Bike Repair Stand

Why Use a Bike Work Stand

For anyone who does enough mountain biking, it is only a matter of time before you need to play doctor on your two wheeled vehicle. You can of course take your bike to the bike shop, but we are usually not talking something as complicated as open gear surgery and it is much more fulfilling and rewarding to be able do your own bike maintenance yourself when necessary.

Many people start by turning their mountain bike upside down or finding a way to prop your bike up on something at home. This is not the best way to go about it as you learn pretty quickly. Your back is not going to like it, your bike is definitely not going to like it, and you are likely to get frustrated. Hence some smart person out there invented the bike work stand, which is simply a tool that firmly holds your bike in place at an elevated level. As time went on the various bike tool companies became more advance at what they do and started making them better and better. Work stands are now portable, capable of rotating your bike 360 degrees, and extremely sturdy if you get a decent one.

If you are still trying to work on your mountain bike without a proper work stand, here are some major reasons to considering investing in one:

Stability Home made bike stands are not helpful if your bike isn’t held rock solid sturdy and having no stand at all is even worse. The #1 benefit of a good stand is that it keeps your bike stable and extremely sturdy while you work on it. Cheaper bike work stands are usually NOT sturdy, especially with bigger mountain bikes so be careful with what you buy. Saving money on a cheap stand is not necessarily going to save you money in the long run.

Efficiency Holding your bike still with one hand while doing repairs with the other is not only frustrating but can waste a lot of time. Quickly attaching your bike up to a work stand and getting the job done allows you to spend more time on your bike and less on your repairs.

Less $$$ You will need to spend money on the work stand. You also need to spend money on a few tools if you don’t have any. After that, you begin to save, as it is a lot less expensive to do your own repairs then taking it to a shop. All minor bike repairs can now be easily learned online or through books by anyone who has an interest. The world wide web is an incredible learning resource these days for home bike repairs.

Easy Cleaning I once read a story online about a guy who uses a power washer to hose his bike down because it made his bike cleaning so much faster. While I wouldn’t do that myself, there’s no doubt that cleaning your bike can be a chore and we are all looking for the short cuts. A nice benefit of a good bike work stand is that it allows you to elevate your bike and rotate it to any position you need while you clean it. Using a stand also places less stress on your back when you are getting into the hard to reach places.

A bike work stand is one of those tools that you can try and do without in the beginning but having a good one can make your mountain bike maintenance a much more enjoyable and efficient experience. It’s a worthwhile investment if you are getting serious with your bike repairs.

About the Author

I have given my comprehensive review of a quality stand, the Park Tool PCS-10 Home Mechanic Bike Repair Stand as well as pictures and more information on these very handy bike work stands.

Weekend Project: Bike Repair Stand

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