# Workbench for bicycle maintenance



## e39540is (Apr 10, 2009)

I have started doing most bicycle maintenance myself this year, and I am slowly accumulating tools. I think it is time I build a work bench specifically for working on bikes. 

What kind of tips, or things should I consider in the design of the bench? As of right now, I am thinking that I will have a bench vise, and a backboard for hanging tools. Other then that I dont know what else to consider.

For the most part I will be doing tune ups on older road bikes, as well as building a bike from the frame from time to time. I know I need the vise for removing freewheels, and for rebuilding hubs. Somewhere down the road I would like a wheel truing stand, but I dont think it will need to be permanently mounted.

How about top dimensions? I dont want to big, as I live in an apartment, and my dinning room is turning into my bike shop, and I need to have plenty of room left for bikes, and a work stand. I was hopping for something like 2'x4' top. Is there a height that works better also? I do have a drum thrown(stool), but it has a 24" max height.

Thanks for your advice.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Go to roadbikerider.com and look at the e-book about building your home workshop. You can see chapter titles and an excerpt, I think. Lots of good ideas.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

Here's a pic of my setup. It's a Seville Classics work table 2'x4', 1 1/2" thick MDF. A bit tall, but paired with the Allied pneumatic stool I can work in comfort. 
The table was $100 and the stool is now on sale for $50. I too tried out the drummer's stand and found it very unstable and not nearly high enough. My apartment's 750 square feet. I'm not married so I'm free to take up an entire wall for the bike rack, work bench, and repair stand.
If given the chance, I'll add a bench vice, grinder, and some sort of table mounted lighting. Peg board would be nice too. 
I actually do most of my bike work using the repair stand, and use the table for wheel building.


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

Here's mine...

The bench is 49" high. It's 8' long across the top and 3'wide. The bottom shelf is 5' x 3'.
The top of the bench is 12" x 12", stick-on, vinyl tiles (easy to clean up and replace).

Materials list:
(2) 4 x 4 x 8 -- creates the (4) 48" high legs
(5) 2 x 6 x 8
-- creates the sides
-- (2) for the front and back of the top
-- (3) for the short sides (top and bottom)
(2) sheets of 3/4" plywood 4 x 8
-- for the top surface and the lower shelf
--you will have some scrap here, but it's usable if you want to build in any of the bench
(1) 2 x 4 x 8
--supports for the peg board
(1) sheet of peg board (different sizes are available @ Lowes) 
(1) box of the cheap vinyl tiles
(1) small box of deck screws

It's high so I'm not forced to bend or stoop to work on stuff. @ 6'1", the top is a perfect height. For size reference, that's 32" TV and a standard, 36" bar stool.
Use the 3/4" plywood. It's more stout than the thinner stuff and won't bow if you're forced to put real weight on it.
Of course, this bench fit MY dimensions. Modifications are easy to make to change the size. And yes, it's overbuilt, but it doesn't move at all when I leaning on it or working with the vise.


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## MShaw (Jun 7, 2003)

I've built several workbenches now... They've all been slightly different, but on a theme:

8' wide
36" tall (so I can stand next to it and not stoop over)
24-ish" wide top and bottom
Built out of 2x3s

I make 2 basic rectangles outta 2x3s in the dimensions I want (or the garage fits)
Cut legs to size
Nail together and attach the back to yer wall studs. Level as you go! Don't want screws rolling off!

Add the top and bottom piece of plywood, then take another sheet of plywood and attach to the wall on the top and appx 3-4" out at the bottom (to make the tools lay flat and not fall off. I typically use chunks of leftover 2x3s for spacers)

Easy. 

Takes 2 sheets of ply in your choice of thickness (I usually use 1/2 on the top/bottom and 3/8 for the backboard)
7-ish 2x3s 
Nails
Drywall screws for hanging tools (and possibly for attaching to yer studs)

Time: about an hour if you spend a lot of time scratching yer head

Hang the tools you use a lot in the middle. Stuff that's used less on the sides/top of the backstop.

HTH

M


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## AJL (Jul 9, 2009)

backinthesaddle said:


>


Very nice - I'm inspired. Hmm....


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## electech (Aug 7, 2009)

If you don't want to build one, this is an extremely well made and heavy work bench. I'm thinking seriously about getting one of these. I have seen this in the store and it is fantastic.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=329601#reviews


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## e39540is (Apr 10, 2009)

Thanks for everyones input, I have some new ideas now. I too will be doing the majority of work on a bike stand, so mainly the bench will be for wheel/hub work, as well as a place to keep tools handy.

I think I have the general idea as to the build of the bench now. I have not yet decided on the dimensions yet though. If I stay with 2'x4' top dimension, I can get all the lumber for free from scraps from a carpenter friend of mine. I kinda like taking what someone else throws away, and putting it to good use. If I go bigger then 2'x4' top, I will have to buy a new 4'x8' piece of plywood, or mdf, but then I will have waste...??

backinthesaddle, I like the idea of using tiles on the top, I may use that idea. Originally, I was going to use hardboard. Also, that is quite the man cave you have there! I wish I had the room for a bench that big.


