collapsible stool

spokewrench

Active Member
Region
USA
Airing bicycle tires was a hassle. On a car or truck, the valve will be nearly a foot off the ground even at 6 o'clock. With one hand, I could shove the chuck hard to seat it. On a bicycle, shoving hard with one hand will move the wheel unless it's at 6 o'clock, which is very low. Sitting on the ground for each tire was a hassle. Kneeling worked better. The surface was concrete or gravel, so I'd go to the trouble of using knee pads.

I tried step stools, but a stool was usually too low or high, and a four-legged stool can be rickety without a paved surface. So I bought this.

It's not rickety on an unpaved surface. Full height, about 18", is about like a chair. That might be good for some maintenance tasks, but I found it too high for airing. 11" worked nicely to top off 4 bike tires. The task is easier than it has been in 4 years.

There are lots of similar models on the market. I don't know that mine is best.
 
Airing bicycle tires was a hassle. On a car or truck, the valve will be nearly a foot off the ground even at 6 o'clock. With one hand, I could shove the chuck hard to seat it. On a bicycle, shoving hard with one hand will move the wheel unless it's at 6 o'clock, which is very low. Sitting on the ground for each tire was a hassle. Kneeling worked better. The surface was concrete or gravel, so I'd go to the trouble of using knee pads.

I tried step stools, but a stool was usually too low or high, and a four-legged stool can be rickety without a paved surface. So I bought this.

It's not rickety on an unpaved surface. Full height, about 18", is about like a chair. That might be good for some maintenance tasks, but I found it too high for airing. 11" worked nicely to top off 4 bike tires. The task is easier than it has been in 4 years.

There are lots of similar models on the market. I don't know that mine is best.
Good find!

I've been using this one from HF:


Bought 4 of them 2 years ago when they were on sale for $11.

I have no trouble filling a tire with it set to it's lowest level.
 
I take one of these off the stack stored in the garage; no specialty airing up seat needed.

Screenshot_20241105_101823_Chrome.jpg
 
I take one of these off the stack stored in the garage; no specialty airing up seat needed.
Here are three I tried. The white one is a plastic chair with a 17" height. After an arm broke, I cut off the arms and back. I use it for changing to and from chore boots on the porch, but it's usually a little big and high for working on a bike. The second is a 15" bench. The third is a 10" step stool. On concrete, the 15" bench might work most of the time, but on gravel all three flex, and the 15" bench is worst.

The collapsible one doesn't flex on uneven ground. I can set the best height for a task and, with a diameter of 10", it doesn't get in the way.

Like @6zfshdb , I looked into a 5-wheel swivel stool, but my garage is too crowded to roll around on a stool, and the wheels would be useless outdoors. If I'd found one with three legs like a milking stool, I would have bought it. I can hang the collapsible one on the wall, handy and out of the way.
stools.jpeg
 
I use a 5 gallon plastic bucket turned upside down. Stored by the recycle bin outdoors.
Those white plastic chairs post #4 are wonderful. I cannot buy one anymore. Plastic chairs are now Adirondack design for people with 2' wide hips, 300 lb, and thighs 20" long. I'm too short to sit in one without my feet sticking straight out. The tilted back would make my eyes look up at 20 degrees instead of level at the television or PC screen, or down at the air chuck.
 
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I have used a bucket. First I have to locate an empty one. Then I have to turn it over to clean the bottom. If I sit long, the ridges will be pretty uncomfortable. As the photo shows, my collapsible seat hangs by a door, and it has no ridges.

Photos show the collapsible at 11 and 18 inches beside a bucket at 15. I prefer to sit lower to air tires. If 18" isn't too high for a task, it's easier to get up and down. For some tasks, I pull up a 32" work table. The higher seat is an advantage there.
 
I Like It !!!
I bought one.

I've been using a bucket, a milk crate, and a homemade stool.

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What I really want to get is a tripod stand that my seatpost would slide into and clamp.

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Everybody has a quick release seatpost. All we need is a collapsible tripod to connect to it to turn it into a stool.
I'd gladly carry a foldable tripod with me on my rear rack.

Is there such a device available? And if not, why not?
 
What I really want to get is a tripod stand that my seatpost would slide into and clamp.

Everybody has a quick release seatpost. All we need is a collapsible tripod to connect to it to turn it into a stool.
I'd gladly carry a foldable tripod with me on my rear rack.

Is there such a device available? And if not, why not?
Tell 'em you want a tripod base for your TV antenna!

 
I found this one,.. it looks a bit more sturdy.

I don't like how both designs have set screws to clamp the "seatpost".
I could probably use the quick release mechanism from the bike frame with an adapter to pinch the seatpost and make a stopper?

The pipe diameter looks like it might be too small for a seatpost?



Screenshot_20241106-172122_DuckDuckGo.jpg
 
It looks challenging to hinge 3 legs at the top with no wiggle. I have three tripods that did it with a single casting at the top.
 
I Like It !!!
I bought one.

My new stool arrived.
I'm liking it so far. It's stupid easy to unfold to any height and then fold up and put away.
No more tripping over buckets, crates, stools, and chairs. 😂

I decided to fix it because it wasn't broke, so I stuffed a cotton ball in the spring then sprayed it with lube to help keep the spring from rusting. 😂

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I was thinking of coating the spring with Anti-Seize but I would have to take it apart or use specialty ship building instruments to apply it. 😂

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My new stool arrived.
I'm liking it so far. It's stupid easy to unfold to any height and then fold up and put away.
No more tripping over buckets, crates, stools, and chairs. 😂

I decided to fix it because it wasn't broke, so I stuffed a cotton ball in the spring then sprayed it with lube to help keep the spring from rusting. 😂
I removed my spring to make room for my chamber pot! :p
 
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