# Best biking buy ever



## Abitrary (26 Sep 2007)

A workstand, for bike repairs. Can't imagine how I did it before.

I've even started fine-tuning my mudguards.

Don't be without.


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## fossyant (26 Sep 2007)

I want one - blooming 20 years biking, and still don't have one, despite having all the tools.....


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## domtyler (26 Sep 2007)

Can I borrow it?


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## Abitrary (26 Sep 2007)

It's like some sort of unholy sculpture, crucifying my bike whilst I spear it with allen keys


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## gbb (26 Sep 2007)

A box of mostly new cycling bits at a car boot sale.

( Told this one before on C+ )

1 pair of unmarked Sora shifters
1 set of brand new Cateye Twin Halogen lamps, cable, had a damaged switch, no battery or charger tho.
1 near new Cateye rear LED light 
1 new set V brake blocks
1 pair used dropbars
Various cheap LED lights
Various new innertubes
1 pair lightly used Shimano M520 pedals
About 5 screw on freewheels...all new
1 pair of moderate quality lights, lightly used.
Loads of other odd and sods.

All thrown in a box....

'How much do you want for the Sora Shifters please mate' i arxsed 

'oh, i dunno, 50p each item' he said 

'Errrrrrrrr........will you take a tenner for the lot'

'No problem' said the dimwit 


 I larffed all morning.....best buy i ever had at a car boot


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## Abitrary (26 Sep 2007)

Do you have a workstand though?


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## gbb (26 Sep 2007)

Abitrary said:


> Do you have a workstand though?



You had to spoil it, didnt you


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## Abitrary (26 Sep 2007)

gbb said:


> You had to spoil it, didnt you



Sorry dude, this is a workstand thread...


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## Abitrary (26 Sep 2007)

Abitrary said:


> Sorry dude, this is a workstand thread...



Hey... but it's Aldi day tommorrow!!!


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## Panter (26 Sep 2007)

But they don't do workstands...........


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## Abitrary (26 Sep 2007)

...sorry, just been spinning my wheels, and feeling the friction underneath in the palm of my hand

With my workstand

(panter, that avatar is extremely distracting)


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## John the Monkey (26 Sep 2007)

I really wish I went to the car boot sale where these people have Leica rangefinders for 50p, and amazing bike components for tuppence.

And I wish that when I did, I arrived before gbb


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## Abitrary (26 Sep 2007)

Ode to a workstand
===============
With my hands so oiled and grubby
I toiled on through the night
On my steed held aloft and ready
On a metal tree ready for the fight

The brake pads teased my fingers
My forearms and my brain
The occasionaly slip would sting me
But cause no significant pain

The clock arms tick so swiftly
Already eleven twenty-nine
A metal angel of the night delivered from wiggle
For eighty nine pounds, ninety-nine


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## Fnaar (27 Sep 2007)

Abitrary said:


> Ode to a workstand
> ===============
> With my hands so oiled and grubby
> I toiled on through the night
> ...


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## GrahamG (27 Sep 2007)

I'm not all that fussed about a workstand but maintain that the best buy ever for me was a track pump.


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## stevenb (27 Sep 2007)

Work stands are excellent. I don't have one...the only real time it benefits me is when I'm fine tuning the gears....but that itself is worthy enough to need one 
It's on my 'To Buy' list.


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## slow down (27 Sep 2007)

My mother-in-law bought me two bike stands when a woman on her close was having a garage sale. Not full blown workstands, but they support the top tube at the right height for cleaning and maintenance, and fold up to next to nothing within seconds.

Bargain at £4 each - even more so when she wouldn't accept the money off me.


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## stevenb (27 Sep 2007)

slow down said:


> My mother-in-law bought me two bike stands when a woman on her close was having a garage sale. Not full blown workstands, but they support the top tube at the right height for cleaning and maintenance, and fold up to next to nothing within seconds.
> 
> Bargain at £4 each - even more so when she wouldn't accept the money off me.



I'll give you a tenner for both.


