Park Tool PRS-25 Team Issue Repair Stand

If you do a lot of work on your own bicycle at home then a workstand can be invaluable, and this Park Tool PRS-25 Team Issue Repair Stand has the added bonus of folding down reasonably small so you can stick it in the back of the car or van and take to races or events. It holds bikes firmly and has an easy-to-use clamp, but it is a bit expensive.

• Pros: Solid build, folds away easily, reasonably portable, adjustable
• Cons: Pricey, still quite big and heavy when folded away

The PRS-25 differs from other stands in the US company's range by being designed to be portable. The idea is you can quickly and easily collapse the stand so you can take it on trips with you. It folds down to 47 inches long (119cm) and the clamping height adjusts up to 60 inches (152cm), which I found plenty for working on a bike.

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Getting it out of the box and assembled is an easy task, and within minutes it is ready to be put to work. The legs slide out smoothly and provide a large platform – you need a reasonable amount of space to set it up – and once opened, quick release levers tighten everything securely to place.

The Micro-Adjust clamp is the star of the show. It's both easy to use and versatile and provides easy one-handed operation, a good thing because your other hand will be holding the bike up to the stand. The clamp is operated by a cam-actuated quick release mechanism, making it quick to attach and release the bike, but it can be rotated for fine adjustments. At the back of the stand is a large handle that allows rotational adjustment.

The clamp is compatible with a wide range of tube sizes (23–76mm). I found everything from skinny steel road bikes to oversized alloy mountain bikes fitted fine. It's rated for up to 45kg bikes so that's ample for nearly all road bikes, and most mountain bikes this side of extreme downhill bikes. It can also be spun through 360 degrees so there's no situation where you can't get the bike attached exactly how you want it.

The jaws are covered with replaceable rubber material so they won't scratch your pride and joy. I used this stand when building my Fairlight Secan recently and it provided a secure hold around the seatpost, while the large footprint ensured it was rock solid when adding components to the frame. This thing isn't going to topple over easily, as I have witnessed first hand with cheapo stands.

Folded up it measures 47in long and weighs 5.7kg, so it's light and compact enough to go in the back of a van or an estate car. It's still a fairly large and bulky thing, though, so won't suit everyone, but if you already travel with lots of stuff to events its size probably won't put you off. If you're doing a Revolve or other weekend-long event, having this stand available is a bonus for those unforeseen mechanicals.

Build quality is excellent. Aluminium has been used in the construction to keep the weight low, and steel for all the clamp hardware and quick releases. When it's folded down it's pretty light for carrying around, though there's still a fair amount of heft to it. Reassuringly built, you could say. Park Tool has powder-coated the whole stand and so far durability has been good during my several months of testing.

Another benefit of its folding design is if you don't have the space to have a full workstand permanently set up for tinkering. Being able to fold it away after use is ideal if you have limited space. I've used it in the garden and conservatory as well as the garage, so being able to move it easily and stash it after use is a big bonus compared to professional grade workstands.

Value

A lot of people are bound to choke on the £300 price tag, but as always shop around; I found it for £240. If you do a lot of home bike servicing and like to travel to events with a stand, the ease of use and sturdy quality of the PRS-25 will easily justify the price.

Its closest rival is probably the Feedback Sports Sport Mechanic workstand, which we reviewed a good few years ago. You can get it for £126.99 at the moment.

There are much cheaper options too, like the FWE Compact Folding stand or the Tacx Spider Team, as our guide to the best cycling workstands below illustrates.

> Buyer's Guide: 10 of the best cycling workstands

Overall, the PRS-25 is quite bulky and heavy for all but the most determined mechanics, and there are cheaper stands for occasional bike servicing out in the field, but if you do a lot of fettling it'll serve you in good stead and should last a very long time.

Verdict

Well designed and easy to use plus it's easily portable for taking to events, but it's not cheap