DIY bicycle work stand

[gregmacc]

Hi all ... What do people do for work stands? ... I'm keen to make something ... preferably something that can be suspended somehow from the roof trusses of my workshop. I'm thinking about even using a bike specific clamp and adapting a hanger to fit. I think the most satisfactory arrangement would be with a clamp around the bike seat post (but I'm open to suggestions). There are plenty of examples out there in internet land but I've yet to see anything that really takes my fancy. Some of the clamps I've seen are particularly "agricultural" looking ... as if serious damage would eventually be done to bicycle tubing.
The commercially available items are pretty expensive for what they are ... and many seem to be a compromise in one way or another ... It's one thing to be portable and/or foldable/stowable ... but if it's at the expense of strength and stability, I can't be bothered.
Cheers
Greg

[drubie]

Bunnings "bicycle hooks" - big square profile, rubber covered hooks. I screwed 'em into the side of a pillar in my (old, very strange) shed and just hang the bikes off that by the top tube.

Basically, anything that gets 'em off the ground without damage will work. I am really happy with the arrangement I now have as I can work standing up and it cost me a grand total of $7.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_pro ... cts&page=2

[winstonw]

I looked for a workstand earlier this year. One of the options I didn't think about until after buying one was a car boot rack.
If you need to transport multiple bikes via a rack, they also serve as a workstand

[Mulger bill]

Somebody, can't remember who did a pretty good job with a sawhorse and a chopping board. Anybody remember it?

[drubie]

Somebody, can't remember who did a pretty good job with a sawhorse and a chopping board. Anybody remember it?

I do but I can't find it. Basically they used the plastic chopping board as a bottom bracket support (suitably carved) with the forks sitting on an extension.

I tried to make something similar out of a cheap office chair by bending the back support out and mounting an old hub on it for the front forks, the using the bottom of the chair for the BB support, but it turned out to be worthless. I found that I needed something where the bike could be fully assembled while being worked on: some gear problems are easier to solve if you can turn the pedals with the wheel in place and the sawhorse/BB support design makes that hard.

The only real downside to hanging the frame from hooks on the top tube is that if you have cable routing underneath the tube you need to be careful how far apart the hooks are so you don't interfere with naked cables. The Sheldon Brown method (hang the bike from handlebars and behind the saddle) doesn't allow a bike to be assembled from scratch but it does avoid the problem of cable interference.

Thats why, after much stuffing around, the top tube hooks make plenty of sense if you've got room. Just hoik the bike up, fiddle to satisfaction, then ride!

[munga]

leighthebee has a nice parktools clamp on what looks like a bench grinder pedestal. not the cheapest solution, and it doesn't have anything to do with rafters, but it's rad.

[AndyRevill]

These may help

http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... 0&p=378198

http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... 34&t=16353

Andy

[Jean]

Somebody, can't remember who did a pretty good job with a sawhorse and a chopping board. Anybody remember it?

That was me:


The thread is here:

http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... =+macgyver

I'm still using it - works a treat.

Cheers

[ozdavo]

There are several different cheap bike stands available that IMO make building one, with clamp etc, seems too much effort:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/160609135029 ... 955wt_1396

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/330531986352 ... 860wt_1396

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Workshop-Bic ... 095wt_1396

[gregmacc]

Thanks all for your ideas and the links. Our bikes are alloy MTBs modified for rough road extended self supported touring (very heavy!) ... Some of the ebay items and DIY examples look like they might buckle under the strain. The one I like the most is the one posted by Munga ... There is no reason why that couldn't hang from my workshop "C" channel roof truss, with nothing below the bike to get in the way. It's simple and strong. The square tubing would be reasonably economical ... a Park Tool Home Mechanic PCS12 clamp is about $175 from Chain Reaction. Pretty reasonable all up
Cheers
Greg

[gregmacc]

... make that $120 shipped to Australia from Amazon.com ... just pressed the button ... thanks again Munga
Cheers
Greg

[slowlearner]

Somebody, can't remember who did a pretty good job with a sawhorse and a chopping board. Anybody remember it?

That was me:


The thread is here:

http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... =+macgyver

I'm still using it - works a treat.

