Unfortunately I am still putting more miles on the gas-burner than on the fat burner. For May I manage 103 miles on the bike once I got the OK from the doc. So a little under 500 so far for the year. Nowhere near what I expected back in January.
Great choices guys. I was also looking at the Park PCS 4 in that range ($200) but am not sure of the feet. I like the stability of the tripod feet on both the units suggested above, Topeak and Feedback for breaking loose stubborn pedals or bottom brackets. Anyone with the Park who can attest to the stability?
An option if you have a good/heavy work bench and vise in your shop. I used to have one of the cheapie floor stands but it seemed flimsy and unstable. Instead, I took a Park PCS-12 bench mount stand, mounted it to a wood plate with a clamping member, and then use my long roll-around bench and woodworking vise to create a repair stand that is very stable. Also nice to be able to unclamp the apparatus and put it on the shelf without having to disassemble anything. - Mark
I made my stand in college as a project. I needed a stand and I needed to use a buckling analysis program I'd written so I came up with a win-win. Cost me about $100, but I got engineering credit and impressed the hell out of the professor when I fired up this huge antique arc welder. Part of the $100 was for a helmet and appropiately sized rod. I didn't know how to weld but went to the welding supply shop and talked to a guy. The cables to the clamp and rod holder were about 3/4in in diameter. The floor vibrated pretty good in the engineering shop when I fired it up. I tried a couple of test parts then practiced some more on other peoples projects who were afraid of the welder. Oh, and I found the manual for the thing in the school library. Good place for it. Morons. Another student and I also used the lathe. Mine turned out pretty rough, but if I'd had the shop I built once I got out of school and got a job I would have rocked it. As it is 25 years later or so I still use it though most of the time it holds my hydration pack and keeps that part of the garage floor from moving around too much.
I've always liked the bench clamp, but if stability is important and you're looking around $200 price point, check out the Park PRS-20 or its lightweight counterpart the -21 (+ $50). Rear or front dropout mount, 360-degree rotation, folding/portable and super duper rock solid. The alleged weight of my steel one is 21 lbs but it feels a lot heavier. The alum model is 13 lbs.
Here ya' go, ya' cheap bastards...... (Just kidding. Only posted this pic so y'all could have a laugh)
Get a real stand and it's useful for MC work as well: Mr Head--I'm assuming that's the real thing? Sweet! Whose was it?
I love impulse buyers and the bike world has no shortage of them. With the sound advice from you gentlemen, I have been looking at a few MTB's in the 1K range. This one in particular has been on CL for about a month starting at $600, then dropping to 5 and last evening it was re-listed again at $400. Riden twice on the street with nubs still intact and equipped with a Bontrager 4W trip computer, I couldn't even bring myself to haggle with the guy on a bike he paid a grand for and never rode. Deal. Now, off to remove some unwanted reflectors, make the proper adjustments for fit, and put on some miles. 2011 Felt 9 Sport
