Feedback Sports sent over their top of the line Pro-Elite bike repair stand for review on Bike198.com. This red ano bike stand is geared towards portability while also providing a stable stand with all of the available options and the ability to support a wide range of bikes. Over the course of this review, we used the repair stand in numerous locales with everything ranging from 16 pound road bikes all the way up to 40 pound AM and DH rigs on the road and at the trailhead to get an idea how this repair stand performs in just about every situation imaginable…so let’s take a jump in and see how it did.

Feedback Sports Pro-Elite Bike Repair Stand

From FeedbackSports.com:

The Pro-Elite is the go-to repair stand for mechanics on the road. This heavy-duty portable repair stand features our quick release clamp head and the rubber jaws can accommodate up to 2.6″ tubing. Stable on almost any surface, this bike stand can support 85 lbs. and has an adjustable work height from 42″- 71″. Anodized aluminum tubing will not rust.

Patented Quick Release Clamp
Innovative Secure-Lock features ratchet-action closing and push-button release. Tri-Knob allows fine tuning of clamp jaw pressure. Quickly get bikes in and out of the repair stand.

Clutch
360° rotation of the clamp head allows you to work on the bike in any position.

True Portability
No tools required for easy set-up and tear down. Quickly folds into a compact unit.

Maximum Stability
Strong, easy to open tripod design allows wrenching on flat or uneven surfaces. Stand holds up to 85 lbs.

• Anodized Red Aluminum
• Weight 12.6 LBS . ( 5.7 KG)
• Clamp Height 42″ – 71″ (1067 MM – 1803 MM)
• Clamp Opening Accommodates Seat Tubes Up To 2.6″ (66 MM)
• Base Diameter 54″ (1372 MM)
• Jaw Width 3.25″ (82.5 MM)
• Folded Size 5″ X 8″ X 45″ (127 X 203 X 1161 MM)
• Load Capacity 85 LBS. (38.6 KG)
• 3-Year Warranty
• MSRP: $259.99 with Tote Bag

Review: Feedback Sports Pro-Elite Bike Repair Stand

At first glance, the Pro-Elite bike repair stand looks like a high quality unit. The red ano coating is even and all of the components are laid out nicely. The aluminum design makes the stand easy to move around (especially with the included tote bag) and the 12-13 pound weight makes it manageable even for small women cyclists. Once removed from the bag, the bike repair stand extends out via two large clamps and a rotating dial to fold up and tighten down the arm. The ano finish creates a slick surface that makes the entire process quick and stick free.

The arm on the Feedback Sports Pro-Elite uses their patented quick release clamping mechanism that is extremely easy to use and adjust. All you have to do is put the seat post in the opening, push the clamp shut and then tighten it down with the large rotating dial on the end. When you are ready to release the bike, hit the release button and the seat post is free. This quick release mechanism was a nice addition when dealing with road bikes and other lighter rigs, but it really became a bonus with heavier mountain bikes as it decreased the time you have to bike repair stand there balancing the bike for clamping and removal. If you have ever worked on a bike in the 33 lbs. plus range…you know how important and energy saving it can be to get the bike in and out quickly.

Once in the stand, the bike is secure and easy to maneuver to accomodate just about any repair. The 3 arm base provided a stable platform, but just like with any portable (not bolted to the ground) repair stand, you do have to be careful not to pull it over during hard wrenching. With the bike weight that high above the ground, even stable stands like the Pro-Elite can tip over if you are not careful. We did find that the Pro-Elite did a great job of finding footing on varying terrain…especially at the trailhead. With rubber feet at the end of the arms at the base, we were able to find solid ground to do our repairs at every stop.

One area of the Pro-Elite stand that we find does need a little bit of improvement is the post extension clamp that secures the stand height. While the clamp does a great job of holding the stand at the desired height (when adjusted correctly), there were times when the stand would want to telescope down under heavier loads and the only way to adjust the tension on the clamp was to grab a flathead screwdriver. When you already have a bike in the stand, that was a little bit of an annoyance. In future generations, I would like to see a manual, finger adjust on that clamp to make tension adjustments for that clamp easier on the fly.

Overall: Feedback Sports Pro-Elite Bike Repair Stand

The Feedback Sports Pro-Elite did everything I want a stand to accomplish. It is lightweight, durable and allows me to work on a wide range of bikes quickly and easily and after numerous trips and wrenching sessions, the Pro-Elite looks just as new as the day we took it out of the bag. For a portable bike repair stand, it provides a very stable base and the quick release clamping mechanism makes working on heavier bike much easier.

