Park Tool, I am glad they exist but they are overpriced, alternatives
Bought two Park Tool PCS-9.3 mechanics stands for a non-profit, volunteer bike co-op we started in Valencia, Spain, and pour own money in to. I previously worked with lots of Park Tools (many hand tools and stands) in professional shops + co-ops in SF, Netherlands, Berlin, Bangkok etc.
I have questions. Are Park Tool stands and tools produced in USA or in China? So far my research suggests that for some years the vast majority have been made in China. That is why almost none say "Made in USA" anymore. If indeed made in China, why do they have those prices?
Regardless, I am fairly happy with my purchase, and realize it is a "Home Mechanic" stand but their pro offerings are crazy expensive. I have a few complaints,.. especially considering the €200 price each and that Park has had decades and 9.3 iterations to get this specific stand (or any of their stand) right,..
Why the hell is the folded stand so big? I had it next to a €50 stand of a very similar design and that folded way smaller (diameter smaller and legs closer to central tube.
The stand is very unstable when put away folded even in a "safe" corner of the room, it sliding and falling would be a great way to crack a tiled floor once the heavy metal clamp came down on to it.
In relation to latter, why isn't there a hook welded on the top or any kind of amenity to hang it on the wall. If it is a "home-mechanic" stand it is reasonable that any home mechanic would want to store it safely, stable and easily, often.
That clamp weld,.. I have seen reptiles crap out a straighter more even turds than that weld-seam, how hard is it for a massive company to pay decent welders and use some TIG or MIG?
Why do the rubbery plastic feet easily pop off, so one could perhaps lose them? It is not much trouble to put in a little bit of glue on the parts in the factory.
The assembly manual,.. horrible and has a mistake in it which you have to spot and undo. Just hire a graphic designer or take a page from Ikea. Fortunately I found a 6 minute YouTube video by a random person that explained it 3x better than the long and honestly almost bizarre assembly manual. To be fair to Park, they also have their own assembly video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MPL8AmiFmM
Plastic parts. Not a ton, but too many of them, and almost all could be replaced by steel or aluminium, at a marginal cost. For a €200 stand it should only have plastic where absolutely necessary, like the feet.... If you are going to make your stands steel and this heavy, ca. 200 grams more won't matter one bit. For a few of the parts, plastic makes sense, for others, not at all.
If I were to do it again, I might consider Feedback Sports stands. These appear way better in at least five areas other than not being steel. They are far more innovative and faster to use. The only reason why I didn't go with them, is because these stand are for a bike co-op. Accidental misuse/abuse is almost unavoidable as is using them for very heavy bikes, and I do have more faith in steel tubing than aluminium for both those eventualities. I love the quick clamp of Feedback, but not sure how it holds up to misuse. I do get the impression that Feedback is kicking Park Tool's ass in several tools/innovation.
Looking around online, I couldn't agree more with many comments that say Park Tool(s) are often good, occasionally great, sometimes not good, but almost always at a (too) premium a price. And that one is better off mixing and matching, getting some things from Park, but plenty from other brands (Pedros, Unior, VAR, CyclusTools, Hozan, IceToolz, Gedore, Rose.de, Wera, even from Aliexpress, I have had great luck with many of their bike tools and they are so affordable. I do love Park's videos and blue book, but they need to do better on the price and innovation front.
I wish there was a (near) exact copy of their stands at half the price. After looking for an hour or more, in EU it seems that I can get only bad stands with a weak plastic clamp that run €20 to €60, or Park or Feedback for €200 and I can't think of anything good quality in between. If anyone reading here has suggestions, for good brands & models made with steel tubing and with a steel clamp, available in the EU for €70 to €140, I would be grateful to know.