Cychologist

Question for those of you with carbon bikes and clamping repair stands. Do you clamp to your carbon seat post or use an adapter?

I have an adapter for my Madone, but it doesn't fit my new Domane. Do I need to go ahead and purchase a Bontrager work stand adapter or is that necessary?

Biker395 

I have an aluminum seat post, so it's not a problem for me.

My experience is that the clamping danger is that the carbon material (and aluminum too) is extraordinarily thin (al bikes ... almost beer can thin) at the center of the top tube where you might be inclined to clamp your bike. Seatposts (at least the ones I am familiar with) are not butted, and not nearly as thin. I've not heard of anyone damaging a seat post with a stand clamp, so I'd feel comfortable just clamping to the seatpost, but being careful about it.

YMMV, of course.

rdtompki

I have an aero seat post on my Volagi. The Park Stand clamp is shaped to work well with either round or aero posts. Given my 200 lb weight and the amount of seat post extension I'm riding, I am not the least concerned about clamping to the seat post. I would not clamp to the top tube even it it were round (which it isn't).

Cychologist

I agree with never clamping the top tube. I only clamp the seat on my Madone. The adapter I have is for it's tear shaped seat post, hense my question.

Dudelsack 

*writes note to self: go home and take repair stand clamp off top tube*

Rick@OCRR

My carbon bike has an American Classic seatpost, which is also carbon, but I use the seatpost when clamping my bike in the stand. No damage, no worries.

Rick / OCRR

stapfam

C.F. Frame and seat post. So I have an old Knackd Alloy seat post that I replace the C.F.With if it has to go onto a stand.

fietsbob

the team mechanics seem to prefer the stand that supports the bike from beneath the BB shell
and clamps in place of one of the wheels .

an example like this: https://www.parktool.com/product/supe...e-stand-prs-21

but for situations where its sketchy, LBS has a Park Tool .. that expands like a quill stem, into the seat tube,
to replace the CF seatpost. and then hold that in the stand..

here is the newest version .. https://www.parktool.com/product/inte...be-clamp-isc-4

zvez

Specialized says to clamp the seat post none of the carbon. Did it yesterday for the first time on the park stand I bought.

leob1

If the seat post doesn't break, bend, crush or, colapse when you sit on the seat, and go over bumps, you aren't going to hurt it by clamping it into a work stand.
If I'm working on an steel frame, i'll still clamp the seat post. But if for some reason that doesn't work(like I'm too lazy to move it so there is enough to clamp), then I'll clamp the top tube. Never hurt one.

Retro Grouch 

There you see! Yet another problem that us retro grouches don't have to worry about.

mkane77g

Seat post, always.

J.P.

+1

Bikey Mikey

I clamp the top tube, but the LBS clamps the seat post.

Don't over tighten. If you hear a creak or crack, it's too late.

mrt2you

i have been clamping my carbon bikes at the top tube for the last 5 years without problems.
i have to tighten the clamp by turning a screw on my stands. they are not like the bike shops clamps that are spring loaded.
just lightly tighten the tube clamp and you will be fine.

spdntrxi

I clamp both ways.. but when I do the top tube... pretty min pressure (park stand) carbon since in late 90's

JohnJ80

Clamp the seat post, it's easy to do, holds well. I have both types of stands and prefer the clamp one over the Park stand.

J.

DiabloScott

If you're just lubing your chain or threading a cable, a loose clamp on the top tube will be fine. But if you're going to be de-cranking you'd better not be clamped to anything crushable.

lphilpot

+1

But then again, my Tricross is made for rough stuff and is hardly ultra light.

Bikey Mikey

I should also note, that only my fork and seat post are carbon. The rest of the bike is Aluminium--if it were carbon, I'd do the seat post as well and not the top tube.

Wogster

Makes me wonder, if the material is so weak, that I need to worry about a clamp, then is it going to be strong enough for a 100kg rider????

Steel frames are not that thick either, but nobody seemed to worry about clamping them. Mind you, if your really concerned, get an old school chromed steel seatpost, and swap posts and clamp that....

Retro Grouch 

Bicycle frames are primarily designed to be used rather than to be fixed. "Beer canning" is a failure mode that probably won't ever be duplicated while riding.

I have a Nivecrom steel tandem frame that I can feel flex if I squeeze a tube in the center with just my fingers. I wouldn't clamp down on it's tubes either.

BluesDawg

For quickie adjustments/repair, I just hook the saddle nose over the stand's clamp. When I need the bike more stable, I clamp the seatpost. For exstensive work where I'll be rotating the bike and stressing the post, I temporarily replace the carbon seatpost with an old cheap aluminum one.

NOS88

I clamp the seat post and with carbon, I simply don't clamp it as tight. (The ability to adjust the clamping force was one of the factors on my "must have" list when shopping for a stand.) Only had one carbon seat post crushed and that was by a bike shop I no longer frequent.

Blue Belly

Fork clamp on a saw horse with a raised block for the BB.