Park PCS4.1 Workstand

The Park PCS4.1 Deluxe Home Mechanic Workstand.
 I love that Blue! Shame about the scratches and dinks...

S

The part that allows your bike to be rotated through 360
degrees at a range of heights.

The jaws aren't spring loaded which belies how powerful they
are...you notice when you put something in them and the
instructions come with a warning that if you aren't careful,
your frame could be damaged - use the seatpost

There are eccentric hard rubber "feet" that
can be rotated so as to compensate for uneven floors

The difference between the substantial,
heavy duty"shop quality" 1003 clamp
and others like my Lidl below right, is immediately apparent
- your local bike shop has probably got one

Whilst my Lidl workstand, bought for £30 awhile back has given good service, I knew also that I wanted something higher spec, as I was going to get serious with bike maintenance.

The Lidl offers a lot less flexibility when positioning the bike; whilst it can hold a maximum of 30kg, you have to position the bike according to its centre of gravity, if you don't, the bike falls back to it...

But what did you expect for £30? It's still a great entry model, I'm glad I bought it and can commend it.

The next ones up start from £80 or so. They tend to have quite a low weight capacity, say less than 20kg, and whilst offering greater choice in positioning, the clamp is on the simple, crude side. Park themselves do budget models - the PCS9 & 10. The 10 has a better clamp that makes it look particularly attractive for £110-150, depending on where you buy it. It also has the same 45kg load capacity - well above most others particularly in this price bracket - a major plus point.

As most of my bikes are on the heavy side >20kg, especially the Gazelle, I wanted something that could comfortably accommodate this; if I was going to upgrade, I would do it properly...

Park Tool are a premium brand company making bike maintenance things. They've been around about 50 years. They do do a range of workstands to suit most budgets but most of their other products are professional quality and this is reflected in the price.

The Park PCS4.1 is for the hobbyist, but has what Park calls a "shop quality" clamp, the 1003C that they claim is found in more bike shops than any other. I've certainly seen a few in some that I've visited. It has a heavy, cast aluminium clamp with powerful jaws, the capacity of this workstand, provided you keep the bike centred over the two legs is 45kg. The jaws come with rubber inserts and a warning that they could damage the bike's frame if you aren't careful. I clamp my bikes by the seatpost so as to avoid this happening.

The two legs fold up for storage.

I'd had my eye on one of these for some time, but wasn't quite willing to part with the £275 or so recommended retail in the UK for awhile. In the US where they're made, they're roughly the same amount in dollars which works out a lot cheaper sterlingwise, but the postage charge to the UK bumps it up to pretty much the same in pounds...

Some places on Amazon were selling for £220 and I was all but ready to buy at this price until I saw it going for £182 at Singletrack bikes in Scotland. I snapped it up! Sure I've seen some vendors on the 'net selling just the clamp for that!

Proof of the pudding - holding 50lbs of bike; to be honest, I wouldn't need to
 have held it so high, I'd just rotate the clamp. It would help if you're tall
though. As per the instructions, make sure that the bike is held centrally
between the two legs otherwise  it can tip over - and it nearly did...

There's a few minor gripes: the stand came packed with minimal padding within a thin cardboard box and had some dinks and large scrapes off the lovely blue paint. I did wonder at first whether it was shop soiled. Then again, it'll pick up a few with use. The clamp looks a bit rougher than in the photos here and on the internet, sort of unfinished aluminium casting. Still, given what it's for, there's no need for it to be nice and shiny/blemish free.

Park Tool official site

Alternatives - I haven't seen any of these up close, but I'm sure they'll meet your needs and there's plenty of reviews on the internet - try Bike Radar.

Feedback Sports. Some pretty nifty stuff here...looks like they fold up real compact and come with a bag.