Positive: Pro-Elite Bike Repair Stand

• Easy to use clamping mechanism with quick release
• Light enough for all users to carry
• Durable construction and ano finish
• Large, easy to use clamps and rotating dials
• Tote bag makes for easy packing and moving
• Plenty of adjustability and stability for a wide range of bikes

Negative: Pro-Elite Bike Repair Stand

• Price: 260 retail is a lot for a stand (can find it discounted online and there are other models available…this is the top of the line from Feedback)
• Telescoping clamp needs finger adjust for tension for on the fly adjustment

If you are looking for a solid bike repair stand that is going to last you a long time and you can take everywhere, the Pro-Elite is probably exactly what you are looking for. It has become our full time stand for most wrenching in and out of the garage.

Buy your own Pro-Elite stand by clicking here.

Jos Sluijsmans runs the Dutch website Fietsdiensten.nl and is one of the organizers of the African Bicycle Design Contest, which I mentioned in a past post. He recently created a YouTube video titled ‘Creatief fietsparkeren’, which features some great examples of creative bicycle racks and parking designs from the Netherlands and around the world.

I had seen many of the designs featured, but a few of them were new to me. The wall mounted Wheelylift system was one that caught my attention in the video. I have no problem storing my lightweight bikes on the wall, but this seems like a good solution for heavy utility oriented designs. As Jos points out, the Wheelylift racks “can lift bikes up to 35 kg. So they are also very handy for twowheel cargobikes or tandems.”

Other parking solutions featured in the video include:

• Freestanding designs like Bike Tree and CyclePod.
• A bike rack with an integrated pump by Heklucht.
• An inverted-U design from Pedaal Punt that holds the bike by a pedal
• A few of the New York bike racks created by David Byrne in conjunction with New York art gallery PaceWildenstein.
• The Potato Masher bike rack from Colorado
• Various types of racks from companies like Klaver Group, Veksoe, and Cabanes

All in all, the video covers some unique approaches to bike parking and storage. In addition to these, and the ones I have mentioned in the past, can you think of other interesting designs that are worth a mention?

Thanks for the #FF mentions today from @AustinFit and @AustinCycling

Looking back at the reports for the Bicycle Design Amazon store, it is clear that the book Bicycling Science is the best seller of the items I have listed. I am glad to see that, because it is definitely the first book that I would recommend to anyone interested in the design and engineering of bicycles (followed by Archibald Sharpe’s 1896 Bicycles and Tricycles). Originally published in 1982 by The MIT Press, Bicycling Science by Frank Rowland Whitt and David Gordon Wilson is now in its 3^rd edition. Richard Ballantine called it, “the ultimate fundamentals book in cycle science” and went on to say, “for anyone with a deep interest in cycling science and human power, this book is simply essential.”

Cleaning my office this week, I found an extra copy of the book (the 2^nd edition printed in 1988). Since I don’t really need two copies, I am going to give it away one to a Bicycle Design reader. All you have to do is follow Bicycle Design on Twitter or like the Facebook page then just mention this post in either place. I will pick a random winner one week from today (Thursday, July 1^st at 12:00pm EST) and ship my extra copy of the book to that person. Some of you may be thinking, “great…a used 20 year old paperback. What is that, like a 2 dollar value?” Well, don’t worry, I found a couple other old (um…I mean classic) books, during my cleanup, so I’ll throw in at least one other book as well. Sure it is not as good as a free bike, but I do think the books will interest any of you who read this blog on a regular basis. Good luck!

Update 7/1: Brian Potstra (@bpotstra on Twitter) was the randomly selected winner and will receive the copy of Bicycling Science as well as a 1976 copy of ‘Winning Bicycle Racing’ by Jack Simes. Congrats to Brian!

The last 6 weeks have been tough.  Crashing backwards climbing over a dead tree started it all at Zane Grey.  We all know I broke my arm there.  The status on that is “very slow improvement”.  I bruised my ribs falling on my cast in a random situation 4 weeks later. The Status on that is, “much quicker improvement”, and almost out of the picture.  That’s cool.  Battered?  I crashed on my left side again, and had to protect the arm and ribs.  So, I used my left shoulder to break the fall.  I rolled once over a rock, it dug into my neck and shoulder.  My guess is either a blown rotator or a traumatic blow to the muscle, which is not allowing me to raise my arm while holding it out straight.  I can raise it wing style….we’ll see what happens Tuesday when I see Dr. Toronto. 

