Like almost every cyclists out there, I have a running list in my head of the things I "need" to purchase for my cycling exploits. They are obvious necessities to life like deep dish wheels and gu dispensing devices....how did we ever survive without? A repair stand has been on there for a while, but just seems to keep getting pushed down the list.
A few weeks ago, I concocted a scheme to create a stand from scratch while I was busy doing nothing at work. I was pretty pumped to finally get a stand and also flip the bird to the often absurdly expensive companies that create tools for us biking folks.
Enter the family farm and my Dad.
With the exception of the pony clamp, spray paint, and a coupling, everything was recycled from the farm I live on. The supporting struts are old parts of a wheel-and-line irrigation system. Easily 45 year old pieces of galvanized steel. The main pipes were made of 3/4" steel pipe that my father and I found covered in this tarish/rubbery stuff. A grinder did the trick! The clamp "paddles" were made of a piece of oak scrap wood and old mtb intertubes.
A big thanks to my Dad, my patient partner in many of my hair-brained DIY projects that I cook up. I'm more of an ideas man, and he is most certainly a manufacturer. Without him I would have had a clunky wooden monstrosity; instead I have a functional and portable stand. Some would call it cliche to bond with your father through building something, but hey it works.
Come check out the stand sometime as it travels the Eastern seaboard with the Fightin' Blue Hens!
Park Tools Stand: $170
Mine: $25
Put one in the win column for me.
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