Cheers

Mmm, love a cheap solution.

[Queestce]

Not DIY, but along the lines of cheap stands, Anaconda have two differing models. I recently bought the more expensive one, it was a couple of hundred with the club discount - now its on sale for $130... Brilliant stand! If you did want to go down the paid route and were looking for something solid and very affordable...

http://camping.anaconda.com.au/search?w=bike+stand

Tk

[biftek]

http://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-Bike-Repair-Stand/

[winstonw]

http://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-Bike-Repair-Stand/

that's a clever design I haven't seen before.

I bought this Raleigh for $105 earlier this year, and it has been excellent. The quality is faultless, and it seems similar to the Park Tools model.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ral ... rk%20stand

Being able to pivot the bike is great when working under the down tube and bottom bracket, or cleaning; a limitation of a BB support stand.
Stability is surprisingly good, as is maximum height. I am 186cm and can get it high enough to mess with drive train comfortably when standing.
It folds down small enough to leave in the car.

[familyguy]

Not DIY, but along the lines of cheap stands, Anaconda have two differing models. I recently bought the more expensive one, it was a couple of hundred with the club discount - now its on sale for $130... Brilliant stand! If you did want to go down the paid route and were looking for something solid and very affordable...

http://camping.anaconda.com.au/search?w=bike+stand

Tk

That Anaconda one looks a lot like this one, dont you think?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/160609135029 ... 955wt_1396

Jim

[wheels46]

That Anaconda one looks a lot like this one, dont you think?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/160609135029 ... 955wt_1396

Jim

Yep Aldi were selling them for 40 bucks this time last year.... They were a bargain. Not sure where Anaconda get off charging that much ??

[scirocco]

Five bucks, and you can do anything that doesn't involve the seatpost or bars/headset area.

[master6]

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I made three. The first was an adaption of a go kart work stand.

Light, stable, folds flat.

[familyguy]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/160609135029 ... 955wt_1396

Bought one of these, assembled last night. Seems pretty decent for $55. The KHS didnt fall off it, so it holds a reasonable amount. The Fuji will test it though

Jim

[bollo]

hi guys , some good ideas there. not really about the cost of buying something i just enjoy to make things & i am lucky to have the means to be able to do it (& i was a boiler maker before my current job)
i'll have a play & when i get something knocked up i'll post up a few pics

cheers Allan

[bollo]

leighthebee has a nice parktools clamp on what looks like a bench grinder pedestal. not the cheapest solution, and it doesn't have anything to do with rafters, but it's rad.

do you know where the owner bought the clamp in the quoted pic from ?

[bollo]

ok found it prob a little more then i would like to spend for a bike stand lol

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Park-Tool-PR ... 20c26fed3c

[master6]

hi guys , some good ideas there. not really about the cost of buying something i just enjoy to make things & i am lucky to have the means to be able to do it (& i was a boiler maker before my current job)
i'll have a play & when i get something knocked up i'll post up a few pics

cheers Allan

Allan, do you mind if we add a few features on a "wish list"?

Mine are
1. Foldable for storage
2. Transportable on caravanning trips
3. Can mount with rear wheel fitted for drive train adjustments
4. Can mount with front wheel fitted to adjust brakes and computer sensors. (no need to have both wheels fitted at same time)
5 Can fit tray under chain, to hold fluid , in order to wash chain.

[jacks1071]

Hi all ... What do people do for work stands? ... I'm keen to make something ... preferably something that can be suspended somehow from the roof trusses of my workshop. I'm thinking about even using a bike specific clamp and adapting a hanger to fit. I think the most satisfactory arrangement would be with a clamp around the bike seat post (but I'm open to suggestions). There are plenty of examples out there in internet land but I've yet to see anything that really takes my fancy. Some of the clamps I've seen are particularly "agricultural" looking ... as if serious damage would eventually be done to bicycle tubing.
The commercially available items are pretty expensive for what they are ... and many seem to be a compromise in one way or another ... It's one thing to be portable and/or foldable/stowable ... but if it's at the expense of strength and stability, I can't be bothered.
Cheers
Greg

You could just loop a piece of rope around the truss and hook that over your saddle.