Workstands

A few pearls of wisdom reflecting our experiences with workstands.

Wheel stands
These hold the bike upright in a balanced position rather than in a rigid hold. The rear tyre is held in tension and although it is a great way to hold the bike when washing and general cleaning e.g. brake discs, it is not ideal for some set-up tasks. Holding the wheel elevates it slightly causing a difference in the relative wheel heights, which makes it awkward to adjust saddles etc. It is possible to oil the chain but the bike must be in the correct gear to avoid a clash between the derailleur and the stand. A wheel stand is also useful for holding the bike when removing certain components, e.g. pedals. Its’ best use, however, is on the trail when unloading your bike from the car at the start of a ride. Take out the bike, put it in the stand, sort out your riding gear and when you return use a wheel stand while cleaning the bike down.

Workstands
Portable stands, folding stands and fixed stands can all be used as a main work stand; however if space is limited the fixed stand may be too bulky. There are some key factors in choosing a stand but the most important are; will it fit into your workspace and is it stable enough to hold your bike. Basically, get one that has wide and sturdy legs. We like to get at the bike from both sides when it is in a workstand, stands that can be bolted onto a wall prevent this and are not for us. The vertical upright should be adjustable for height to help get a comfortable working position, having the ability to lock the positioning with one hand is very useful. Secondary rotation allows lifting and lowering the front and rear of the bike when adjusting brakes and checking suspension links. A stepped or incremental control may be preferable to a friction lock as the torque on the rotation point can require a very high friction resistance. The ability to adjust the horizontal overhang helps to balance the mass of the bike over the centre of the base. The clamp can be either a screw or a cam lock with a screw adjustment. The cam lock is easier to clamp and unclamp quickly which is helpful when lifting a bike with one hand. The clamp-jaws need to accommodate different diameter seat posts as well as clamp securely without crushing.