HF Spring Clamps Instead of "Handle Bar Tripods"

[ftm1776]

Large Harbor Freight SPRING CLAMPS can substitute for the more boutique "handle bar tripods" used when inverting the bike to work on drive train or remove wheels.
The clamps run about $10 for two. You can use more than two. I haven't tried it yet. Still, the tripods cost about $40 and the clamps $10. It' worth investigating.
The clamps attach quite securely to the hand grips on my XP4.
Have you tried this method?? Comments, please.

 

[EMGX]

I'm not sure how they will work for bike handlebars but I ordered a set of 10 these <$10 including tax and I'll give them a try. Mostly I want them to clamp a tarp on my zero turn for times it's left out of the shed with rain threatening. Wasn't aware that they existed plastic and this size so thanks for your post.

 

[ftm1776]

Take a look at the Harbor Freight site, search "SPRING CLAMPS". The clamps come in various sizes which relate to how wide the jaws open.
Use the metal clamps, not the plastic. Why pay $40 if $10 spent at HF will do the trick???!!! Plus, the HF clamps have other uses around your shop and house.
I assume that you are using the small plastic clamps which are too small for this application. The metal 3 inch have quite the grip on the bike handle grip.

Peace

 

[EMGX]

I really bought them to hold a tarp down so I'm not concered if they don't work well for bike handlebars although I suspect they might. No Harbor Freight nearby so Amazon it was. Thanks again.

 

[EMGX]

Very strong grip, seem to work well on handlebars if needed for flat repair. I like that they are small and very light weight. Will be good for clamping tarp to the mower too.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Cheap and effective — my favorite kind of solution.

Question is, is it OK to invert a bike with hydraulic disk brakes? I've seen opinions go both ways, with the not OK camp citing the risk of having to bleed your brakes afterward to clear the lines of air bubbles from the reservoirs.

 

[EMGX]

Cheap and effective — my favorite kind of solution.

Question is, is it OK to invert a bike with hydraulic disk brakes? I've seen opinions go both ways, with the not OK camp citing the risk of having to bleed your brakes afterward to clear the lines of air bubbles from the reservoirs.

I don't know but I'll keep that in mind. This particular bike has cable discs but another bike has hydraulic, from experience I can say that I'd like to avoid air in the lines - no fun out in the boondocks a couple hundred miles from home with air locking the brakes.

 

[PCeBiker]

Question is, is it OK to invert a bike with hydraulic disk brakes?

I don't know but I'll keep that in mind.

You should be fine as long as you don't operate the brake levers with the bike upside-down.

Air can't get from the reservoir and into the the brake lines unless the brake lever is operated.

I've seen opinions go both ways,

I took my brakes apart to investigate,..

Calipers That Will Not Adjust Straight

I checked my brakes again and took some pictures,.. It turns out that the caliper spacer is countersunk, so there is actually a flat surface that could do some sealing and accommodate an o-ring,.. I don't think that's it? The spacer hole is only a smidgen bigger than the bolt. The...

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- no fun out in the boondocks a couple hundred miles from home with air locking the brakes.

That's with pneumatic air brakes. (Like on an 18-wheeler.)

Hydraulic brakes leave you with no brakes when there's air in the brake line. (the brake lever will hit the handlebar without the brake activating.)


@Jeremy McCreary
I'm pretty sure that ALL Hydraulic brakes operate the same way in that air can't get from the reservoir and into the brake line without the brake lever being operated.

I'm pretty sure that it's a safety feature to help keep air from getting into the brake lines?
(if the reservoir is bouncing around, bubbles could get splashed up into the master cylinder fluid input port?)


Maybe @stompandgo knows something about that?

 

[EMGX]

That's with pneumatic air brakes. (Like on an 18-wheeler.)

Hydraulic brakes leave you with no brakes when there's air in the brake line. (the brake lever will hit the handlebar without the brake activating.)

It was definitely air in line in my case that caused heavy brake rub. It wasn't an issue in the cold morning but as the day became hot the brakes rubbed, likely the air expanded with increased temp. It wasn't a complete lock up but it wasn't rideable either. I didn't have a star wrench to remove the caliper screw to remove air/fluid but had to do something, managed to remove it with a knife point and bleed out some air/fluid which made it rideable but cut the bikepacking trip short. Not sure what resulted in air in the system but it's possible that I had the bike upside down doing maintenance for the trip. A brake bleed when I got home resolved the problem.

 

[PCeBiker]

. Still, the tripods cost about $40 and the clamps $10.

They used to cost $79 on Amazon four years ago.
I said F-that, and made my own out of 2x4's and a hole saw.

I just revamped them last month with two strips of flat bungee cord to keep them from tipping over sideways.


I bought a three dollar pair of plastic stands that were too small.
The rubber bands kept popping off, so I melted the plastic to lock the rubber band in place.
It worked, but I had to slide the T-stands onto the bars.

Then I dropped the bike about 6" onto the stands and the one stand shattered.

So I'm back to using my homemade T-stands.

 

[PCeBiker]

It wasn't an issue in the cold morning but as the day became hot the brakes rubbed, likely the air expanded with increased temp.

OK, that makes sense

I'll bet it was your rear brake?
Bubbles tend to rise up the brake line, then end up in the reservoir, but the rear brake line normally has a arch in it that can trap a bubble.

I've removed my rear caliper from my ebike (leaving the brake line connected) to angle the brake line uphill, and roll the caliper around in my hand to try and work any bubble in the caliper up into the brake line output. (apparently 4-piston brakes are better at trapping bubbles?)

I managed to get the bubbles out of my rear brake without opening the brake line or reservoir.

 

[PCeBiker]

It wasn't an issue in the cold morning but as the day became hot the brakes rubbed, likely the air expanded with increased temp.

The same sorta thing happened to my car in the 80's.

My car ran like crap in the morning on the way to school, but always ran fine on the way home??

It turned out to be a clogged fuel filter.

The gas tank would warm up during the day and build up enough vapor pressure to push the gas through a semi-clogged fuel filter for the ride home.

 

[ftm1776]

Very strong grip, seem to work well on handlebars if needed for flat repair. I like that they are small and very light weight. Will be good for clamping tarp to the mower too.
View attachment 215020
View attachment 215019

SOUNDS GOOD. THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK.

PEACE

 

[ftm1776]

OK, that makes sense

I'll bet it was your rear brake?
Bubbles tend to rise up the brake line, then end up in the reservoir, but the rear brake line normally has a arch in it that can trap a bubble.

I've removed my rear caliper from my ebike (leaving the brake line connected) to angle the brake line uphill, and roll the caliper around in my hand to try and work any bubble in the caliper up into the brake line output. (apparently 4-piston brakes are better at trapping bubbles?)

I managed to get the bubbles out of my rear brake without opening the brake line or reservoir.

On the XP4 the brake reservoirs go inverted when the handle bars are folded down. I don't recall anyone having a problem with air in the brake lines from doing that??????