This shouldn’t cost you more than $25-35 depending on the cost of the pipe clamp. The pipe clamp will be the piece that holds your bike in the air by gripping the seat bar. Make sure that you get a clamp with jaws wide enough for your specific bike. You can replace all of these parts with PVC pipes and joints of the same size if you prefer, but metal piping is much stronger and is less likely to break over time.
The threading on both sides of the elbow joint and both ends of the longer pipe are identical. It doesn’t matter which end or which direction you do this in.
The bike will hang from this short pipe, so it’s really important that this piece is screwed in tight.
The side with the jaw on it, which is the flat platform that matches an identical platform on the other end, must be facing towards the opening of the pipe with the clamp parallel to the floor.
You can use smaller screws and single sheet of ply wood if you’d like, but the bike will be more likely to tip over if you do this. The 12 in (30 cm) pipe must be oriented with the clamp hanging on the other side of the plywood, not away from it. The natural weight of the bike combined with the shape of the plywood will keep the bike from falling over.
Don’t turn the clamp so hard that you damage your bike! Your frame will be fine so long as the jaws are resting against the bar.
This is a really simple DIY project that doesn’t really require a ton of woodworking knowledge. You do need to make a few simple cuts with a saw, though. You can’t purchase the boards pre-cut since you need to build the stand based on the size of your specific tire and wheel. All bike tires are not the same size, so you’ll need to cut them yourself after measuring them with the boards in place.
You can cut the boards to be 18 inches (46 cm) in length if you own a heavier bike or want a slightly bigger stand.
The boards must be resting directly against the rubber of the tire without lifting your bike up off of the ground. Make sure that the boards are roughly parallel with one another. They don’t need to be perfect, but they should be relatively straight.
If you get 2 different measurements on both sides, adjust the angle of each board to straighten them out and measure again to make sure that you get the same length on each side. For most bikes, this measurement should be roughly 20–30 inches (51–76 cm).
For example, if the distance between the 2 boards on the floor was 24 inches (61 cm), cut your 2 by 6 in (5. 1 by 15. 2 cm) board into two 24 in (61 cm) pieces. You can trim a triangular piece out of the top of each board on each side if you’d like the stand to have a more aesthetically pleasing look.
This should look like you’re making a rectangle with 2 taller sides holding the tire in place.
The more references you can add for yourself, the better. Attaching the boards isn’t particularly hard but it can be kind of tricky to line the pieces up with one another.
If you’re struggling to brace the boards while drilling, drill a pilot hole through both sets of boards before attaching the screws. Use a pilot bit slightly smaller than the screws you’re using. You can use wood glue to reinforce the seams between the boards if you’d like some extra support. Alternatively, you can buy a new bike. Think about the purpose for which you will use it. [19] X Research source Consider whether you will use it for transportation, recreational rides, or fitness. [20] X Research source Find a bike that suits your budget and meets your needs. [21] X Research source
