# Another DIY bike stand(ATTN. woodworkers)



## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

Just a little DIY experiment I thought might be fun to take on...and would now like to share my results of 

I have a Minoura bike repair stand that works fine for my hard tails,but is a little awkward with my Camber.I'm not crazy about hanging the bike by the seat post and having a large support structure on one side,so I thought...:idea: why not support the frame close to the center of the bike!? The design I came up with 'hangs' the top tube from two 'hooks' half lap joined to an upright panel with 'feet' at the bottom that are also half lap joined.The bike's position is looking pretty good with easy access to almost everything,it's also nice to be able to get the seat post out of the way.One of the best thing about this...the $20ish price tag.

I went for a 2'x4'sheet of 3/4"(actually 11/16" thick) Birch ply from the depot for around $18.They were nice enough to make a few cuts for me.
1st-Rip cut @ 8"
2nd-Cross cut @ 1'
After that I laid out some lines for rough cutting with the jig saw.
Main panel gets recessed 3" on each side.I used a gallon paint can to draw the radii.
The 1'x16" board gets cut diagonally,and the 8"x4"board,in half.



I went with a few more curves and rounded over most of the edges for a skateboard deck look.
Templates were made out of 1/4" hardboard and I used a router with a flush trim bit to clean up the rough cut edges left by the jig saw.
Finally,I cleaned up the joints with a wood file and gave everything a good sanding.



Two 2-1/2" screws hold the basses to the feet.the rest of the pieces slide into place.
I left the ends of the hooks long in order to support a tray that I will build next.



The 3/4" Birch ply is a little wobbly,but isn't too bad,maybe a better grade ply would be a bit more ridged.
I would also like to add a strap of some kind to secure the down tube,and pad the hooks.
Once the down tube is secured,I can spin the cranks without the bike moving around.



So far everything has been pretty easy to figure out and build.I started with a cardboard mock up to see how things would line up and where to position the hooks.I found that my size large 26" Camber frame would hang from two hooks spaced 12" apart directly above center of the base.This stand may not work with some frames,but I think the hooks could be adjusted to fit the majority.

With some basic woodworking knowledge and a few tools,I think most could handle this project.I jazzed it up a bit with curves and rounded edges,but the concept works with straight cuts and a little sand paper as well.

I'll post pictures of additions as this project progresses.


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## marpilli (Feb 8, 2011)

Great idea! I also like the routed edges. Good work.


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## Rock dude (May 24, 2007)

Looks Great! 
Reps for you.


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## Sooner78 (Sep 25, 2012)

Very nice work. I appreciate some nice woodworking.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks for the compliments! I plan on sealing it up with some waterborne polyurethane and adding the few things I mentioned above this weekend.I'll take some better pics after its done.


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

Can you pedal it while on the stand? Looks like the non drive-side pedal will hit the wood.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

jtmartino said:


> Can you pedal it while on the stand? Looks like the non drive-side pedal will hit the wood.


There is room for the left arm to clear the stand.I in the process of figuring out how to secure the down tube to the stand,that should make the bike more stable while turning the cranks.I think adding some sort of padding to the hooks will help grip the frame as well.


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## Huck Pitueee (Apr 25, 2009)

Would it still work if you lengthened the top hooks so you can rotate the cranks without removing a pedal? Seems like everything I do needs cranks to turn.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

The center of the hooks need to be in just the right right place,which is about 1-3/4" from the stand (for my frame) in order to allow clearance for both crank arms to rotate.You do not need to remove anything.There is about 1/2" of clearance for the non-drive side.



There is a clearance issue with the drive side up against the stand.The bike just needs to be shifted back in the stand till it clears.

Here is another shot of how the spacing worked out for me.I didn't want to have to remove my bottle cage to use the stand.If the cage was off,I could get the frame closer to the stand and have more room for the non-drive side crank to clear.
Now I just need to figure out how to secure the down tube to stabilize the bike.



If your thinking of making one for yourself,I would strongly suggest getting a 16"x3' piece of cardboard to test the compatibility with your bike.I would also cut out the sides to allow space for the bottom bracket.You could lay the bike down on it's side and see if the cardboard 'mock-up' will fit.


