My old repair stand's clamp has worn out, so it's time for an upgrade. Didn't seem like a complicated purchase to figure out, but finding enough "Hmmm..." in the reviews to ask for some unbiased experiences. I'm 6'1" and looking for a much taller clamp height, as bigger bikes' drive trains also hang lower from the same seat post clamp height. Thinking about getting a gravel e-tandem, so stability and weight capacity would be key if I do that. Storage space is tight, and it would be nice to have a light, portable one that can go in the rooftop cargo box for vacation trips. Park and Feedback stands aren't cheap, and there is a big price drop to the Jensen USA Foundation Stand, which some say looks like the Bikehand stand on Amazon--any experience with these? Plastic clamp arm seems iffy.
Feedback Sports Pro-Elite Repair Stand seems to be the tallest, and claims the following: "Clamp height: 42" - 71" (1067 mm - 1803 mm), Load capacity 85 lbs. (38.6 kg)", but some online reviews raise doubts while most reviews are glowing: "The clamp rotates under load as it does not have a good locking mechanism. The quick release is nice. Disappointing, especially considering the premium price."
"the lightweight aluminum that makes the stand so portable also makes it wobble and bob like crazy when you're trying to do any work on it."
Do those sound right or like exaggerations? For heavy torque, I always put the bike on the ground anyway.
Feedback doesn't make any weight limit disclaimer about clamping positions, but the Feedback stands seem to have the same leg width as the Park tripod stands. Park's stands have weight disclaimers like this: "*NOTE: The maximum weight capacity of the PRS-26 assumes the bike's center of gravity is positioned directly below the clamp." All of our bikes have a center of gravity well forward of the seat post even with the front wheel barely off the ground, so only a kids bike could be seat post clamped in that position. Guessing a tandem could only be clamped by the top tube between the riders or keep my old stand for the stem and clamp the stoker seat post in the new one?
The Park PCS 4-1 (or 2) stands are Park's tallest at 68" and seem to be their most expensive and stable portable stands, but the L shaped legs are a bit of a storage and transport bummer. The Park stands with fully folding legs have 57-60" max clamp heights. Lots of positive comments about the PRS-25 Team Issue stand with "Proprietary Hexatude hex-shaped aluminum tubing ensures low flex and no rotation" and a 2 leg base like my current stand. The newer PRS-26 Team Issue looks like a shorter version of the Feedback stand with a tripod base and round tubes. Some complain that tripods don't center the bike weight over the legs, and it's more likely to trip over the raised legs moving around the bike (visions of other family member sending carbon bike and stand crashing to floor by tripping over it). Experience with tripod stand stability with heavier bikes?
Any pro/con experience with the Park's Microadjust vs quick release clamp versions or why to get the microadjust? No aero seat posts in our stable.
I have a Park Tool stand (I forget which one). I made a height extension for it. (The shiny aluminum part). If, at 5’7”, I felt it needed to be taller, I can just imagine what it’d be like for you!
Not sure how it would be with a tandem on it, but it’s fairly stable for most of what I’ve done on it. (If I really have to reef on something, I put the bike on the floor, as you said.).
The base is just this. ( I added wheels so I can just tip the whole stand back and roll it into the corner when not in use):
That is super cool! Not exactly cargo box portable, but super cool, and has me exploring hack/DIY options. I've got a Feedback wall mount storage rack that has sliding arms to fit various top tube angles, and I'm thinking of just mounting one of those at a height that would be perfect for disc brake and derailleur tuning--a $40 solution that gets the bike as high as I want it. If I get the tandem, I can mount a second one for the stoker top tube. My old stand clamp height is only 48", so most Park & Feedback stands will add 10-12". I'm thinking that if one of the portable stands does have a case of the shakes, strapping something like a broom handle or metal golf club shaft to the side with toe straps (should have kept a set of Binda's from my Gios Torino classic Italian crit bike) or a cargo strap like the ones for the Versacage would solve any stiffness issues. A milk crate under the front wheel would also solve the clamp rotation issues some have.
Leaning towards the Park PCS 10.3 with legs flat. I am mounting some heavy duty wood shelves in the garage for paint cans, tools, etc., and I could put a strap on a shelf to secure the stand just below the clamp.
