Home bicycle repairs require that you mount your bike on some type of bicycle work stand, unless you want to put strain on your bike’s components and your back while you work on your two wheeled vehicle. A bike work stand can be many things. It may be something you have lying around the house, such as a bicycle stand that attaches to your car (handy in a pinch). Some people chose to create their own and there are multiple online resources by handy people who have given detailed instructions on how to create your own stand if your really the home handy type. Another alternative is to hang two wires from your ceiling that suspend your bike in mid air while you work on it, although not my personal choice or recommendation but some do appreciate this option.
Of course by far the best is to buy a bike work stand that has been professionally manufactured to serve your needs. It may be something as simple as a bench mount stand, or it may be a more standard and handy tripod base stand that can be hold your bike at any height and even be put away when you are done with it.
Below is information and reviews on 6 stands which have been a popular purchase choice for many to help compare the various options. Three of them are quality stands, three are lower budget stands to show both ends of the scale.
Park Tool PCS-10 Home Mechanic Repair Stand
This is one of the more popular bike work stands. It is extremely strong, durable and easy to use. Portability is good but not amazing. You can transport it to one room or another, or to the trunk of your car, but you’re not going to carry it any further and unless you are a racer I don’t see why you would want to carry it further. The best thing about any Park stand is the brand. Park Tool is a good bicycle tool company. I read one reviewer who had a Park stand where the clamp broke, he took it back to Park and they fixed it for him at no cost and to the point that it was better then new after they were done with it. The response from Park Tool was that they don’t get many stands that break, but when they do, they make sure they fix it right. This is service you get with a reputable brand and good brands are important when it comes to good bike stands.
Best Price I’ve seen online: US$135.00
Park Tool Home Mechanic Repair Stand PCS-9
This was also an extremely popular stand, but has become less popular since the PCS-10 has come along. It is essentially the same style stand as the PCS-10, but is lacking some of the upgrade features such as the quick release height adjuster, cam-style clamp (it uses a screw in style clamp) and the re-reinforced tripod base. Some people still purchase the PCS-9 because the price is a little lower. The screw in clamp is not awful, in fact it works great, but it’s just not as easy to use as the cam-style clamp. Both the PCS-9 and the PCS-10 are sturdy and hefty. The PCS-10 is obviously a better choice, and these days the price difference is not so much, but if every penny counts, you won’t be unhappy with this stand.
Best Price I’ve seen online: US$103.00
Feedback Sports Sport-Mechanic Bicycle Repair Stand
This is another good quality bike stand made out of quality parts. This work stand is also extremely sturdy and you shouldn’t have any problems with it. Topeak is another good brand, although they don’t have the same reputation as Park, but so long as you don’t buy one of their cheaper stands, you’re likely getting a good quality one with Topeak who will also look after you. The tripod base is wide, which allows for good stability even outside on uneven ground. It has a screw in clamp, and although I prefer the cam-style clamp myself, but if you’re okay with the screw in style, it is a good quality clamp.
Best Price I’ve seen online = US$170.00
Rad Cycle Products Pro Mechanic Bicycle Repair Stand / Kit
This is a stand that can work for some, but is not for everyone. If you are serious about bike repair, this stand will not be for you, as you can’t do everything on this stand. It doesn’t fit bikes with cables/housings on the downtube, a kickstand, that have a water bottle/tire pump on the downtube and a circular downtube in a certain diameter range or have the right frame. It also doesn’t fold up to be put away unless you unscrew it. However, with all that said, this is a cheap stand so you can’t expect the world, and if you want to buy cheap stand, and your bike does fit this stand, it will hold your bike up well enough. Comes with a tool tray which can be handy, and which can be removed if desired.
Best Price I’ve seen online = US$40.00
Rad Cycle Bicycle Repair Stand / Kit
I always say that you should wait until you can afford a good stable stand instead of buying a cheap one but I’ve also learned that not everyone wants to pay over a $100 for a good stand. So with that said, it you want to get a cheaper stand and only have $40 to spend, this stand will hold your bike. It may not hold it as solid as the higher quality stands, and if you are serious into home repair you don’t want this stand as you won’t be able to do everything on it. However for light work, minor stuff or occasional maintenance, you could get away with something like this. Just keep in mind it is a cheap stand so you can manage your Best Fireplace TV Stand.
Best price I’ve seen online: 39.00
Topeak Flashstand Portable Tune-Up Stand
People buy this stand if they need to take something cheap on the road with them, or maybe if they live in an apartment, do not have much space, and just want something to hold your bike up to clean or do something light on your bike. Unless this is exactly your situation, I don’t recommend this stand. It is small. It is lightweight. Those are the only good attributes that you are going to get out of me for this stand despite it being a popular choice with some. It is flimsy and it does not hold your bicycle well. But then again, it is $28, and I suppose if you are into bike maintenance and really don’t have room for a proper bike stand, no bench for a bench mount, and your spouse is never going to let you string wires across your ceiling, something like this might fill a needed gap. Otherwise…
Best price I’ve seen online: US$28.00
A stand can last you a lifetime if you want to get a good one, and any stand you buy or make will make your work easier. It really depends on what you need it for and how much you can spend. With that said, you do NOT need to spend $200 or more to get a good stand, unless you have a specialty need or are a racer and want a good racing stand.