# DIY Portable/Adjustable Bike Repair Stand



## Aron_F (Jan 5, 2010)

Hi All, I am new to this forum so be nice to me . Recently i made a portable bike repair stand, several DIY threads from this forum has inspired me. It is portable and bike clamp can be adjusted to different angle.I used PA tripod speaker stand as a base. I hope someone will be inspired to make their own. 

Complete how to link:
https://afajarito.blogspot.com/2010/01/diy-portable-bike-repair-stand.html

This is how it looks like.









********************************************************************************************************


----------



## quietcornerrider (Jun 6, 2009)

Holy crap. I just read the article and I want a refund on my Topeak stand!

This is ****ing brilliant.


----------



## bpwhistler (Dec 1, 2009)

That's awesome...something I can justify to my wife!!! "I built it honey...it didn't cost hardly anything!" Right on!


----------



## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

Very clean and well done. That's the best and most functional DIY stand I've seen yet. It's too bad the tripod doesn't sit lower though - I guess that's an easy enough fix. Well done once again.


A.


----------



## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

Very nice looking. Is it stable once the bike is on it? Does it get tippy at all?


----------



## Bikinfoolferlife (Feb 3, 2004)

My thoughts were about tippiness, too. Clamp head looks heavy, legs don't seem to splay much or are they just not in the full out position?


----------



## Aron_F (Jan 5, 2010)

neex said:


> It's too bad the tripod doesn't sit lower though


The tripod legs can be adjusted, I can be lowered all the way down. I'll post a pic when i get a chance.



fightnut said:


> Is it stable once the bike is on it? Does it get tippy at all?


It is very stable, it doesn't get tippy at all. You can even spread the tripod legs even more.

Thanks for the nice comments everyone.


----------



## jbsmith (Aug 3, 2008)

I have some experience with PA/Light stands and more than likely he doesn't have the legs fully extended. At least on my tripods you can set the legs at any distance from the center to fully extended that you want - from real narrow to about a 4ft diameter circle.

To echo everyone else this is an awesome DIY stand - maybe should be a sticky since stands come up ever other day...


----------



## jbsmith (Aug 3, 2008)

Question for the OP. In the blog you show what I would call the tailpiece - where you use the QR to hold the angle of the clamp - how did you make the 3 cuts? 

I know you have listed a chop saw in the materials - are you referring to a chop saw generally used for cutting metal pipe etc or do you mean a miter saw (I know some people that use chop saw for these two saws interchangeably).


----------



## Aron_F (Jan 5, 2010)

Bikinfoolferlife said:


> My thoughts were about tippiness, too. Clamp head looks heavy, legs don't seem to splay much or are they just not in the full out position?


The clamp head is not that heavy, the wood blocks just looks big. I could have made it smaller, but I want it to be more stout and able to hold the bike firmly. You are right the tripod legs are not in the full out position, but even at that position it's stable and not tippy at all.


----------



## 4JawChuck (Dec 1, 2008)

Wow! A homemade stand that doesn't look like a$$!

Congrats on making something nice and functional from stuff you had laying around.:thumbsup:


----------



## Aron_F (Jan 5, 2010)

jbsmith said:


> Question for the OP. In the blog you show what I would call the tailpiece - where you use the QR to hold the angle of the clamp - how did you make the 3 cuts?
> 
> I know you have listed a chop saw in the materials - are you referring to a chop saw generally used for cutting metal pipe etc or do you mean a miter saw (I know some people that use chop saw for these two saws interchangeably).


I used a chop saw (for cutting metal) not miter saw, don't even try to use miter saw thinking of replacing the blade with a chop saw blade, very dangerous. Miter saw has high RPM motor unlike chop saw. I have a mini chop saw with 6 inch blade, I got it from Harbor Freight years ago, save me time when cutting metals/pipe.


----------



## wyatt79m (Mar 3, 2007)

wow, nice job, looks good.


----------



## jbsmith (Aug 3, 2008)

Aron_F said:


> I used a chop saw (for cutting metal) not miter saw, don't even try to use miter saw thinking of replacing the blade with a chop saw blade, very dangerous. Miter saw has high RPM motor unlike chop saw. I have a mini chop saw with 6 inch blade, I got it from Harbor Freight years ago, save me time when cutting metals/pipe.


Thanks - Do you happen to know the brand and/or model of the pa stand you used. Hard to find any site that gives dimensions of the stand's pipe. Thought if we had this info it may give a point of reference at least.


----------



## Aron_F (Jan 5, 2010)

Sorry, I couldn't find any markings on the stand, not sure what brand is it.


----------



## Aron_F (Jan 5, 2010)

As promised, tripod legs in fully extended position.









