How To: Building a bike stand

AtomicBiker · 01-31-2005

This stand fits my CatEye perfectly (after all, it's custom sized), holds the back wheel about 3" off the ground, and can hold the weight of my bike WITH ME SITTING ON IT! It's real sturdy and the bike balances on it well.

Needed....
TOOLS:
Saw to cut 2" wide lumber (I used a miter, could go manual)
Jig saw (again, could go manual)
Drill
counter sink bit (not necessary, but keeps wood from splitting)
Phillips bit

MATERIALS:
1- 2x6 or 2x8- 12" long (Base)
1- 2x4- 10" long (Body that attaches base to uprights)
2- 2x4- 3" long (Uprights that bike will sit on)
10- 2 1/2" - 3" long screws (I used #8 x 2 1/2")

First take your 3" uprights and with a jigsaw, cut a V shaped notch into them - 2" wide at top and down at a 45 degree angle. These are what the bottom bar (below the swing arm) that the pegs are mounted to will sit into.

Mark the 10" 2X4 where you want the uprights to be mounted. First find the center of the 2x4 and evenly space where you want the uprights to be. Make sure they clear the peg mounts (mainly the bolts) and the body (comes back further on the left side), mine have a 2 1/4" gap between them.
Counter sink two screws in each THROUGH THE BOTTOM of the 10" 2x4, and into the UN-notched end of your short uprights. Make the screws about 1" apart towards the middle of the upright, and COMPLETELY sank below the surface.

Now turn over (so the notches are facing up) and countersink 2 more screws through the 2" sides of the uprights, and down into the 10" 2x4. Now you have 2 screws from the bottom (in the middle) and 2 screws from the top (in the outsides).

Your widest piece (2x6 or 2x8) is your base. Screw through the ends of the 10" 2x4 (OUTSIDE of your uprights), into the base. Two screws (a screw outside of each upright) will hold the base on. Gravity does the rest...

Mine ended up painted flat black, just because it was the first can of spray paint I came by. If you wanted to get fancy, you could paint it to match your bike or paint the layers different colors. What ever floats your boat...

NOTE: This plan worked for me, and my CatEye but you can freestyle it... I recommend dry fitting the wood together and measuring against your bike. I pre-drilled all of the screw holes with a countersink bit.