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## Panter (27 Sep 2007)

> ...sorry, just been spinning my wheels, and feeling the friction underneath in the palm of my hand
> 
> With my workstand
> 
> (panter, that avatar is extremely distracting)




I know 


I didn't realise how much I needed a workstand, untill reading your poem.

See, already it's gone to "needed a workstand" instead of just "wanted a workstand."

Now I really need one.

I too dream of feeling that tyre friction on one hand whilst the other cradles a tea cup, or cold beer, or simply swings freely under no burden.
Because, that burden, is being cradled by the workstand. The workstand that I don't have.


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## slow down (27 Sep 2007)

stevenb said:


> I'll give you a tenner for both.



Not unless you take the mother-in-law as well.


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## Alcdrew (27 Sep 2007)

Workstand pah!!

My Dad and his Dad before him managed to maintain a bike without such new fangled things. 

So I think I can manage.




But then my maintenance kit include (well is) a changeable screwdriver, a multi purpose spanner (which I think I got with an old Raleigh bike about 10 years ago) a adjustable spanner, a pair of pliers, puncture repair kit and a pump. So who I’m I to say…


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## GrahamG (27 Sep 2007)

Actually I take that back about the workstand - I can fettle the bike with a cup of tea whilst the stand leaves a hand free for smoking a rollie.


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## yorkshiregoth (27 Sep 2007)

What's wrong with just turning the bike upside down on the floor whilst doing the necessary maintanence?


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## Cathryn (27 Sep 2007)

Mine was this gagdet that screws over presta valves to make them into schraeder style. It's revolutionised my life!!


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## Abitrary (27 Sep 2007)

yorkshiregoth said:


> What's wrong with just turning the bike upside down on the floor whilst doing the necessary maintanence?



Because up-ending a bike is like picking up a sleeping cat with a broken spine and trying to push it through the cat flap


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## slow down (27 Sep 2007)

yorkshiregoth said:


> What's wrong with just turning the bike upside down on the floor whilst doing the necessary maintanence?



Makes adjusting the saddle height difficult


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## cyclebum (28 Sep 2007)

I have a bike stand, I keep it at the local Halfords and then let them do any adjustments necessary, while I sit at home infront of the computer or telly with my cup of tea or beer or wine in hand leaving the other hand free for the mouse or remote


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## walker (28 Sep 2007)

cyclebum said:


> I have a bike stand, I keep it at the local Halfords and then let them do any adjustments necessary, while I sit at home infront of the computer or telly with my cup of tea or beer or wine in hand leaving the other hand free for the mouse or remote



Do they do mobile Mechanics on the road when your 50 miles away from your front door witht the tools in your saddle bag and don't know what to do with them?


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## giant man (28 Sep 2007)

Oh f**k I want a workstand I want a workstand!!!!!!!!!! I don't have one and I must have one!!!!!

Which one did you get Abitrary?


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## slow down (28 Sep 2007)

cyclebum said:


> I have a bike stand, I keep it at the local Halfords and then let them do any adjustments necessary, while I sit at home infront of the computer or telly with my cup of tea or beer or wine in hand leaving the other hand free for the mouse or remote



You should get a workstand then, to fix it after you get it back off them.


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## alecstilleyedye (28 Sep 2007)

i bought a cheap turbo trainer. it's rubbish for intended purpose, but very handy for using as a workstand for all but a few jobs.


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## Tynan (28 Sep 2007)

I'd like one for sure but they're not exactly cheap are they


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## slow down (28 Sep 2007)

Tynan said:


> I'd like one for sure but they're not exactly cheap are they



Neither's a bike, but we buy them don't we?


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## Panter (28 Sep 2007)

Actually, I think my best buy has been my Decathlon hydration rucksack thingy.

Does the job of a camelback.............................but for a tenner


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## yenrod (28 Sep 2007)

>Best biking buy ever

STI....  oh and Time pedals


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## Tynan (28 Sep 2007)

slow down said:


> Neither's a bike, but we buy them don't we?



the bikes gets use every time init

not so much the stand


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## Cycling Naturalist (1 Oct 2007)

I have a Hayter rotary lawnmower. If I put something heavy on the engine cover, I can hang a bike off the handle and use it as a workstand.


