Lube chain without getting on my knees
 

I don’t have a work stand-yet. Today when I put my bike on the carrier mounted on the spare tire on my jeep I saw the chain looked a little dry.
Instead of taking it back to the garage to lube it I had a bright idea. I moved it to the outer carrier clamps and lubed the chain on the carrier.
There is a lot of things I can’t do on it since it’s a little tall but I can lube my chain without my knees feeling like gravel crunching.

It made washing it easy too. I rode thru some wet silt that was across the path for about 40’. The stuff was everywhere.

The bike rack is also good for installing my bike's front rack at the start of a tour. My wife's and my bikes were carried on the roof rack, and our daughters' bikes were carried on the hitch rack. I needed to remove my bike's front rack prior to putting my bike in the roof rack.

https://live.staticflickr.com/4743/2...51bfe282_c.jpg

I mounted an old bike carrier of the variety that goes in the hitch receiver on the end of a wood work bench and use it for working on my bikes. I can lay out tools and parts on the bench for ease. I use velcro straps to cinch the top bar to the carrier so it can't move around on me.:thumb:

Lol. I thought I invented something!😎

I can see how that might be helpful for some maintenance. As a wrencher , I prefer an adjustable height bike work stand.
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+1 I've definitely done some minor maintenance, such as cleaning & lubing, while bikes were on the back of the car

related - for a while, I used an old bike rack as a work stand. strapped it to our patio railing
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8c669c5123.jpg

A nice bike stand and a rolling shop stool are game changers. Turn on some good music and you're all set.

...presuming you have a shop. :)

Sadly, I am garage-less, so my workstand is kept collapsed in a closet and only comes out -- to the front porch, usually -- when it's time for some serious maintenance work.

So OP's suggestion to use the car rack is quite appealing, genuinely appreciated. It's easier to take my bike to the car than it is to pull my workstand out of the closet!

& if you take your bike to the beach, like I do sometimes, but not for riding, you can drive it all to a self serve car wash!
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3acd5c02e2.jpg
no I did not power wash the bike but did give it a rinse. I was there for the car's undercarriage
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As we get older is it really a good idea to make it easier on ourselves? I might would look at difficulty squatting or bending down on a knee as a indication we don't squat often enough.

My bikes are parked in a garage in the basement of our condominium tower. The garage has upper and lower racks, the upper racks slide out and can be tilted down. For bike maintenance, I simply hang the bike by the nose of the saddle on the upper rack. It wiggles and moves a little, but it works for things like adjusting the brakes and derailleur, and cleaning/lubing/replacing the chain.

Sounds like a good place for the Zoom Spout Oiler.

You could turn the bike upside down, on grass or a rag under the seat and bars, to prevent scuffs. Just don't apply so much lube that it drops onto the bike-or apply to one chain section at a time while holding a rag under it to catch drips.

I have done that many times. In fact as a kid that was normal. I will get a work stand when I fond one I like. This was just something I found by accident.
I did notice white spots on my driveway from the wax lube. I use White Lightning.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...14adfa2dc.jpeg
Here’s mine