jethro00

I need a floor based bike repair stand that can be folded and put away when not in use.
It's just to work on our 2 tandems at home.
I am looking at the best seller on Amazon, the Bikehand repair stand: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ACO5T769&psc=1
It's $99.
Does anyone have one?
Does anyone have any better suggestions?
I am tired of getting down on the floor to work on our tandems and think a stand will be worthwhile.
Thanks.

Yamato72

I have a Feedback Sports stand, 3 feet, that I like a lot, but I bought it before I saw the 2-feet models like the one in your link. I’ve used the 2-feet style a couple times and do like it. You’re smart to get a real bike stand, once I got one I wondered why I waited so long.

When working on our tandem I clamp the stoker seatpost and rest the front wheel on a chair. Stoker stem prevents just clamping at the captain’s seatpost.

JW in AK

I've got the Foundation Bike Repair Stand from JensonUSA. It looks like the one in your link but it's $10 cheaper. I would have posted the link but the forum doesn't allow it until I have 10 posts. I use it a lot. It's solid and folds up pretty small.

OneIsAllYouNeed

The “heavy duty” version in the OP’s amazon link is probably worth the up charge.
I have a Park Tool PRS-4W mounted to a lally column, which is really nice for wrenching on tandems. I can clamp the bike by either seat tube and the bike doesn’t move. It truly makes it easier for me to work on tandems.
I also have the portable Park PRS-25 team workstand, which is very similar to the stand linked in the OP. It’s light and portable, which is great. The clamp is very secure, too. However, the structure of the stand flexes significantly under the weight of a tandem. I also have to be mindful to keep the center of mass over the workstand’s feet. This becomes a notable problem when swapping wheels. The PRS-25 is more appropriate for single bikes (probably not E-bikes or DH rigs), or partially built tandems.

IPassGas

Fortunately, we have a basement with exposed rafters. Two eye bolts in the rafters and two web straps allow the tandem to hang to work on. I have stripped an entire tandem down to frame while hanging.

Bornco

I just put mine up on the hitch rack we use to transport it. Using the outer bike rests gives me plenty of room to work on either side of the bike

bobwysiwyg

I have, and use one. I like it. Seems the price has increased, it was about $80 when I bought mine. Folds up well enough to toss into the back of our Honda Pilot, along with any number of other things on our longer driving vacations.

noglider 

Feedback Sports makes the best folding stands I have ever seen. They're stable and durable and easy to use. They're not cheap.

JanMM

Looks good. I got a different $99 stand on Amazon a couple of years ago - Venzo VPT, no longer available - and am glad to have a real bike stand. It's able to accommodate our recumbent tandem with a 2" main tube (no seat posts) with the clamp. Great to be able to work on the drive train with the bike - except for front wheel - off the floor.

124Spider

With tools (as with many other things in life), you get what you pay for.

If that stand meets your needs, get it. But I'd strongly suggest personally examining any stand you might want to buy, before you buy it.

That's especially true if you want to use it with a tandem, which is larger and heavier than the typical single-bike.

I have a Feedback Sports stand. It cost more, but it does everything I want, securely and well.

YMMV

Mark

jethro00

A Bikehand repair stand arrives tomorrow. Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom to pass along about using a repair stand with a tandem (steel frame daVinci Grand Junction)?

oldacura

If your tandem is carbon fiber, don't clamp any of the frame tubes. Clamp one of the seat posts. If your tandem is metal, it should be OK to clamp the frame. I would think it is best to clamp near the center of mass.

noglider 

@jethro00, find the approximate center of gravity on the bike, and clamp as close as possible to it.

Alcanbrad

Lift with your knees, not your back. ( I learned that one early)

diabloridr

I would not clamp any bike by a frame tube, regardless of material. Even if one does not damage the tube, paint marring is possible.

Years ago, a well-meaning friend clamped my beloved stoker's Cannondale single to clean the chain and put a large dent in the top tube. No cracks ever formed, but I regularly used liquid penetrant inspection to verify this fact as long as she kept her 'dale.