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## Mortiroloboy (1 Oct 2007)

Patrick Stevens said:


> I have a Hayter rotary lawnmower. If I put something heavy on the engine cover, I can hang a bike off the handle and use it as a workstand.



 How on earth did you first discover...No, what made you ever think that a lawn mower would make a good bike stand?


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## Cycling Naturalist (1 Oct 2007)

User259iroloboy said:


> How on earth did you first discover...No, what made you ever think that a lawn mower would make a good bike stand?



I did some basic topology at school which encouraged me to think in terms of shape and function. Straightforward maths enabled me to do the lever calculation to make sure that it would not topple over.


Apart from that it was fairly bleeding obvious.


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## TheDoctor (1 Oct 2007)

I got a workstand off that SJS shop on Ebay for £22 - a lot of which was postage. It will not cut grass whatever I hang off it!


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## fossyant (14 Oct 2007)

Whoooooo I've finally got one - Decathlon have their own make stand for £30 and it's pretty decent - very stable, the bike sits on a rubberised cup for the BB then a strap is passed over the down tube and locked into a quick release ratchet (like on your shoes) and there are front wheel 'stabilisers' as well. The whole unit is well made.

It held my heavy commuter MTB rather well, and for £30 I can't complain...... 20 years without one, I feel as though I've been missing something.....

Happy days.............
They also do a clamp type one (not their own make), but being a saddo, I don't want anything clamping my frame/paint !!!


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## Abitrary (14 Oct 2007)

fossyant said:


> Whoooooo I've finally got one!!!



cool

piccy?


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## peterdowning (14 Oct 2007)

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/images/assets/asset_7490996.jpg


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## Abitrary (14 Oct 2007)

peterdowning said:


> http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/images/assets/asset_7490996.jpg



Have you just stolen fossyant's new stand? 

All the same, woof woof, I just had a little, shall we say 'frisson' looking at it


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## fossyant (15 Oct 2007)

That's the one !


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## Abitrary (15 Oct 2007)

fossyant said:


> That's the one !



C'mon! The real one, in how you've currently configured it


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## fossyant (15 Oct 2007)

Not quite was there an hour ago !


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## gwhite (16 Oct 2007)

fossyant said:


> Whoooooo I've finally got one - Decathlon have their own make stand for £30 and it's pretty decent - very stable, the bike sits on a rubberised cup for the BB then a strap is passed over the down tube and locked into a quick release ratchet (like on your shoes) and there are front wheel 'stabilisers' as well. The whole unit is well made.
> 
> It held my heavy commuter MTB rather well, and for £30 I can't complain...... 20 years without one, I feel as though I've been missing something.....
> 
> ...


*

*
Neither would I. But then that's why the clamp should be used to grip the seat-post.


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## got-to-get-fit (21 Oct 2007)

cyclebum said:


> I have a bike stand, I keep it at the local Halfords and then let them do any adjustments necessary, while I sit at home infront of the computer or telly with my cup of tea or beer or wine in hand leaving the other hand free for the mouse or remote



you leave your bike at Halfords ....are you insane? You dont deserve as workstand!


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## walker (22 Oct 2007)

if you look at ribble they are doing a £90 stand for £40. Check it out before you go spending your money people


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## PrettyboyTim (23 Oct 2007)

My bike stand is a swingball pole resting on the back of a garden chair with the other end under the garden table. I hang the back end of the bike up on it by hooking the front of the seat over it.

Seems to to do the job for most things 

Sometimes I hook the swingball pole over the climbing frame instead.


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## Abitrary (23 Oct 2007)

PrettyboyTim said:


> My bike stand is a swingball pole resting on the back of a garden chair with the other end under the garden table. I hang the back end of the bike up on it by hooking the front of the seat over it.
> 
> Seems to to do the job for most things
> 
> Sometimes I hook the swingball pole over the climbing frame instead.



Sounds like a slightly lacklustre attitude to bike fettling to me, that although you joke about it now, might one day get you into trouble


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## longers (23 Oct 2007)

PrettyboyTim said:


> My bike stand is a swingball pole resting on the back of a garden chair with the other end under the garden table. I hang the back end of the bike up on it by hooking the front of the seat over it.
> 
> Seems to to do the job for most things
> 
> Sometimes I hook the swingball pole over the climbing frame instead.



