PSA: That $15 bike stand from Harbor Freight is a death trap

I picked up one of those cheap foldable bike stands for like $15 because I figured it would hold my mountain bike for a quick drivetrain clean. Soon as I clamped the top tube, the whole thing wobbled like a drunk toddler. The clamp stripped the plastic bolt after maybe 3 uses and now it won't even grip a seatpost. Anyone else get burned by one of those or have a stand under $50 that actually works?

2 comments

2 Comments

river_scott1d ago

Bought that exact same stand (you know, thinking I was being smart with my money) and had the same wobble issue right out of the box. Ended up returning it after a week and grabbed a cheap no-name one off Amazon for like $35 that has a much thicker clamp and a wider base. Works fine for my gravel bike and even held my buddy's heavy e-bike for a quick chain lube without tipping over. Just gotta check the reviews for any stand under $50, look for ones that mention "stable base" or "thick clamp pad" because those cheap plastic parts always fail first.

cameron_owens491d ago

Agree, checking for thicker metal parts makes a huge difference on these cheap stands.