I've upgraded my shop-level Park repair stand to their newer micro-adjust clamp which permits good control of clamping force. I clamp on the stoker seatpost and support the front fork with a large bucket, permitting any cleaning or maintenance I perform.

YMMV

jethro00

oldacura,

Here is a generic pic of our tandem. Where do you suggest I clamp it to the stand? Thanks.

WheelsNT

This. I worked in a shop for a while, policy was to never clamp on the frame, always clamp on the seatpost. If the seatpost isn’t extended far enough to expose space for your clamp, then mark the seatpost carefully with tape or read the imprinted scale if it has one, and extend the seatpost so you can clamp on it. If the customer has a carbon or other super-bling seatpost, remove it entirely and replace with one of a bunch the shop kept specifically for that purpose. Worst case, if you goof up the seatpost, it’s 10X cheaper to replace the seatpost than the frame.

Normally on a tandem, you clamp the stoker’s seatpost and prop the front wheel with something like a 5 gal. bucket. If you need to do extensive work on the front end, then clamp the captain’s seatpost and prop the back wheel while you do that.

My $0.02.

79pmooney

The other approach (and totally off topic - sorry). Hang your bike. I've been using one rope loop from the shop/garage ceiling for decades. Just lift the bike and slide the seat nose thorough the loop. Tie a second rope around the stem if I need to steady the bike further for headset, etc. work. For grunt work, I set it down and lean it against my workbench.

Cheap, nothing to trip or bark shins over, even in the dark. Entire floor space is usable when not in use. And I love how quick an easy it is to get the bike on and off. So easy I always set the bike down when I put in wheels to ensure they are seated. If I were doing a tandem, I'd use two loops and a means to keep them opened and aligned so I could just lift and insert both seats simultaneously.

I use good stands at the coop. Nice, yes, but I really don't want one in my garage and I really miss the easy in and out. Plus I have to be on guard for finish damage, never an issue with the loops.

Ben

jethro00

H-m-m-m. I've got a Thudbuster suspension post for my stoker. I suspect that is going to be a problem if I want to clamp to the stoker seat post. I do have a 5 gallon bucket to use to prop up a wheel.

reburns

Our tandem also has a Thudbuster stoker seatpost. I just rest the nose of the stoker’s saddle on top of the work stand clamp and let the front wheel rest on the floor for most rear end or drivetrain work. If I need to work on the front of the bike, I rest the captain’s saddle on the clamp instead and let the rear wheel sit on the floor. Occasionally I’ll use a wheel stand to just hold the bike upright with both wheels on the ground. I’ve never actually needed to have the bike clamped in the work stand to do anything I needed to do on it.

tandem rider

I always clamp to the stoker's seatpost. If a suspension seatpost is a problem, buy the least expensive seatpost that fits your tandem and trade seatposts when working with the stand. I also put the front wheel on a bucket or stool. I had a steel Ibis that the stoker seat tube was clamped too tight. It left a slight indentation in the seat tube. It was never a problem but it is why I clamp to the seatpost.

Alcanbrad

Stand next to your bike and lift by by the top tube, if both wheels don’t lift evenly, I.e. one side seems heavier, move your hand towards the heavier half and try again, repeat until you find the center of mass and clamp there. You should find the spot to be a little behind the captains seat tube. Don’t Clamp too tight, I hang the bike at this center point and tighten the clamp just enough to Holt the bike.

jethro00

That really sounds like the simplest way to go about it for routine maintenance. Is that method likely to cause any damage?

Alcanbrad

As long as the bike is relatively balanced and you don’t clamp too tight, you won’t have any issues. Use the adjustment knob to tighten, not the cam lever. I have never seen damage from a work stand, but it is possible if you are not paying attention to what you are doing.

Yamato72

+1 be super careful clamping aluminum frame tubing. Avoid if at all possible.