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

bought one of these off PBK for 12 bucks. Hung it at chest level. Cheapest workstand EVER and does a great job in my apartment.


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## e39540is (Apr 10, 2009)

I could see that coming in handy. How much was shipping?

Is something like that available for sale in the US. I get nervous about customs and stuff.


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## lalahsghost (Aug 27, 2007)

I made this myself after looking at a blackburn workstand:


















I had to build the BB holder out of a 3"x4" piece of miter'd wood. PVC was too non manly for me.

Here are the results.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lalahsghost/archives/date-posted/2009/06/19/










































Even with a ?28? pound bike on there, it is very sturdy and does not feel like it is going to tip over. It does not have any wiggle on it width wise either. $31 solution to a exponentially more expensive problem. It's a bit more slow to adjust the legs than a pole, and the BB holder isn't anything special, but it works well and I like it.










These are selling at my local Lowe's for $21.98.

I picked up a truck mounted fork holder for $7.99 from my LBS.


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## AJL (Jul 9, 2009)

Hey, that's pretty clever - and cheap :thumbsup:


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

e39540is said:


> Thanks for everyones input, I have some new ideas now. I too will be doing the majority of work on a bike stand, so mainly the bench will be for wheel/hub work, as well as a place to keep tools handy.
> 
> I think I have the general idea as to the build of the bench now. I have not yet decided on the dimensions yet though. If I stay with 2'x4' top dimension, I can get all the lumber for free from scraps from a carpenter friend of mine. I kinda like taking what someone else throws away, and putting it to good use. If I go bigger then 2'x4' top, I will have to buy a new 4'x8' piece of plywood, or mdf, but then I will have waste...??
> 
> backinthesaddle, I like the idea of using tiles on the top, I may use that idea. Originally, I was going to use hardboard. Also, that is quite the man cave you have there! I wish I had the room for a bench that big.


My building is dedicated to the bikes. When the kids came along, my stuff got the boot, so I had a 12x16 building constructed in the backyard. Wish it was a bit bigger actually...
It's fully insulated and drywalled, has full power, heat and AC, and cable TV. The floor is half carpet and half linoleum (workspace). I've learned what things I like and what I don't like by doing this buidling. My next one will be bigger, possibly 2 stories (or a loft) and finished out much nicer.


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## bicicletă (Aug 18, 2008)

lalahsghost said:


> I made this myself after looking at a blackburn workstand


Excellent idea! Thanks for sharing.


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## e39540is (Apr 10, 2009)

lalahsghost, that is a great idea. I think I might have to make something like that myself.


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## lalahsghost (Aug 27, 2007)

e39540is said:


> lalahsghost, that is a great idea. I think I might have to make something like that myself.


I also have a stock Gary Fisher Cobia (29'er) that I just bought in September. It spends a lot of time on the workstand and with it being 31 pounds or so.... it would be the bike to test the stand. So far, so good with it and I love how I can spin the rear wheel while in the stand!

I end up doing all of my bike washing on the stand and it makes life easy.


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

CleavesF said:


> bought one of these off PBK for 12 bucks. Hung it at chest level. Cheapest workstand EVER and does a great job in my apartment.


I did something similar with a discarded bike rack I found by the side of the road. I mounted it to a wall in my garage and made a makeshift stand out of it.


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## e39540is (Apr 10, 2009)

I was looking on craigslist one day, and I saw in the background, a guy had mounted one of those fork mounts to the side of his workbench, just below the surface so it would be out of the way when not needed. I think I might try that.


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## neil0502 (Feb 11, 2005)

While I do have a bench, my tools aren't on it.

I built this ... thing ... and have been _really_ happy with it:


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## Guest (Oct 22, 2009)

Nice, I like some of the ideas I see here. I've been wanting a little bit different stand, I may have to try a few of these out.

I just moved and built another bench using a wooden door for the top, nothing fancy otherwise, 4 legs from 4x4's with 2x4 bracing and a peg board on the back of the bench. I have my truing stand mounted to the top of a roll around tool box. I also find that if I hang lots of wheels up in the air any space immediately looks much better.


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## ScottInCincinnati (Feb 20, 2004)

We moved into our current house about a year ago. One of the prime aspects of the house I looked for was a good place for a bike shop.

I did buy the excellent e-book from RoadBikeRider.com. It was helpful.

My main workbench is an old darkroom bench that I was given. It has a low area where I put some countertop, so I can work on small tasks there.

Here's a picture of the workshop all cleaned up. It's from my phone, sorry about any blurriness.


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

*Bike rack stand*

I had mentioned converting an old bike rack into a makeshift stand for the bike. Thought I would include a pic.


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2009)

I need to pick up a stool somewhere for mine, an old bar stool would work but I would prefer something adjustable with wheels, I just don't want to pay a bunch for it.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

ScottInCincinnati said:


> We moved into our current house about a year ago. One of the prime aspects of the house I looked for was a good place for a bike shop.
> 
> I did buy the excellent e-book from RoadBikeRider.com. It was helpful.
> 
> ...


Nice setup. I also like how you have light colored walls and pegboard. It reflects the light making seeing what your doing much easier.


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