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## RidingMyTrail (Oct 7, 2012)

It appears if you made the top hooks double ended, you could store two bikes on it. They would have to be handlebar to seat. Nice job.


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## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

Very cool.


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## Huck Pitueee (Apr 25, 2009)

Wow! You just fried my brain! I thought the stand was well thought out before I knew the crank goes on the back side. Now genius!


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## MrBadger (Apr 4, 2010)

Great idea. I think i'll have a crack at something similar. Nice job Cornfield.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

RidingMyTrail said:


> It appears if you made the top hooks double ended, you could store two bikes on it. They would have to be handlebar to seat. Nice job.


Great idea! The hooks would have to be spaced further out from the main support,or the forks and rear triangles would touch.



acer66 said:


> Very cool.


Thanks!



Huck Pitueee said:


> Wow! You just fried my brain! I thought the stand was well thought out before I knew the crank goes on the back side. Now genius!


Thanks Huck! Your post in the Art Fart thread got me motivated to try creating something that has great form & function.You do some amazing work!



MrBadger said:


> Great idea. I think i'll have a crack at something similar. Nice job Cornfield.


Thanks, and good luck! Make sure it will work with your bike's geometry before you start.

This was a fun project and it turned out better than I had envisioned.I can't say when it will truly be finished,I am taking it slow and changing it up as I go.

I've added a cutout for a handle to pick up and move the stand around.I also added slots for velcro straps to secure the down tube and keep the bike stable.I tried some sticky back foam rubber weatherstripping to pad the hooks,but am not happy with how that turned out.Thats it, till next time


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

so cool. very elegant and well-thought-out.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks Bill! After the initial thought of making this from one piece of plywood,the rest kinda fell into place.Form follows function here, and I am lucky it has good form


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## crux (Jan 10, 2004)

Looks great. Nice woodworking skills.


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## Yogii (Jun 5, 2008)

Super, how long does it take to dis-assemble?


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks Crux! 



Yogii said:


> Super, how long does it take to dis-assemble?


The pieces slide into place without glue.To dis-assemble,you simply pull it apart.It takes about 10 seconds.

I'm thinking about putting hinges on the bases so they fold flat,then the whole thing could be stored under the bed,or in the trunk of a car.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

ya, it would be nice to take it on riding trips or to races.


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## wyatt79m (Mar 3, 2007)

nice job, +rep


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## Tone's (Nov 12, 2011)

Cornfield, very impressed mate, great thinking, nice design and nice woodwork, that is by far and away one of the best home made stands ive seen, your da man, reps to you...:thumbsup:


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks wyatt79m and Tone's!

Still haven't got the finish on it yet,and I've got a few ideas brewing.I did use it with my hard tail yesterday for a SS conversion and noticed that the frame needs to be about a half inch closer to the main support for the non drive crank to clear.Guess I have to remove some material from the hooks.

Thanks again everyone for the replies! I hope some of you give this a go.Its only wood and not too expensive if you screw up...just be careful,wear safety glasses and a dust mask (ear plugs if using a loud router,like mine)


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## Cruiznblue (Oct 16, 2012)

Wow I clicked on this link expecting some sort of ghetto stand made with a few 2x4s smashed together with some nails. 

And I was wrong... 

Very nice stand!


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## shibiwan (Sep 2, 2012)

Super cool... now you have to make the template a PDF and share it.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

shibiwan said:


> Super cool... now you have to make the template a PDF and share it.


That would make it way too easy...and then I might have to charge $ for it :smilewinkgrin:


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## karl555 (Oct 29, 2012)

Very neat and well put together.
Now you can take it to Dragons den/shark tank:thumbsup:


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Very cool Corn, I was directed to this thread via the link you provided in the O.C.
As karl55 said above it's time to take it to the Shark Tank. Ya never know this could be your ticket to the promise land


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

I'm stoked that you guys think the stand is worthy of going to the Shark Tank! I really don't think it's that great,mostly just holds my bike while I'm not riding it (which has been quite a lot recently :nonod It was more of an exercise in building a bike stand out of minimal materials.

Now,if I had access to a CNC machine and some investment capital...maybe I could make something happen.


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