Requirements:
- I only do minor repairs, so a super sturdy stand that can hold a bike against 500 pounds of torque isn't a necessity -- I just need something that will hold the bike up while I clean the bike, adjust things, and the occasional small repair.
- On the other hand, I don't want the stand to fall apart after two or three years.
- I must be able to fold the stand up and put it away somewhere. Hanging it on the wall or from the garage ceiling is good.
- I want good value for the money. I don't want a sub-$100 workstand if it won't do the job. I'll pay $200 or more for a good stand, but I want to get value from what I pay. Looks aren't as important as function to me.
- I don't think portability is important.
- I don't think I want a stand that mounts to a wall or bench.
- I have a wide variety of bike styles at the house. The stand must accomodate road, mountain, children, cruisers, trailer, and comfort bikes.
I got the shop style Park. I think it is the PRS-2 or something, but that won't fit your needs. The 60 lb cast iron base makes it a little bit of a pain, but I solved that by drilling holes and mounting casters. Now it can be rolled out of the way when I'm not using it.
ReplyDeleteI've always lusted after a Silca Many long-time cyclers tell tales of twenty year old models still going strong. Rebuild parts are readily available. But I own a tweleve year old Zefal Husky (I think it's sold under a different name) that refuses to die so I guess i'm stuck with it.
I like the PRS-3 which is the single clamp shop quality stand from Park.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love my Silca Track Pump. It is an older Presta only model with the Columbus tubing sticker at the top. The pump has acquired many new stickers since I bought it new as a senior in high school in 1987. I have owned a few other pumps since then and the plastic parts have always broken, especially in cold weather. I just put a new rubber gasket in the head of my Silca and it works like a charm again, though the head is a little hard to use with V profile aero rims.
Okay! You're looking for a stand? Want this to be the last one you'll ever buy? Then do not blink, pull out your wallet, and go directly to Ultimate Systems repair stand. They have the older "pro" model, which is awesome, or go with the new Pro model. I have lusted after one of these for years after I first used one back at the first shop I worked at back in the early 90's. I finally got it this past spring. It'll hold up to 80lbs, is heigth adjustable, and has an awesome clamp mechanism that clamps on much more of a variety of frame tubes than any Park stand can. It is super stable and.....yes, it looks cool! You better not even look at anything else! This is hands down, the best repair stand made, that happens to be portable.
ReplyDeleteI'm using a Park PRS-5 (if I recall right) and it's OK as a portable stand. I cracked one of the plastic parts in the head, probably from overtightening it, but Park replaced it free of charge. Good customer service.
ReplyDeleteI'm using an Avenir floor pump that probably 8 or 10 years old. It's on its second pump head, a no-name replacement from a local shop. And it's on the second pressure gauge too, after suspected Libyan terrorists snuck into the garage and broke the original one. It had to be the terrorists. My son denied any knowledge of the incident.