Let me lay it out for you all...

A few months ago, I was faced with a minor dilemma.  I had decided to finally get around to changing the rear brake shoes on my spouse's bike, but I needed a way to raise the bike.  My shoulder wasn't up to any lifting, and I needed a way to steady the bike when I got it raised.

Now, I know about the homemade lever jacks using wood and pipe, but like most home mechanics, I have a floor jack.

I also, used to have a bike jack, but the Savage frame never really fit very well and it always seemed wobbly.  I sold it.

In the past, I've used straps attached to an overhead with a floor jack, but this time it wasn't feasible.  Nothing to hook to...

So I had an idea...and at the time, I thought that it was an original idea worth patenting...until I saw an ad in Motorcycle Classics and did some research.

So, anyway, before I realized that I wasn't going to be rich (I can dream, right?), I built my little bike stand prototype and tested it and photographed it.

All that it took was a good piece of 5/8" board, 2 x 4's, wood screws, 10d nails, and eye-screws.  

Here comes my prototype, in pictures....if you build one and use it with care, it does works great.

On the other hand, if you have lots of money, go here and buy one

http://www.bikersfriend.com/pages/stand.htm

Thanks.

I forgot to mention that the straps don't have to be real tight.  Just snug.  Don't even compress the forks.

Just like it takes very little force to balance a bike by hand, it doesn't take a lot of tension on the straps.

There you go.  It sure beats block and bricks, and most "shade trees" have a floor jack anyway.

If you build one, feel free to make some improvements and then post them here.  This was my first proto, but I think that I might have done a couple other things too it....

...Like making the wheel well in sort of a v-shape to cradle the tire better....

Good luck

If you notice, the straps on the front are very loose.  Hardly any fork compression, and therefore no spring tension.

When I tested it you could push sideways on the bar, but the fork springs would force it back to neutral upright.

As for rolling forward, I had thought of a taller bumper at the front of the tire but I used just what I had on hand.  Anyway, in all the jacking I never felt insecure about it rolling forward.

I put the eye screw in the end, because I wanted to avoid a twisting force on the 2x4.  As well, the screw hole is stonger in line with the grain of the wood.  What if the 2x4 split, too?...that was the thinking behind that location...

Folding and hinging is a good idea.  The high priced stands actually capture the tire and don't need straps anyway...but the stand must not be able to slide on the floor.  The straps create a tripod of sorts.

What sort of stumped me was an easy (remember the topic) Poor Man's Bike Stand that had a more secure fit for any size tire...say 4 to 7 inches.   Using a V Shape is one method, but a fatter tire sits much higher off the floor that way.

Grab the hammers and bring on some pictures

justin_o_guy wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:01:


The Savage has a real narrow balance point under the engine.  With the front strapped down, I jacked it at the very rear of the engine and put the jack stand under the swingarm.

Don't jack it on the muffler bracket, unless you don't care if you bend it

Didn't have the lumber at hand, but I did have 12" spikes I use for tent stakes and bits of rope, and of course the standard duece and a quarter floor jack.  Not as quick to use as Greg's stand, limited on where it can be done, but quite secure:
[/quote]

Lifting the front is even easier.  Just place a brick under the kickstand.  Then when you lift under the front of the engine the bike leans into the kickstand and lifts the front wheel.  Quicker than Greg's stand, but not as secure:

dennis wrote:
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Subject: Poor mans bike stand,

Comments or Questions: After working with timber all my working life  (now retired) i would feel happier if the eyes that hold the straps to the 4 x 2 were threaded through the timber with a nut and washer on the other side,end grain is not a good fixing in that situation, not a criticism, it's a brill idea, my comment is made with safety in mind, Regards Dennis REOC 10055.

email Address:

Make optional: Royal Enfield Model "G"

Model optional: "G"

This message is auto-generated by your web site when the form is submitted by a site visitor on page "Contact_Me". No need to reply.


Hi Dennis,

Well, you have a good point, but let me explain how this happened.

My background with timber is pretty extensive too, because I've had splinters embedded in my fingers from just about every type of wood that is commonly available at Home Depot...

As the title of the bike stand suggests, I built the stand when I was really broke.  I had to use what I had on hand.  The tie down "eyes" that I had available were the "screw type", and therefore I felt that running them through (side to side) might actually cause the wood to split.  From my experience, it seemed that running screws with the grain would have less of a splitting effect.  It also seemed that I'd be using more of the wood to hold the screws since the board is only 1 1/2 thick anyway.  I did drill a pilot hole at any rate.

Oh yeah, I also placed the "eyes" in the center on the end of the board.  My reasoning was to prevent the straps from creating an upward twisting torque on the 2 x 4 which might loosen it from the base.

I do admit that if I had had some "eye bolts" with nut and washer that I'd have done it, as you suggest.  The washer would distribute the "forces" over a wider area of wood and the through hole would not have the same splitting effect.  So I agree with your comment.  However, if you decide to build one of these stands, you will also find that you need very little tension on the straps to actually hold the bike vertical.  After all, just think about how much force you exert to keep your Enfield upright when you are sitting on it.  Not much, unless the bike actually begins to tip past the center of gravity.

On a side note, let me mention this.  Both of my "eyes" are bent on my "one and only prototype".  In all my testing, goofing around plus actual work with the stand, the eyes have become bent in a rearward direction, and the wood has not split at all.  Maybe I just got lucky.

One real improvement that I would make to the Poor Man's Bike Stand would be the length of the base.  In hindsight, I'd have made it longer to allow the jack to sit upon the base.  That would have put the balance triangle on the same base area.  As it is now, the weight on the front wheel is the only thing that steadies the stand on the floor.  More downward force from the jack would provide more stability for the front wheel.

Thanks for your comment.  I do appreciate that you took the time to offer your thoughts.  If I ever build another one, I will probably use your suggestion.

Ride safe,
Savage Greg

PS - I think that I will post an edited version of this discussion on the web site.

My buddy was over the other day while I was working on the site and he noticed the poor man's bike stand.  He was all over it.  He says "We got to build one." and then there was a long pause "out of metal, with adjustable clamps and a bigger deck....."  I just thought to myself have we learned nothing from "Tim the Tool Man'

I love the dog, we have boston's as well, as a matter of fact we just had puppies... The puppies look like little cows.


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