The bike is upside down on the ground while you kneel next to it and try to fix a fault without twisting your back. This is probably how most of us started our tinkering career. However, you can only be really effective when you're working with an assembly stand. This allows you to turn the wheels freely to adjust the gears or brakes or carry out maintenance work on the bottom bracket without unnecessarily straining your spinal discs. The selection of models is large, as is the price range. Above all, a good kickstand should stand securely, fold out sufficiently high and be foldable to save space. The clamp should also be easy to operate with one hand. Here is a small selection of good models.
THE EDITORS' FAVOURITES
FEEDBACK SPORTS PRO ELITE
Price 279 Euro
Info www.paul-lange.de
Folding dimensions 114 x 21 x 17 cm/weight 5.5 kg
Working height 106-177 cm
Clamping width 20-70 mm
The excellently crafted feedback convinces with good handling when folding and clamping. The quick-release mechanism is very practical. Super: The clamping jaws can be closed quickly and easily, but are quite hard. The star-shaped and relatively short legs can be extended in a few simple steps and hold even heavy bikes at a high working height. The Feedback Pro Elite has accompanied the BIKE test crew on every test trip for years.
Stability8 out of 10 points
Handling10 out of 10 points
XTREME S 3000
Price 89 Euro
Info www.rose.de
Folding dimensions 108 x 36 x 25 cm
Weight 6.6 kg
Working height 100-145 cm
Clamping width 20-45 mm
The Xtreme S 3000 is probably one of the cheapest stands on the market and comes from the mail order company Rose. The finish is a little rough. The plastic clamp is not hinged, but can be rotated, and the clamping width is somewhat limited at a maximum of 45 millimetres. The rotating upper tube means that even heavy bikes can be hung over the centre of the legs. This means that the Xtreme stands quite comfortably even with heavy bikes. The small storage area, which is included with the S 3000, is practical.
Stability: 6 out of 10 points
Handling: 5 out of 10 points
FOR CARBON FRAMES
If the sensitive carbon frame must not be clamped or large tube cross-sections make clamping impossible, the only other option is a mounting stand with axle mounting. Here, the dropout of the fork is mounted on a slide and the bottom bracket is placed on a tray. The Tacx Spider Team is compatible with thru-axles and costs 199 euros. www.vanbokhoven.de
FOR THE WALL
If space in the cellar or workshop is limited, an assembly stand for wall or workbench mounting is the ideal solution. The TB-WS35 is supported over a large area on the wall. Its clamp is easy to adjust and can be conveniently closed using a large lever. Price: 119.90 euros, www.messingschlager.com
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Stefan Frey
Editor
