Bike mechanics use bike stands daily and so do bike protection, install specialists. If you’re planning a DIY RideWrap installation, it’s crucial to put your bike in the stand properly. If done incorrectly, you’re at risk of scuffing your frame or worse cracking it, resulting in a crash replacement.
Clamping
When clamping, NEVER clamp the toptube on a carbon bike. When you’re putting a bike into the stand, it can be tempting to clamp the toptube. However, the pin-point pressure a bike stand can produce from the leverage in the handle is enough to crush, stress, or crack a carbon frame.
The seatpost is the best place to clamp your bike with the bike stand. If you have a dropper post, make sure the dropper is fully extended before hanging it in the stand. If the post is partially extended or down, you run the risk of burping the seal between the collar and the stanchion. This causes air to get in between the cartridge and the seal creating play or a dead spot.
When Wrapping
Once the bike is clamped and solidly in the stand held in by the seatpost, you can remove the wheels, chain, and frame guards. Now you can access the entire frame during installation. Tilt the bike stand to readjust the bike’s orientation so you can access hard-to-reach areas of the bike when installing a piece, making squeegeeing easier.
Putting a Bike With Frame Protection in a Work Stand
Even if your bike is not carbon, the toptube and downtube are still not places to clamp your bike. Especially if you have frame tape protecting your bike. The work stand can peel or rip the protection on your bike revealing the naked frame open to further damage. Ensure you always clamp the seat post when putting your bike in a stand if you are worried about the post you can wrap a microfiber around the seatpost for added protection.