These injuries all stemmed off the fall at Zane Grey, none of the three injuries are “running injuries”.  I think the running gods are testing me to see if I can handle training in pain.  The gods lose, I can train in pain, and feel it’ll make me tougher again when Hardrock comes around in a month. Positive thinking.  The gods haven’t beaten me yet!

The Speedgoat 50k is now full, sorry to all of you who procrastinated, next year we’ll try and raise the limit a bit, and bring in some more prize money.

It is almost the weekend, so I will leave you with a handful of fun links for Friday afternoon. Designboom posted a few bike designs by Peter Varga, including the glossy modern folding penny-farthing concept pictured here. While you are at Designboom, take a look at all the recent posts tagged with ‘bikes”. It has been a popular subject for them lately.

In keeping with the modern penny-farthing theme, here is one that is not quite as polished, but is definitely a head turner. Believe it or not, this monster trike is a fixed gear too (with a very low gear to get that big heavy tire rolling). I don’t know how difficult this thing is to ride, but I would love to try it and find out for myself

The Bicycle is Art is a brand new blog, but they already have a couple of interesting posts. The “aluminum foil faux Porsche pedal car” almost challenges the Monster bike tall trike for sheer outrageousness…almost.

So I entered the Pocatello 50 one week later, to give the arm an extra week….probably smart.  I’ve been running for two straight weeks now and figure my fitness level will continue to improve…with age comes wisdom. 

However, here’s my picks for Jemez:

#1, the record will not go down, that’s an easy one.

1.   Nick Clark, Ryan Burch, and Dakota Jones are the three out front, you pick’em, it’s gonna be close.  Nick hasn’t run here, the other two have and ran in the mid 9’s.

4.  Tim Waggoner, just as fast as the other three, but a little less experience, also running blind.

5.  Nick Lewis, claims to be nursing a hamstring, saving it for some track meet in California.  He’s quick, and could be sandbagging.

6.  Tom Neilsen, his experience puts him fairly close, but not close enough.

7.  Speedgoat Karl, with a broken wing, he’ll need a little more Red Bull to fly, but his NEW HOKA SHOES create flight, so who knows, if he’s close, the hammer may go down on that last 9 mile descent….then again, he may not even run…..and save it for Pocatello.

8.  Nicolas Mermoud, Claims he’s not so fit, but he’ll have the Hoka’s on too, so he’ll be flying.

9.  Brett Rivers, Harry Harcrow, Tim Barnes, Scott Eppleman, and David Coblentz, round out the rest.

Diana Finkel should run away.  I don’t think Anita Ortiz is running and Petra McDowell has dropped to the 50k, Diana all the way.  It would be different if Anita and Petra were running the 50…but they’re not.

HOKA’S ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN THE US IN 4 STORES!!

Scarf them up now, they are already selling in SLC!  If they get ordered online, or over the phone, bump up a half size larger….they’re european you know!

The Speedgoat 50k is now 90% full, don’t ask after it’s closed. :-)  ….or it’ll be $200.

Doing real “odds” with this field is really tough, as all these guys listed could pull it off.  Although, I don’t see any records going down, only a “new” course record as the route has changed a little.  Follow the race, it should be interesting.

On another note:  

The Pony Express Trail Run is moving forward, my crew is being assembled nicely. More details on that when they come available to me…..I’m just the crazy guy who thinks 1840 miles isn’t that far. 

I’m really psyched on my new shoes, The Hoka’s, for all my races and the Pony Express Trail.  Hopefully in a few weeks, they will be available for purchase.  I do know that Boulder Running Company, Wasatch Running Center, and Salt Lake Running Company will be expecting some soon.  How many?  probably not enough the way it’s looking, so if you are interested in changing your running style to something comfortable, check back periodically as I’m gonna post the day they will be available, and when they’ll be in stores. 

The Speedgoat 50K is still open, only about 50 spots left if you want to endure some pain, it should fill quickly from this point, so keep paying attention. 

In the meantime, today was my 8th run in a row.  The legs are coming back already, so fitness levels are improving.  In 10 days I may or may not run the Jemez 50 Mile.  It all depends on what the x-ray shows next week.  The catch is:   if I do run, it’ll be a fun run and not a “race”.  It would be too risky if I crash on the wrong arm….it’s already happened once a few days ago.  Although all is well, it was a quick wake-up call and reminder to SLOW DOWN on the downhill.  It’s hard to resist running downhill in the Hoka’s, it’s too fun…

That’s it for now—————–