My cheap PX Jobsworth workstand is in the bin (bring on the "you get what you pay for" comments!) so I'm looking for a replacement.
What's the best alternative that doesn't cost a fortune but (unlike it's predecessor) is actually fit for purpose?
Recommendations welcome!
park pcs9 something or other had it for 20 odd years its heavy and doesn't fold up too small....
but it holds the bike and will i suspect be something that my kids will inherit when they clear out the garage when I'm pushing up daises
Aldi - I’ve had one for years
If your breaking stands, is your maintenance a bit rubbish? 😂
I tried a cheap stand (can’t remember which one it is) and it was ok ish. Bit flimsy with a heavy bike on and you had to do some of the knobs up super tight to stop the bike twisting round.
Picked up a Park Tools 10.something quite a number of years ago now. It’s much more solid / doesn’t twist round etc.
I e had a edinburgh bicycle one for years.... Not perfect not mega rigid but does the job.
I've had one of these for over 6 years - really robust.
I have a feedback stand. About 6b years also. Solid. Just works. Faffy spinny clamp is my only fist world gripe.
I appreciate you want something at a comparable price, but in this case you need robust. The Park 10.3 was day-and-night difference so my jobsworth stand is relegated to cleaning duties only.
Winstanley’s have discounted Park Tools stands. Treat yourself
Was just looking at my feedback stand yesterday thinking it looked a bit tired on the bushes etc*.
Then I realised it's 20+ years old (it's actually branded "ultimate sports" and has been chucked in and out of vans left out in the sun, the rain, the snow, at events. Used by multiple heatherns.
The only exception to its wonderfulness would be the full blown park workshop stand with the heavy steel floor plate.
Contrary to the spinny knob being a faff. As an owner and fixer of a number of carbon framed and seat posted bikes it ensures no crush
By comparison when I go to my mates he has a jobs worth and would only be considered competent at it's job by folks who have not experienced the wonderfulNess of a stable base and clamp.
I guess it also depends on the extent of your maintenance. A puncture and a quick tweak of the gears maybe a cable replacement Vs removing headsets/bottom brackets/pivot bearings etc
*Thanks to this thread I've just found out they still make replacement bushes for my model. Magic probably buy a couple sets and it'll be a family heirloom
Was just looking at my feedback stand yesterday thinking it looked a bit tired on the bushes etc.
Then I realised it's 20+ years old (it's actually branded "ultimate sports"
I only replaced my Ultimate workstand when it got so old the rubber coating on the clamp jaws hardened & broke apart, in all other respects it's perfectly fine.
I now have a entry level 'Sport' Feedback stand and it's fine.
Another user of the Edinburgh bikes stand...20 years and still working well. It isn't in constant use, but it has been reliable and stable everything I've needed to use it.
I have a Lifeline which is very sturdy and stable (3 feet not 4). I;'ve had it several years and I anticipate it lasting many more years.
I've got that Lifeline one too. It was never a £180 value workstand, but it's good for 90 quid. Folds up nice and small to stand in the corner of the shed as well.
I really liked Lifeline tools and accessories, it's a shame the range has been massively reduced after CRC's demise.
I've got that Lifeline one too. It was never a £180 value workstand, but it's good for 90 quid. Folds up nice and small to stand in the corner of the shed as well.
I was surprised by the £90 price tag, I think mine was about £30.
I've had the Aldi one for at least 15 years and i bloody hate it. Im just too cheap to buy an expensive one.
The clamp is too close to the upright bit so the pedal impacts it. Turning the pedals seems like an important park of working on a bike.
I had a cheap one off eBay for 6 years (exactly same as he Aldi ones but cheaper including delivery and was available all year round on eBay)
it did well considering it was used weekly on lightweight road bikes to 23kg e-mtb’s but it never felt that sturdy
Replaced with a Parktool PCS9 which has been faultless, paid £120 for it in a sale, my only gripe is i would like to be able to raise it up a little higher as when working on lower sections of the bike (BB brakes etc…) i have to bend down or sit on a stool to be at the right height
I'm also using an Edinburgh Bike Co-op stand. It's the only one I've ever owned and I've been riding for over 30 years.
I have a Feedback, which I really like, not a massive fan of the spinny clamp but it does work well. Very solid and stable, even with heavy bikes.
