The Park Tool PCS 9.3 is a good quality and durable stand that will do exactly what it says on the tin. For lighter use or the home user, it's pretty much perfect.
Pros
+
Durable, quality design
+
Spare parts are available, including jaw inserts
+
Easy to use and adjust for different bikes
Cons
-
A fixed main shaft means you can't swivel the bike in the stand
-
Rotating head occasionally sticks
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Park Tool PCS 9.3
Price: $199.99 / £224.99 / €295 Stand weight: 7.2kg Max Weight: 36kg
You can work on a bike without a workstand, but using one when carrying out maintenance and repairs makes life a lot easier at times. Up for review today is my own workstand, the Park Tool PCS 9.3, which, in the brand's words, is the stand ‘for the home mechanic'.
The PCS 9.3 is the most affordable portable work stand in the Park Tool range and is about the starting point price-wise for a good quality, durable workstand. I finished working as a mechanic and purchased this stand myself for home use. It doesn't have some of the features someone working on bikes day in day out will probably need, but for home use on a smaller range of bikes, it's been perfect.
I've been using the stand at home for over a year, and I am now ready to pull together my full review. Check out our best bike repair stands guide for more workstand options and buying advice. If you enjoy working on your bikes and are interested in tools, you can also head to our best bike torque wrenches guide.
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The stand's legs have two braces to add strength.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The legs fix into position using this clamp .(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The height of the stand can be adjusted here.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Design and Aesthetics
The stand, as you might expect, comes in one colour, and that is Park Tool blue, a colour that has become synonymous with the American manufacturer over time. There are a few Park Tool stickers on the stand and a model name sticker up on the head. These can rip or tear with heavy use though, so look after them.
The PCS 9.3 needs assembling out of the box. It’s easily done, and Park supplies most of its tools with easy-to-follow, clear instructions, and you can do everything with hex keys. There's even a handy assembly video which you can watch below. You should be set up and ready to work within thirty minutes.
When it comes to stands, weight is generally a good thing, unless you're travelling with one regularly and just want low weight. The PCS 9.3 uses an all steel construction which weighs in at just over 7 kilos, easy enough to carry, but sturdy enough to safely support the weight of most bikes (up to 80lbs/34kg) without tipping over, which is never good. This is a risk with some cheaper lightweight stands that are sometimes on offer in department stores and supermarkets.
The stand is comprised of two folding support legs, which are bolted to a main shaft which is height adjustable. The legs have two rubber end caps to keep noise down, as does the base of the main shaft. Two support struts at the base of the shaft also add strength. Two clamps lock everything in place, and they are easy to use when folding everything down.
The head of the stand offers 360-degree rotation, and you can adjust the angle of the bike in the stand using the handle at the back of the head. The jaws then use a plastic-covered steel handle to tighten down onto the seatpost or the frame tube to secure the bike - try to avoid clamping carbon frame tubes. The plastic jaws are replaceable as they can get chewed up over time.
The head of the stand doesn't fold down and stays at a 90-degree angle to the main shaft. This has never caused me any storage issues when keeping the stand in the garage, but if you are pushed for space or want the smallest possible folding stand, you may want to consider another model.
One thing you can't do with the PCS 9.3 is rotate the main shaft by hand, which means you can quickly move a bike side to side, for example or access a certain area of the bike more quickly and not have to walk around it. You can move the teardrop-shaped main shaft up and down to adjust the height, but you can't rotate it; the position is fixed.
This was one feature I missed at first, having been used to doing it most days on another stand, but in time, it became a non-issue for me. My work on bikes at home has been a lot more relaxed, and I found I didn't really need that feature too much.
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A range of different seatposts will fit the clamp Wrap a cloth round the post for extra insurance. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The clamp has a light action, though if you're holding a heavy bike it's not as easy as a push close one.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The jaws can accommodate aero posts and are replaceable. I've also used my stand to hold a fence panel whilst I painted it. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Performance
The stand has performed excellently for me when working on all of my own bikes and a range of test bikes, the most recent of which was the Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 AXS. There may not be too much for me to write here. It's performed pretty much perfectly for me as a work stand and has done exactly what it says on the tin.
Durability-wise, I haven't had an issue. Everything is still perfect and working just as it should, the main signs of use being some paint splatter from when I used the stand to clamp a fence panel to paint it. If you use the stand to wash your bikes regularly, I'd recommend spraying the hardware, i.e the nuts and bolts that hold it together, with some WD40 or similar every so often for some protection.
I've kept it assembled in place in the garage and have folded it down when I need more room or to take it to the odd event. For me, it doesn't take up too much room, and I've been very happy with it.
The rotating head occasionally sticks, if for example I've clamped a set of forks into the stand to work on them. There hasn't been the weight to move the unit and I've had to unwind the clamp and give it a push. I also re-grease the inside of the head occasionally which is easy to do.
The stand has a max recommended weight of 36kg, which isn't going to trouble any road, gravel or mtb bikes. Just check the weights if you're working on any very heavy e-bikes or similar.
The other main point I would make regarding this stand is the inability to easily move a bike around when working, you will have to do the moving. But at home, working on a bike without rushing with a coffee, or beer, it's been a non-issue long term.
Value
This is about the starting point price-wise for a quality, heavier-duty workstand and represents good value. Other brands have equivalent models, an example would be the Sport Mechanic stand from Feedback Sports or the BikeGator stand from Unior. There are cheaper options out there, but they aren’t as sturdy or durable. I’ve seen basic, cheap stands topple over when a bike's rear wheel was removed, which is a potential disaster.
Replaceable parts are also available, which is a plus point for a stand, and there aren’t really any basic or cheap parts. For the home or even shop mechanics, this is a good, solid buy.
If you are working on bikes, I'd recommend choosing a stand with a shaft that you can move and with some sort of quick clamp closure, which saves time and effort if you are working on and lifting bikes all day, every day. It was the one feature I missed slightly at first, but it's certainly not a deal-breaker.
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The stand folds down in seconds once you are finished working, though you may just want to leave it up. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The head doesn't fold down further, but it's never bothered me.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
This is what you can expect when the stand is folded down.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Verdict
This is an excellent, good quality stand that is well suited to working on your own bikes at home. It's done absolutely everything I have needed and hasn't put a foot wrong.
More expensive stands have more features that make life easier if you are spannering all day, but as Park Tool says, this one is for the home mechanics, and for that, it's pretty much perfect.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Adjustability
All the major stuff is covered, lacks a few bells and whistles pricier stands have, won't cause a problem though
7/10
Stability
Very good, I have had zero issues with a range of bikes and surfaces
9/10
Clamp design
Easy to use with a smooth action, would begin to wear if you used it all day every day
8/10
Weight
7.2kg, for me the weight is a good thing, light enough to carry around
Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as a tech writer. Despite having a degree in English Literature he has spent his entire working life in the cycling industry in one form or another. He has over 10 years of experience as a qualified mechanic, with the last five years before joining Cyclingnews being spent running an independent workshop. This means he is just as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike, and he isn’t afraid to pull a bike apart or get hands-on with it when testing to really see what it’s made of.
He has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track, and has ridden and competed in most disciplines. He has a keen eye for pro-team tech and enjoys spotting new or interesting components in the wild. During his time at Cyclingnews, Tom has already interviewed some of the sport's biggest names including Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Alberto Contador. He's also covered various launches from brands such as Pinarello, Ridley, Specialized and more, tackled the Roubaix Challenge sportive aboard his own rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, tested over 20 aero helmets in the wind tunnel, and has created helpful in-depth buying advice relating to countless categories from torque wrenches to winter clothing.
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