With tripod legs folded and clamp head dismounted. 
If you noticed, the tripod top tube is kinda long, I could cut it short to be more compact, maybe i'll do that later.


----------



## AL29er (Jan 14, 2004)

Nice little DIY project there. Getting the tripod cheap is the key to making it worthwhile to do though. Otherwise you have spent an afternoon or more recreating the Feedback Sports Consumer stand, which you can get on sale at around $100.


----------



## derockus (Mar 27, 2009)

Nice work, man! Did you intentionally paint it *Park *blue?


----------



## Aron_F (Jan 5, 2010)

derockus said:


> Nice work, man! Did you intentionally paint it *Park *blue?


Yes I did. I like Park Tool blue color signature.

Thank you all for the inputs/ nice compliments. I updated my blog, added some pictures/entry to answer questions that members have asked here.Thanks again.


----------



## lalahsghost (Jul 4, 2007)

You don't know how psyched I am to see this. I have been thinking of ways to do this for months now.


----------



## PissedOffCil (Oct 18, 2007)

Amazing job. Definitely looks professional!


----------



## lalahsghost (Jul 4, 2007)

What is the diameter of the vertical tripod pole that attaches to all of the DIY stuff? 25 or 35mm?


----------



## drmayer (Apr 19, 2007)

http://cgi.ebay.com/PA-DJ-Speaker-Monitor-Tripod-Stage-Stand-Pole-70-110lb_W0QQitemZ380206403563QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDJ_Gear_Lighting?hash=item5886114feb

Is this similar to the stand you used?


----------



## jrabikerepair (Dec 29, 2009)

By the looks of it, your stand has 3 or 4 height adjustment clamps. Is this compatible with tall bikes as well?


----------



## big bike (Mar 6, 2010)

good job man looks really good


----------



## Andy FitzGibbon (Jul 7, 2007)

The Ultimate Support workstands use a speaker stand for the base. This is because Ultimate Support also makes speaker and instrument stands, in addition to their work stand and truing stand.
Nice work, though. I like the clamp. The Ultimate "quick action" clamps usually seem to be more of a pain than anything else.
Andy


----------



## lalahsghost (Jul 4, 2007)

drmayer said:


> https://cgi.ebay.com/PA-DJ-Speaker-Monitor-Tripod-Stage-Stand-Pole-70-110lb_W0QQitemZ380206403563QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDJ_Gear_Lighting?hash=item5886114feb
> 
> Is this similar to the stand you used?


drmayer, that is what I used, and I would suggest using an iron/steel one just because the aluminum *FEELS* (not flimsy) but less strong than a steel one would. The pipe thickness is only 1mm and holds my '09 GF cobia (32lbs?) fine... even upside down.

If I had to do it again, I would get steel just for my personal confidence









https://wvcycling.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/diy-foldable-repair-stand/


----------



## pakman52 (Dec 15, 2009)

It seems like the PA stand could be replaced and a 1" floor flange could be screwed onto the 6" ifon pipe and this unit could be mouted on to a bench for a bench mount system.


----------



## lalahsghost (Jul 4, 2007)

pakman52 said:


> It seems like the PA stand could be replaced and a 1" floor flange could be screwed onto the 6" ifon pipe and this unit could be mouted on to a bench for a bench mount system.


Search for some older DIY stand threads here on MTBR and you'll see people who have done this before dinosaurs were roaming around


----------



## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

Andy FitzGibbon said:


> The Ultimate Support workstands use a speaker stand for the base. This is because Ultimate Support also makes speaker and instrument stands, in addition to their work stand and truing stand.
> Nice work, though. I like the clamp. The Ultimate "quick action" clamps usually seem to be more of a pain than anything else.
> Andy


Does Feedback in CO make audio stands? When I saw the base of the above stand, it looks identical to my Ultimate Elite. Identical... I love this stand but I wouldn't give up my quick clamp for anything. Awesome designs. Both of them. 

A.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


----------



## fitter (Feb 6, 2010)

You inspired me to use up my scrap unistrut


----------



## lalahsghost (Jul 4, 2007)

fitter said:


> You inspired me to use up my scrap unistrut


That makes me want to learn how to weld even more than before


----------



## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

My build of the OP's stand:


----------



## desnaephoto (Jun 11, 2009)

This thing is amazing! This will become one of my first DIY projects when I finish moving. I miss not being able to borrow a buddy's repair stand. Tree limbs just don't keep things steady.


----------



## timmaayyy (May 14, 2010)

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to attach the wood blocks to the clamp pieces?


----------



## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

timmaayyy said:


> Does anyone have any recommendations on how to attach the wood blocks to the clamp pieces?


The very first post has a link to step by step instructions.


