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Ultimate Support Pro-Ultalight Repair Station
Mountain Bike Rider review May 2008
Follow the link to view a PDF of the original review.
A lightweight workstand is great if you live in a flat or just want to pack light on a roadtrip. Here are two of the very latest models. Both legs on the Park stand are retained in a holder mounted on the central support, contributing to the portability and convenience of this piece of kit. These fold down and are locked in place via two plastic collars that slide up the legs. The upper part of the stand adjusts up to 150cm from the floor via a quick release lever. The Ultimate is a proper tripod design with the three legs folding down to provide a stable platform. These are cutaway-shaped on the inside so they sit closer to the central shaft when closed. The shim between the shaft and the legs has been improved this year so it doesn’t bind. Both quick-release levers are smooth and solid and the Pro is adjustable to 145cm. Park runs a split-jaw clamp, which is secured with a cam-style quick-release that’s adjustable for different sized tubes. Replaceable plastic jaws do a good job of protecting delicate paintwork or carbon tubes and there’s a ‘receiver pod accessory system’ for a range of bits, including a towel holder and truing stand, on the top. It takes time to get used to the Ultimate slide lock-clamp but it’s a simple enough design and manages to accommodate most tube sizes firmly. You can crank it right down should you want to hold anything really tightly and both edges are padded to avoid scratching your bike’s precious finish. The Ultimate holds the tubes on the side, which means there’s reduced conflict with cabling. Upgrades include a tool tray, truing stand and a padded carry bag. VERDICT
We’re not going to sit on the fence — the Ultimate is the best stand here by a long way. It’s more stable, lighter, more compact when folded up, and the slide lock-head is easier to use, with less risk of the jaws marking tubes or snagging cables. It also has less steel parts that could rust if you end up working outside or need to wash your bike. It comes with an extended warranty, which says a lot for the quality and finish. OK, it’s £15 more than the
Park, but you’re only going to buy a workstand once, so in this respect the extra is definitely worth it. Park’s stand is much heavier, isn’t as stable or as compact and gets a crude clamp, which also seems cheaply made. True, we could hold bikes in different places using the expandable head, but it’s slower to set up and if you have three cables on the top tube of your bike there is a danger of them getting crushed inside the jaws. What really lets it down though is the flimsy leg assembly and push-in plastic anchor clips. The three-point base rocks around and while it might not matter when wrenching on a lightweight race bike, it feels unstable when fettling a heavier trail bike, especially if you have to turn it upside down. ULTIMATE
Pro-Ultralight
£165
Weight: 1O.5lbs (4.8kg) / Three-year warranty / Padded tote bag £3O / Tool tray £24.99 / Pro truing station £74.99 /
Contact: www.2pure.co.uk
10/10
PARK
PCS-11 Super Lite
£149.99
Weight: 13.3lbs (6.35kg) / Storage bag £14.99 / Towel holder £10 / Wheel truing jig £25 /
Contact: www.ultimatepursuits.com
8/10
Follow the link to view a PDF of the original review.
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