I have been known to put a broom handle between two wheelie bins and hang the bike from its saddle. 

I'll probably get round to buying a proper workstand now they are a quite a bit cheaper. And a lot sturdier than two bins.


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## cyclingfury (24 Oct 2007)

Nice one longers!


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## Abitrary (24 Oct 2007)

cyclingfury said:


> Nice one longers!



What exactly has longers done, that won't involve his children or neighbours having to get him out from under an amateur workstand gone wrong experiment?


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## jashburnham (29 Oct 2007)

Best biking buy ever? My brand new Pinarello Prince!


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## walker (29 Oct 2007)

jashburnham said:


> Best biking buy ever? My brand new Pinarello Prince!




Jash, your an arse, you are now officially an arse as I love that bike and I am green with Envy, I hope the tope tube cracks


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## HarryB (29 Oct 2007)

Jash, would I be right in saying you'd swap that Pinarello Prince for a really nice workstand?


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## PrettyboyTim (30 Oct 2007)

Abitrary said:


> Sounds like a slightly lacklustre attitude to bike fettling to me, that although you joke about it now, might one day get you into trouble



That's true, but as the rear wheel of the bike is only a few inches off the ground and the front wheel rests on the ground, the potential energy available for an accident is limited. I'm sure I'll get a stand one day, but for now this is good enough for adjusting gears and brakes and cleaning the chain.


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## mickle (30 Oct 2007)

yorkshiregoth said:


> What's wrong with just turning the bike upside down on the floor whilst doing the necessary maintanence?




HEATHEN!!!

STONE HIM!!!


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## bonj2 (30 Oct 2007)

yorkshiregoth said:


> What's wrong with just turning the bike upside down on the floor whilst doing the necessary maintanence?



on possible reason is if you've got hope (or possibly others aswell, i don't know) brakes which have been non-factory bled then there may be an air bubble at the top of the reservoir. This isn't ever a problem normally as the level in the reservoir never gets even half low enough for any of the air in the bubble to get into the hose, but if you turn the bike upside down then you've got air in your brakes. Although my mate does it and doesn't seem to have a problem, it must just flukily enough all rise to the top of the reservoir again.

Other reasons you might scratch your handlebars, or damage anything that's attached to them.


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## jashburnham (30 Oct 2007)

HarryB said:


> Jash, would I be right in saying you'd swap that Pinarello Prince for a really nice workstand?



You are indeed mr B, but it would have to be halfords best...


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## Daniel B (3 Nov 2007)

So between the Boss 1200 & 3000 - which one would you go for?

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/list2.asp?D=P&Cat=WORKSTANDS&Section=WORK

The 3000 shows the clamp clamping the seatpost, but I would rather it clamped the totube - I imagine you can do it either way?

£3 postage seems rather reasonable too!

Dan


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## fossyant (3 Nov 2007)

Depends if you need a folding one, or intend to have it up permanently. Fantastic prices those - 50% reduction great...

Since getting mine, I'm using it all the time for the three bikes, even great for cleaning the frame - allows you to check everything over without crouching - also puts the bike closer to the lights in the garage for a full inspection.....or am I really sad.....


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## Jacomus-rides-Gen (5 Nov 2007)

My workstand is used permanatly - Gen rests on it all the time. 

So good for cleaning and fettling purposes - no need to bend down.

So easy to fettle gears. 

Doing a wheels and chain off clean is a doddle.

Fossyant - does your workstand obstruct your shifter cables? Mine run under the BB and it looks like that clamp would grab them?


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## fossyant (5 Nov 2007)

its got 4 cable guides in the clamp 2 outside and 2 inside - I try and route the cables on the outside as to stop any scratching of the frame. doesn't affect shifting. the strap goes round all these and has been fine


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## Joe (17 Nov 2007)

*joins the club*

I got the basic Park one. Man, it's a solid bit of kit!

Oh and I'd also like to add cable cutters to my best biking buys.


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