----------



## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

timmaayyy said:


> Does anyone have any recommendations on how to attach the wood blocks to the clamp pieces?


The pipe clamp I got has pre-drilled holes in the jaws for attaching wood pads. It's this one:
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-pipe-clamp-with-base-94053.html

You can drill your own holes if your clamp doesn't have them

I used bolts w/ split & flat washers. On the inner (padded) side of the wood blocks I countersunk for the bolt heads + flat washers.


----------



## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

I started my build of this DIY stand this past weekend and ran into annoying problems. All the pipes I saw in both stores I checked had a decently sized internal lip at both ends as well as the weld seam down the inside. My 3/4" pipe didn't fit through any of the 1" pieces with a whole lot of filing on the lip and weld seam. Then I moved onto the assembly and cutting and found that the tee fitting was made so crooked that smaller pipe couldn't make it from one 1" pipe to the other through the fitting. Bah! A friend of mine had a little bit of time to throw the part on a lathe at a machine shop and remove a little material inside, but it's still really tight and always wants to bind

I bought my tee fitting at Osh and my pipes at Lowe's. I might take a mulligan and retry this weekend with parts from Home Depot like the OP used, but first I have to get over the frustration of the first try!


----------



## galleta loco (Feb 7, 2011)

I just saw an old plumbers tripod vice for sale that may be a real sturdy support.


----------



## bing! (Jul 8, 2010)

speaker stands are available from 25 to 50 bucks.

Speaker Stand at Guitar Center. | Search Results

Amazon.com: On Stage SS7730 Classic Speaker Stand: Musical Instruments


----------



## Samhamwich (Dec 17, 2008)

Here is a link to the DIY where the pics are still showing:

instructables.com/id/DIY-Portable-Bike-Repair-Stand/]DIY Portable Bike Repair Stand

Just add the http to the start


----------



## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

Not portable, but I used the general concept of the clamp made here (with a few modifications) to make a clamp for my repair stand.


----------



## bee (Apr 7, 2008)

Awesome work! I really like the pic of the vise grp style clamp.


----------



## speed97 (Jul 5, 2012)

Nice work, i might have to try this.. i bet mine will not come out as nice.


----------



## Mumbles720 (Oct 10, 2011)

This might sound silly but when boring out the "C" shape cut did you use the 1' bit? I used it and it didn't fit around my seatpost. My seatpost is 30.9mm which is like 1.21'. Just get a bigger bit?


----------



## BikerCam (Oct 17, 2012)

Lessons Learned:
I had an issue with the 3/4" pipe not fitting through the inside of a 1" pipe. I tried buying them from different locations but no success. I actually cut the threads off the 1" pipe and it worked! I can now slide the 3/4" pipe through a 1" pipe. I guess when they thread the 1" pipe it compresses the inside diameter a bit. I suppose you can bore it out if you need the threads.

A tip for the wooden blocks. I used a 3/4" x 4"W boards and glue them together to create the thickness of a 2x4. But before a glued them, I cut one board at 45 degrees to create a "V" notch. It was prefect for clamping onto 31.8mm posts.

Another tip: Instead of using mouse pads you can also use a roll of rubber lining for kitchen drawers. You know, the ones for you spoons, forks and knives. Contact cemet works great.

I hope that helps. Good luck with your weekend project!


----------



## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

Better yet, use an old tube. It's free. Some super glue will hold it on. That's what I did with my DIY clamp jaws. And it's cheap, i mean free, to replace if it becomes worn out.


----------



## tjchad (Aug 15, 2009)

hnasjhsg


----------



## IRONMAN1518 (Jul 19, 2008)

STUNNING!!!! Excellent job and building instructions!! Good for you and thank for sharing the idea!! Not every one has $200 plus for a bike stand.


----------



## yufeifei (Jan 25, 2021)

PissedOffCil said:


> Amazing job. Definitely looks professional!


Really amazing, so admirable，Kiperline portable monitor


----------



## qkcam (Apr 1, 2021)

Hi SUGGESTIONS: I know this is kinda old post. I started this project. was able to get the 3/4" pipe to fit into the 1" by using a dremel and sanded down the inside of 1" till it fit. I also drilled holes in the pipe clamp i had gotten to mount the wood. I did try to drill through the wood and the center of the pipe clamp.(that didn't go too well) ALAS I need help !! I have a speaker tripod but i can' t get the 1" iron pipe to fit into the tripod pipe.. dang. the threads of the 1" will fit it. 
you all think it will work if it gorilla glue it? i need to wrap up this project not sure how to get that thing adapted. I tried to put some pipe threads on the tripod tube but it was slightly too big for 1 " and too thin I think. please let me know if you have any ideas! thank you


----------

