Review: PRO Bike Repair Stand Sport
The PRO Bike Repair Stand Sport is designed for simple bike repairs at home. However, I found it held bikes in a position where almost any cleaning job would be awkward. And it’s not exactly cheap. Check out our guide to the best bike repair stands for more options at different price points.
There are a variety of options in the world of bike racks, using various adjustable arms and clamps to hold a bike in a position that makes tinkering easier.
This PRO stand uses a simple two arm design to hold the bike under the saddle. Simple can be good sometimes, but since this stand doesn’t have an adjustable clamp (like the non-sport version) since the two-armed design acts simply as a raised hook for the bike to hang from, the angle of the bike is determined by the center of gravity. In my experience, the angle complicates any meaningful bike repair, compounded by the fact that the bike isn’t being held securely.
I tested the stand with a bike with a 32mm aero seatpost and another with a 30mm cylindrical seatpost and neither were held securely. (You can twist the rubber on the arms to narrow or widen the gap.)
Looking at PRO’s product photo, the stand could hold wider aero seatposts more effectively.
After the bikes were freed of bottles and weight, both were held at an angle with the front wheel almost touching the ground. Honestly, if I had to remove my chain or adjust my derailleurs, the task would be easier to complete with the bike on the ground.
Okay, PRO says the stand is “better suited for DIYers who don’t do complicated maintenance tasks,” but I found even basic tasks like oiling a chain to be difficult.
Even though the height of the stand is 1.62m, I still found that to be low.
On the plus side, two extendable legs provide a stable base and the stand can hold bikes up to 25kg.
The stand folds down to just one meter and is also relatively light and easy to move around, which can come in handy when you need to travel with a stand – for example to prepare a bike before a race or sporting activity.
It could also be useful as a quick attachment option for bike cleaning.
However, it’s a bit pricey considering what else is out there. I have used a £29.99 Lidl bike stand for years and this works significantly better than the PRO stand.
Emma reviewed Topeak’s similar bike stand, the Prepstand ZX, a few years ago and found it fine for lighter cleaning, although the clampless design was just as ineffective for anything more strenuous. That’s up to £159.99, so actually a tenner more than the PRO.
But you can get workstands with an adjustable clamp for a similar price, like the LifeLine Pro Bike Workstand for £149.99 – and for a lot less: Lifeline’s Home Mechanic Workstand is £89.99, and that comes with a mat and the FWE’s Compact Folding Workstand, which Dave tested in 2018, costs £69.99 (and currently £34.99).
In summary, the poor functionality of the PRO Bike work stand Sport, although it is relatively light and foldable, overshadows all positive aspects. Yes, it’s only designed for “simple home repairs” and washing your bike, but the lack of stability and the acute angle at which it holds a bike mean I’d rather not use it when I’m on mine bikes work.
We took Nick’s concerns to PRO and learned:
The stand holds a bike on the go: Our bike stands are designed for the home mechanic to make working on his bike at home as easy as possible. Both the Regular Stand and Sport Stand offer a range of options: while the clamping method varies between models, both stands can accommodate a variety of holding positions, from securely clamping to the seat post to securely placing between the rubber grips. The rubber grips, specifically part of the sports stand, have been designed asymmetrically so that the holding position can be changed to fit either an aero or cylindrical seatpost between 35-51mm.
Specifically for adjustability and wheel balance: Both stands are height-adjustable, foldable for easy travel and are made of lightweight aluminum construction – so they can be taken anywhere. Depending on the weight of the bike, the balancing action should allow the front wheel to lift off the ground and not touch the ground. Each of the stands can hold an e-bike up to 25kg (maximum height 140cm) or 30kg (maximum height 162cm) in the stand, so depending on the center of gravity and placement of the bike the wheel should not come in contact with the ground .
Verdict
A simple stand, but expensive and only suitable for light plastering work
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Make and model: PRO bike repair stand Sport
Tell us what the product is for and who it is aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about this? How does that compare to your own feelings?
PRO Says, “Designed to keep your bike secure while you perform simple home repair tasks or wash your bike, the PRO Bike Repair Stand Sport is a universal bike repair stand Compact size for storage when not in use Rubberized arms instead of a clamp hold your Bike in place while you work on it, ensuring the Sport bike repair stand is easy to use and more suitable for DIY enthusiasts who don’t perform complicated maintenance tasks.”
Tell us more about the technical aspects of the product?
PRO lists these highlights:
Simple and versatile bike repair stand
Designed for easy home maintenance and bike washing
alloy construction
Foldable design
Allows both height and lateral adjustments to increase ease of use
Rate the product by build quality:
8/10
Rate the product by performance:
5/10
The kickstand really only works as a raised hook, leaving the bike at an acute angle and not holding it securely.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product by weight (if applicable)
8/10
Lighter than most, so good for on the go.
Rate the product by value:
4/10
Let us know how the product performed overall when used for its intended purpose
It held bikes at an angle that made meaningful repair work difficult, and since it doesn’t have a clamp, the bike isn’t held securely, which can make even simple tasks difficult.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Packs small and lighter than most other stands.
Let us know what you particularly disliked about the product
It holds bikes at an angle that makes any job difficult and doesn’t have a secure grip on the bike so it can move.
It doesn’t hold a bike at a good height for cleaning.
How does the price compare to similar products on the market including those recently tested on road.cc?
The Topeak Prepstand has a similar clampless design and costs £159.99.
But workstands with an adjustable clamp are available at a similar price, like the LifeLine Pro Bike Workstand at £149.99 – and a lot less: Lifeline’s Home Mechanic Workstand is £89.99, including a mat, and the Compact Folding Workstand from FWE costs £69.99.
Did you enjoy using the product? NO
Would you buy the product? NO
Would you recommend the product to a friend? NO
Use this field to explain your overall score
I’ll give this a generous “average”. It’s light and compact so could be useful for pre-race prep or when space is at a premium, but it doesn’t hold the bikes securely or at an angle that allows for easy cleaning. It’s also expensive.
I mostly drive: S-Works Asphalt My best bike is:
I ride since: Under 5 years old I ride: Most days I would classify myself as: expert
I do the following types of riding regularly: Road racing, cyclocross, club riding, gravel on a CX bike