I've also got a lidl one in the garden,which I mostly use for cleaning, or for non-bike stuff. And it's absolutely fine. Much wobblier, and the rubber bits sometimes fall of the clamp. Just generally feels cheap. But it folds up smaller, and it does the job every time.
I have also just learned there are two types of feedback spinny clamp.
There's the pure spinny one and there's the slip/ratchet style one where you can just push the clamp to the frame then nip it a quarter turn
Could under stand that the pure spinny one would be a pain in the arse
That Lifeline one appears to be identical to my Edinburgh bike co-op stand from 20 years ago. It works for occasional spannering as it holds the bike and is generally very stable (only time it isn't is when I've left the back wheel in and decided to remove front wheel and forks).
I have a Park Tools PCS 9.3 which does the job for me (I don’t have e-bikes so not sure if it is suitable for them) and only £134.99 currently at Winstanleys
Cheers for the recommendations folks, ended up picking up a discounted Park Tool one from Tredz.
Got plenty of spannering to do on the kids' bikes, so that's how I'm justifying the splurge.
All being well it'll be the last one I buy!
My eddy bikes one is the same as the lifeline as everyone has said.
Same issues if you take a wheel off it twists slightly, similarly, any heavy spannering the bike is either taken out or braced with my spare hand . My only other complaint is if I forget to do the bottom QR and it suddenly shifts.
It was used today to build eldest new to him bike
I've got a Kestel that I bought 2nd hand 20 odd years ago. It's err . . . robust, but you wouldn't want to take it anywhere and the new price is ridiculous unless working on bikes is your job. Have just upgraded it to the new soft jaws and it's ace. It'll outlive me for sure. If I have grandkids who get into bikes it can go to them.
Could under stand that the pure spinny one would be a pain in the arse
As long as it's working well it's very free-spinny so you don't have to crank it, you can just give it a spin. But that's still fiddly, onehanded. If you're working on different bikes it's no big deal, because you often end up adjusting clamps every time anyway and I think that's easier with the spinner than it is with a quick release type. But you can't set-and-forget like you can if all your bikes are the same, frinstance if you clamp em all by the post.
All my bikes need clamped differently so it probably works out well for me, the dropper post era has changed clamping a bit.
Got one of them Lidl ones for about £20. Cannot find fault really. It’s not amazing but not bad enough to replace
I’ve got one of the lifeline/edinburgh cycle stands with the two legs. It was always trying to fall over but is way better now I’ve attached a long batten to the legs at the base of the upright. It’s only zip tied with robust straps to the legs but it can’t really fall over now, so much better. The toothed rotation lock was also quite sloppy and would sometimes slip but turned out to be very easy to tighten up once I got around to taking it apart.
I’ve got one of the lifeline/edinburgh cycle stands with the two legs.
Me too, in fact bought it off someone here about 15 years ago.
The toothed rotation lock was also quite sloppy and would sometimes slip but turned out to be very easy to tighten up once I got around to taking it apart.
Same, it only took me about 12 years to realise...
It was always trying to fall over but is way better now I’ve attached a long batten to the legs at the base of the upright.
I might give this a go
I have a bike hand one for more than 20 years now which is still going strong. I recently got a ebike, it just about worked but it just felt it's right on its limit as things will start slipping if I apply any kind of load when working on the bike.
So I've been on a look out for a more stable one but they all have huge footprint. I have limited space so I gave up and made sure the first thing I do with my ebike on the work stand is to take the wheels off to reduce the weight.
This thread made me look again and after looking at the Park Tool PCS 9.3 on Winstanleys, I realise they are also doing the PCS 4-2 for £229. That's an absolute steal as they are going for more than that used. Suppose to be higher weight limit, smaller footprint and more stable so went for it.
I had a cheap one, I got annoyed with it and sold it. Replaced with a Park Tools PCS10.3, much better
It had the huge benefit of taking up less floor space when open so I could use it more easily in my workshop
There is a Park Tools 9.3 for £118 on Amazon, decent value - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Park-Tool-PCS-9-3-Mechanic-Repair/dp/B097F1MFPT/ref=asc_df_B097F1MFPT
Few years back I treated myself to a top of the range Park Tool, namely PRS - 26. I have no regrets spending so much on it. I should have done it earlier. If you don't want to spend that kind of money, have a look at a Park Tool PCS-10.3.
