived this morning and is a lot more substantial than I expected. It looks kind of stringy and fragile in the pictures on the Internet. The tubing is all between 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" steel and the base bracket and clamp are a very durable nylon composite. The unit came well packaged with all parts and hardware present:
Triple Box (overkill?):
Assembly was easy. The most difficult part was getting the legs into the bottom bracket. I had to take the bolts out and spread the sockets with a large screwdriver but that was a minor inconvenience and the result is very sturdy and will not be wobbly in my lifetime:
The Base:
The clamp works well. The camlock has enough throw to be able to put the bike in with it open and then lock it shut without having to adjust it, as I hoped:
Clamp Open:
Clamp Locked:
The clamp rotation lock is two meshing gears. Turning the handle about 1/4 turn unlocks it. You pull the clamp or bike out and rotate it then flip the handle back to lock it. I have not tried hanging a bike by the seat tube or rotating one at an angle yet but the clamp seems to hold well enough to make these operations routine:
The tool tray is a nice touch, especially since it is included. It will be very helpful to have a safe place to put fasteners and parts after removal or for assembly. My drill has been to set them down someplace then often have to look for them later. The small tube behind the tool tray can attach to the handlebar of a bike in the stand to keep the front wheel from flopping around. Another nice touch not included with a Park:
So far I am very happy with this unit and I wish I had bought it 3 years ago. If one is going to build or work on bicycles it could be the first thing to buy, even before any bikes or parts. I will use it to store the bike I am currently riding on as well as for doing repairs and service.
Assembly was easy. The most difficult part was getting the legs into the bottom bracket. I had to take the bolts out and spread the sockets with a large screwdriver but that was a minor inconvenience and the result is very sturdy and will not be wobbly in my lifetime:
The Base:
The clamp works well. The camlock has enough throw to be able to put the bike in with it open and then lock it shut without having to adjust it, as I hoped:
Clamp Open:
Clamp Locked:
The clamp rotation lock is two meshing gears. Turning the handle about 1/4 turn unlocks it. You pull the clamp or bike out and rotate it then flip the handle back to lock it. I have not tried hanging a bike by the seat tube or rotating one at an angle yet but the clamp seems to hold well enough to make these operations routine:
The tool tray is a nice touch, especially since it is included. It will be very helpful to have a safe place to put fasteners and parts after removal or for assembly. My drill has been to set them down someplace then often have to look for them later. The small tube behind the tool tray can attach to the handlebar of a bike in the stand to keep the front wheel from flopping around. Another nice touch not included with a Park:
So far I am very happy with this unit and I wish I had bought it 3 years ago. If one is going to build or work on bicycles it could be the first thing to buy, even before any bikes or parts. I will use it to store the bike I am currently riding on as well as for doing repairs and service.
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