Fork clamp and spacers on Feedback Sports Sprint stand
Without the workstand, where would we be? Working on a bike while it leans against the wall is no way to work. Yes, we all put off even buying the first poor excuse for a stand for much too long because those Campagnolo upgrades came first. That would have been another benefit of working in a bike shop as a teenager; the early introduction to the proper tools and stands to do the work. Thanks to @Teocalli for a review and a tale of how to get one.
VLVV, Gianni
It all started perfectly innocently.
VMW – Sighs and looks at the Conservatory last Spring. “If only I could get the Conservatory back”.
Like many, I suspect, our conservatory swings between habitability and dumping ground but in this instance had become my bike workroom. Typically, there was at least one bike in the conservatory with tools spread over the table and toolbox gaping on the floor like a man-trap (VMW trap?). Workroom might be a bit of a misnomer as I didn’t have a decent workstand and survived using axle-stands or a frame vice clamped to the table. It was all very ad hoc but a decent workstand always seemed hard to justify. However, my lower back was definitely feeling the need as at my age sitting on a low stool (how many know what a Crackett is?) working near floor level was doing my back no good whatsoever.
Me – “Well if I had a decent workstand I could work in the garage”
WMW – “Why can’t you use your cabin?” (note here that I have a work cabin for woodwork and dirty stuff and the VMW has a garden shed – terminology when it comes to man-sheds is important!).
Me – “We’ll that’s not very secure and my tools would go rusty in the winter as it gets a bit damp in there”.
VMW – “Well, can’t you put them all in the garage?”
Me – “I’d need to clear all the garden stuff out of the top half of the garage to be able to work in there”.
VMW – “OK but I’d need a new Garden Shed to put it all in as the current one is full and not big enough and it leaks”.
Gianni was right, it’s all a matter of negotiation and making sure that the other half gets the bigger slice. Hell’s teeth, a new Garden Shed is way more expensive than a bike workstand!
Me (pressing my luck) – “I could do with a decent tool cabinet too as scrabbling in that toolbox is a real pain and it won’t take all my tools and still close anymore”
VMW – “Ok if I get a new Garden Shed and you put down a base for me THEN you can buy a workstand and tool cabinet”
DEAL !
So that is how I now come to have a great tool cabinet with all my tools neatly spread out in single layers and easy to find and a decent workstand.
So the purpose of writing this was actually to comment on the Feedback Sports Workstand. I went for the Sprint Workstand model as I have never been too keen with clamping lightweight frames ever since my first lightweight Alu frame that came covered in stickers “Do Not Clamp Here” and the Feedback Sports model also has a neat arrangement of spacers on the axle QR clamp that will take variable OLD sizes suitable to my small collection and also can take Through Axle so is very versatile. It is not cheep but I highly recommend it. Sturdy construction with a wide base it is fully height adjustable and swings through 360 deg or can be clamped in a fixed position. Bikes can be clamped by the forks or rear axle depending on what you want to work on. Being Aluminium construction it is also great for cleaning bikes and hosing down as well as folding into a neat package to be easily portable.
Having the tool cabinet is an absolute joy with everything having its own place and (so far) ensures that I put all tools back in their place after using them. No more scrabbling to find that left hand widget that I know is somewhere. In fact, now I’m looking for excuses to find something to fettle on one bike or another as it is so much easier than previously. The right tools for the job do make a huge difference. The slightly funny part of emptying my tool box was that I did find that I had duplicates of a few things that were hidden unseen way down at the bottom and I had bought the second not knowing there was a lurker down in the dark recesses of the toolkit.
All I need now is a proper bike room, the VMW has okayed that as part of the new seafront house – sadly though, our combined plans for that will have to wait for the lottery win.
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@1860
Have we seen a more detailed photo essay based around that 'nago? If not, why not?
@Mikael Liddy
"Moved" being a synonym for "imbibed"?
When you think about it, that's about all a Velominatus should use a Camelback for: filling with beer and imbibing while wrenching.
@wiscot
You've heard of "Beer in the Bidon", no? Why the fuck would we need a Camelback?
Awesome British dude Mr Stannard not racing this weekend ?!? Go back two years ago and we get one of the all time awesome snapshots with he and GVA reminding us that the spring classics are indeed for badasses and then last year he proceeds to make a team full of studs look silly at the end. Love this time of year! Cheers all
@Mikael Liddy
Well spotted! I did write a whole article about testing Rule #12, but I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I never came back with the photos on the finished beauty of the Colnago Master Olympic. The reason why, I am not fully happy with the handlebars and am just waiting for a NOS 3T Quill Stem and Deda handlebar so I can finally finish it to the level I am happy with it. Plus despite massively improving my handlebar tape wrapping skills, after reading the articles on that I also want to improve the handle tape as well..... Then I can finally also take some decent pictures and present it at a level I am happy with.
On the workstand article:
I have an old Ultimate stand (which is now Feedback) and it's a trooper. Got it from a friend who didn't want to buy replacement parts thinking they were too expensive. Feedback still makes the parts and the part I needed was only ten bucks. It's honestly the best stand I've used. You guys should check them out!
That Feedback stand is a thing of beauty.
I'm currently in the process of building my own stand so that I can begin the process of building my first road bike. A Gavia Imperiale frameset which I got a knock down price.
That is, it is my first ever road bike that I am building, which is also the first ever bike build that I am attempting, which induced me to buy a wall mounted bike stand only to realize that the basement storage room I intended to use as my workshop is (a) too small (b) too cold and (c) too dark. This in turn has required me to cobble together some sort of home made bike stand. Well, either that or mount the bloody thing in the downstairs sitting room (which would most likely result in exile to the basement on a near permanent basis - which would give me plenty time to build the bike, I guess...).
Anyway... Just thought I would pitch in, being new and all that.
Here here.
I have the feedback pro-elite and it is an unreasonably good work stand. The push button release is so good on their clamp stands. And it is light enough to carry around. It remains stable with the clamp at my eye level. I stand at 1.88m, so fairly high for a bike stand.
For us that already take great enjoyment from maintaining the fleet, a proper work stand turns the enjoyment up to 11.
Just got the tool tray attachment. It's the DBs for safely holding essential work items......
@wiscot
Hey @wiscott, sorry to hijack the thread but if anybody knows it'll be you. My unbelievable VMH struck me dumb with what's below for my birthday and I'm trying to research it. The only one I can find remotely like it is in a café in Italy where the owner has a shrine to Eddy alongside a gold Colnago.
Ive been through Herbie Sykes Maglia Rosa with no luck and the internet has very little. Do you know if any other Molteni rider ever wore pink? The jersey is wool, badly bobbled in places and was bought in a coffee shop in Totnes, a small town in Devon. There is no label on the back of the collar. Any help greatly received