How to Build a Bicycle Work Stand

Proper bike maintenance is key to having worry-free enjoyable rides and essential to any cyclist's toolkit is a good repair stand. Repair stands hold the bicycle upright at a comfortable working level, and allow mechanics to make fine-tuning adjustments quickly and easily. However, repair stands can be expensive and are not tools easily found at the local bicycle shop. Luckily, a cheap, sturdy repair stand can be built out of PVC piping in as little as an afternoon.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

PVC 4 way fittings
Foam pipe insulation
PVC cement
Hacksaw
PVC tubing
PVC T-fittings
90 degree PVC elbows

Step 1

Use the hacksaw to cut four 15 inch pieces of tubing and two 30 inch pieces. Connect two of the 15 inch pieces with a three sided T-fitting, but do not glue them yet. Repeat for the other 15 inch pieces. Connect the the ends of the 15 inch sets to the 30 inch tubes with 90 degree elbows to form a square box.

Step 2

Cut two 34 inch pieces of tubing and then connect them to the T-fittings on the square base. Connect the top of the two 34 inch pieces with a 4 way T-fitting. Now, go back through all of your fittings and cement the connections together with the PVC cement.

Step 3

Cut another 15 inch section of PVC and cement it into the end of the 4 way T-fitting extending straight away from one of the upward support tubes. Glue another 4 way T-fitting at the top of this 15 inch tube.

Step 4

Use the hacksaw to cut a vertical notch in the 4 way T-fitting to allow your bike's bottom tube to slide into it. Also, cut a 3 inch piece of pipe in half and then cement it perpendicular in the crook of the elbow of the lower 4 way T-fitting on the supports. The bike's bottom bracket rests here. Glue foam pipe insulation in both of these areas.

Step 5

Allow the cement to dry for 24 hours and then place your bike in the stand by sitting the bottom bracket on the bottom 4 way T-fitting support and your down-tube in the upper 4 way T-fitting support.

Tips & Warnings

Glue your stand together in a well ventilated area and always wear gloves, a mask, and goggles when working with pipe cement.

Resources

Project materials

Article Written By Nathaniel Miller

Nathaniel Miller is a technical writer for an environmental division of Microbac Laboratories, Inc. He has a Master of Science from Ohio University. With over eight years of technical writing experience, Miller has a diverse skill-set and enjoys a wide-ranging client base. He is widely published on numerous writing websites and runs a small writing business out of his home in Marietta, Ohio.

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