Saturday, August 6, 2011

Shop Notes -- Rollastand



I have decided to participate in a charity event next week for MS.  I've been needing an excuse to clean my recumbent bike so I set to work this fine Saturday afternoon in the garage.  By nature recumbent bikes have unconventional frame shapes which will not fit the clamp of the typical bicycle maintenance stand.  Unfortunately this means getting down to ground level to work on the wheels and underside of the bike.

A few years ago I bought this handy device called the Rollastand.  Although designed specifically for motorcycles I have found the Rollastand is perfect for use with the recumbent.  The two black rollers turn smoothly on heavy duty cartridge bearings.  I can easily rotate the wheel and gain access to the hub, rim and all the spokes.  Inspecting the tire and applying preservative is likewise a breeze.

I also have a padded four wheel creeper like the auto mechanics use that I sit or kneel on while performing my maintenance tasks.  For working on diamond frame bikes the Park stand can't be beat but with a bit of ingenuity I have found ways to make working on the recumbent somewhat comfortable and easy.  And as a result more fun.


1 comment:

  1. Nice work. Necessity is the mother of....

    Way back in the day I had a system that worked decently for my mountainbike maintenance. It was simply a pair of hooks hung by clothes line from the rafters in my basement. The bike would sway a bit but it was fairly effective. Hell, I wish I had that system now. These days my bike maintenance is done in the living room with no stand at all.

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