Technical > General Technical

Short workstand -- recommendation sought

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Danneaux:
Andre,

I believe my stands are the same as shown under the Draper link you referenced; they look absolutely identical. If they are, indeed, the same, then I can report near-complete satisfaction with them.

The only fly in the ointment comes with the size of the hook opening. I found I needed to use my nylon covered shot-filled hammer to slightly close the upper hook opening so the bike would stand truly upright. Also, I recommend some blue LocTite 242 on the threads for the cradle bolt, as it has a slight tendency to loosen with use over time.

The cradle is adjustable for height with a knob attached to a pointed bolt that engages a hole. Resist the temptation to screw it knuckle-bustingly tight, and it won't distort the upright. Give in, and it is possible. My neighbor kept tightening and tightening his...to the stand's detriment. It just needs to be tight enough so the cradle won't slip downward. It doesn't require much.

The other issue which affected only one bike relates to the hook and cradle coating. It is a little pebbly and very thick and protective on my models. On just one bike -- the '89 Miyata 1000LT, on which the clear coat never "set" in over 20 years of ownership (and would become gummy and soft on hot days) -- the cradle removed the clear coat when I removed the bike after it sat in the stand for awhile. I really don't blame the stand, as it never occurred with any of my other bikes, nor did it so much as scratch, scar, scuff or blemish the paint in any way -- and I'm really, really fussy about such things. I ended up padding the tray with an old sock for the Miyata...and the bike stuck to that, too. Yep, a paint issue, rather than a fault with the stand.

Again, all the above is provided the Draper stand really is identical to mine, as it appears to be in every way, judging by the photo.

Hope this helps. Please let us know which stand you choose!

All the best; always glad to offer suggestions,

Dan.

NZPeterG:
I have a Topeak FlashStand Bike Stand which I had in North Africa this year.
I do not like it!
It is too flexy and there is a danger of damaging the frame too..
It live's in a box now. Not to be used again  :(

Pete
 :)

Andre Jute:
Dan, I'm happy to hear you say the Draper type stand marred the paint of only one bike. I'll report back when I find a stand I want. Pete, I decided against the Flashstand when I discovered its picayune weight rating of 14kg -- my bike will break it on day one -- but I'm happy to hear you say I didn't make a wrong decision there. Clever but under-specced, I suspect.

That leaves something to hold up the front of the bike, a more difficult problem, and a more urgent one as I want to change the Kenda there out for a Big Apple, and possibly a new wheel altogether as I don't expect the Big Apple to work well on the narrow rim into which my electric motor is built, in which case, in the normal way of new equipment, the wheel will be removed and refitted many times.

I am eyeing a pair of Nordic cross-country walking sticks that I've brought into my study. Their shaped hard cork handles are just the right height and shape and diameter to take the velcro and rubber fish blocks that I use for attaching LED torches to the handlebars. My idea, which I haven't tried yet, is to attach the fish block to the handlebars, and the walking sticks, preset to the right height, to the fish blocks, then to lift the bike up by the handlebar and kick the bottom of the walking sticks in a bit to where they stick, so that there's a three point brace between the rear wheel and the two walking stick uprights, holding the front wheel only a couple of inches off the ground.

I made something similar with frame clamps when I wanted to make feet to raise a 16x4ft sheet of hefty ply high enough not only for clearance for my ripsaw but also so that I wouldn't wreck my back bending before applying force. I was amazed at how little angle, especially if opposing, would give one a secure brace.

Andre Jute

Danneaux:
Hi Andre,

Thinking aloud...

I surely can understand the need to avoid an awkward lift of a heavy bike -- I am reminded of that each time I lift my fully-loaded and water-laden touring bike over a guardrail or cattle guard, the awkward mass attempting to bite me as the front wheel swings around.

At the same time, I'm concerned about the possibility your beautiful bike might fall over during service, causing damage to it, the surroundings, or yourself.

Andre, could you manage a variation on my loaded-tourer front-flat repair? Front flats are far less frequent than rear ones, but I have occasionally had one when touring. Keeping the bags on, I lay the bike on its side, which elevates the front wheel off the ground the thickness of a pannier, leaving plenty of room to reach under and guide the wheel in and out of the dropouts, loosen the dynohub connectors, etc.

No, on reflection, probably not. I recall reading a Rohloff cannot be laid on its side for extended periods else the risk of oil leakage will increase.

Would it be possible to lay your Kranich momentarily on its side -- using, say, a camping pad or gym mat as a pad to prevent any possibility of scratching the finish? -- on the way to inverting it so both wheels would be free and upright and the bike stable on its handlebars and saddle? I myself never, ever invert my bike, and there is the problem of incidental damage to handlebar-mounted accessories as well (mirrors, computer, etc). However, there would be two advantages: 1) At no time would you have to lift the entire bicycle, and 2) the inverted bike would be stable.

You have remarkable ingenuity, Andre, so I know you will yet rig something both useful and reliable. I'm just concerned about reliable security and holding as you remove and refit the front wheel.

Hmm. Perhaps some more innovative thinking is required...

In lieu of greater elevation of the upright bike, might you instead be able to gain clearance by removing and refitting the front wheel with the tire deflated? With the Big Apples, you'd gain considerable clearance, and it wouldn't be a huge bother to refill the tire once in place. I deflate my2.0 Duremes each time I insert or remove a wheel to better clear my v-brakes and ring-lock...
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Andre! I believe I've got it!

Looking at the photos of your bike, it has a lowrider boss midway up each fork, unused now, but just waiting to serve as a jacking/lift point. Remove the bolt in each, and fit a longer one with a short spacer. Now, use your saw to construct a stand similar in concept to the Nitto rear-wheel stand I pictured above, but taller and so it engages the extended lowrider bolts (now lifting pegs) in a notch. A wooden base and two triangular sides, with a notch at each apex should do the job. If you need access at the sides, just cut out the center of the triangles, leaving a wooden perimeter frame in place.

Quick, clean, no possible damage to the bike, and as wide and stable a base as you wish. I believe it would be vertically stable as well, with so much weight hanging below the midpoint of the fork. As for the extended lowrider bolts and spacers that form the mounting pegs...they could be left in or removed as you wished. The process would require no lifting; the stand could be simply tipped at an angle to engage the lowrider pegs, the bike pushed forward, and stepping on the base of the stand would finally jack it into place -- same idea as a Formula One car's nosecone pit-lift. I've attached a crude sketch below to illustrate the general idea.

Hope this helps,

Dan.

Andre Jute:
Ooh, very clever, Dan. I'll look into that, perhaps with bent tube rather than ply, to leave space to work. Those bosses are intended to be weight-bearing. I like elegant multipurpose solutions..

Just for the record, I had my bike upside down while I fitted the electric motor, and noticed no ill effects on the Rohloff box, nor even any oil drips on the floor.

Thanks!

Andre Jute

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