Park Tool PCS-4-2 Repair Stand with 100-5D Micro Clamp [Rider Review]

   Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

 When it comes to working on your own bikes, ParkTool has been there to help the home mechanic and shop mechanic since 1956. An essential piece is the repair stand, our friend, Edward, has been using the PCS-4-2. See what they think!

Overview

I have been riding mountain bikes for 25+ years and started with a bike without suspension and poor brakes. My cousin came over and heard I was riding and wanted to go with me. He was great competition and we would dice up the downhill and race around on the single track until one day I couldn't stop on a switchback and went right over the bars, man did we laugh.

When better mountain bikes finally became available I had to get one. These bikes had like a 1” travel fork and shock plus it had a front disk brake, man talk about living. Not only did I get one but my cousin did too. We rode as much as we could and our bikes started taking a beating and they needed repairs. At this point, I needed a work stand to do maintenance and I purchased a PCS-1 work stand. The PCS-1 worked great over the years but over time, where the clamp mounts to the frame where the two plastic cones come together mine started to slip no matter how hard you tightened it, and it wouldn't hold the bike level or steady. I tried everything to keep the bike up for years and eventually just used a 5-gallon bucket to hold the front tire up.

I also got my wife riding and she has been riding just as long as me or close to it. Then in 2017 I was diagnosed with cancer and had to go through extensive treatment, radiation, and chemo. Unfortunately, no doctor would tell me it was terminal until about a year ago. During all of the treatment, I kept trying to ride but I barf or I would be too weak for any hill climb. Then this is where it all came true, E Mountain Bikes EMTB. I saw one in a video and I knew this was for me, so we got a couple. These bikes are heavy and they are totally fun but working on them the weight was a little much for the PCS-1.

Plus these are 29ers so they are bigger and sit lower in my PCS-1. I started looking at buying a new clamp from Park tool but they were like $250 bucks and new stands were $330 bucks, so I opted for a new stand.

Some of the new stands can hold bikes up to 100 pounds and that's what I wanted, something heavy-duty. I purchased a Park Tool PCS 4-2 bike stand from Worldwide Cyclery as soon as it became available. The stand came pretty fast and I put it together as soon as I got it.

The first problem I had was the clamp wouldn't hold the bike up and slipped worse than my old worn-out PCS-1. I spoke to Worldwide reps a few times and they had no problem with me sending it back. Almost everyone said the EMTB bikes are just heavy and that might be the problem so I called Park Tool. When I spoke to the rep at Park Tool he said that a dozen of the head clamps got shipped with the wrong part and he would send me what I needed. Sure enough, the head clamp bolt was way too long for my clamp and now it holds up a 50lb to 55lb EMTB no problem. I called and told the guys at Worldwide just in case they run into this problem again.

The second problem I had is the clamp adapter that tightens to the post was slipping when I was working on the bike. I tightened those clamp screws as much as I felt comfortable with and they still slipped. It was pretty annoying when I was putting the rear tire on and I couldn't push the axle through without the whole bike turning. So here is the fix: I got a 2 1/2” X ¼" bolt and a self-locking nut and I drilled through the clamp base and post and bolted it so that's not an issue anymore.

Final Thoughts

Now all the good stuff. The PCS 4-2 is a super sturdy stand and it is height adjustable, I love that and so does my back. This stand is a little heavier than my PCS-1 but it's worth it especially if you have an e-bike. I don't care for the micro clamp that much and it will take some time to get used to. I like the linkage clamp better but that's just personal preference. I highly recommend the PCS 4-2 bike stand. Park Tools are good quality and built to last.