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What Are Your Bicycle Maintenance Space Needs?

StuInTokyo

Maximum Pace
Dec 3, 2010
1,662
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The space on the first floor above my work shop, or Dungeon as I call it, was closed in late last year.

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Outside

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Inside, all the stuff has been moved out, this was still a construction zone picture.

I then lent most of the space to a customer who was relocating their sushi shop just down the road a bit. They have not cleared out all of their stuff and the space is all mine again! :D

One part of this space will be used for storing wood, lumber and sheet goods, the one far end will be set up for metal working and welding and in the middle I'll have a space that I'm wanting to set up a space for bicycle maintenance. The space will be say about 12' x 10', surely enough space for the basics.

I'm going to build a basic bench, like the one I built for Tim S. and I'll have space for my work stand. The bench will have some drawers under it for tools, but I'll also have a back on the bench that will house the tools that are used a lot, think wrenches, screwdrivers and T-handle hex wrenches.

I'll put down some anti-fatigue mats on the tile floor too. The lighting is OK, but I might add another light just to brighten things up. I do have a small portable compressor that I can use, but it is noisy, I have a good floor pump.
What would you want/need in a similar space? Is there something that I'm missing?

Cheers!
 
Sorry, it looks too clean and new. There's not enough stuff around, so I can't really tell what the space is for.

You need to add some stacks and piles and boxes, and of course a bike or two.

Then I'll be able to help and make suggestions.
 
I mean, really...

It could be a luthier's workshop, it could be an art gallery, you could be brewing your own beer, or, uh, even growing something...!

Tilt my impression one way or another.
 
So if it's a bike place, get some of that stuff in there so that it looks bike-like.

(This is a basement, right? And you'll have to carry whatever you're working on downstairs and then back up?)
 
-40inch TV
-Wifi router, if not within zone
-Coffee machine
-Biscuit barrel
-PS3
-Sofa
-Wheel jig
-Turbo trainer / rollers
-Aircon
 
So if it's a bike place, get some of that stuff in there so that it looks bike-like.

(This is a basement, right? And you'll have to carry whatever you're working on downstairs and then back up?)

No, the basement, the Dungeon, is where I do my woodworking, that is entered through a hatch in the floor of this new storeroom (I keep telling my wife it's a storeroom :D ) I built in the area we used to park our second van that we sold last fall.
This area is entered through the two big grey steel doors in the grey wall I built.

Don't worry there will be lots of stuff in there, but what do I need for a bike maintenance shop?
  1. Workbench
  2. Tool Storage
  3. Work Stand
  4. ???
 
-40inch TV
-Wifi router, if not within zone
-Coffee machine
-Biscuit barrel
-PS3
-Sofa
-Wheel jig
-Turbo trainer / rollers
-Aircon

I have most of that stuff except the rollers in the Dungeon, well, not a 40 TV, or the PS3 (game thing right?). I will be adding an aircon to the storage area, no space for a sofa. I have a truing stand, if that is what you mean by wheel jig? I also have a fridge with beer in it and a few good bottles of whiskey and Rye :D
 
A floor free of little nooks and crannies for small parts to roll/ping into!
 
A parts cleaner - you'll have every racing roadie in a 70km radius knocking on your door!
 
A floor free of little nooks and crannies for small parts to roll/ping into!

Ha, yeah, I always dreamed of having a room with no corners when I was a teenager. I even designed one on paper which used drainpipes cut into quarters, which I was planning to glue to the skirting boards in my bedroom.

All of my hobbies seemed to involve things with small parts, that would invariably end up on the floor.

My Mum veto'd my plans however.
 
I'll put down some anti-fatigue mats on the tile floor too.

Looks great! A bit jealous of the covered space.

Costco has very reasonably priced anti-fatigue mats than can be fit together like a puzzle, and easily cut for custom size.

I second the parts cleaner. Might consider putting in a ventilation fan depending on the solvent used. Having a place to wash off the bikes nearby outside is also important as keeping a bike clean is probably the best maintenance to keep the ride from needing work in the first place.
 
Looks great! A bit jealous of the covered space.

Costco has very reasonably priced anti-fatigue mats than can be fit together like a puzzle, and easily cut for custom size.

I second the parts cleaner. Might consider putting in a ventilation fan depending on the solvent used. Having a place to wash off the bikes nearby outside is also important as keeping a bike clean is probably the best maintenance to keep the ride from needing work in the first place.

Check on the ventilation fan, and the hose just outside in front of the building. I have a parts cleaner for my motorcycle stuff, I guess I could bring it over to the bicycle area, as I don't do the motorcycle stuff much anymore.
 
Those wooden tool chests at COSTCO are great! It matches your work benches perfectly, by the way, and lends a cool, artisan feel, to the space. And any workspace must have its own Rancilio Espresso machine.

This little guy looks pretty good, too -- http://www.monotaro.com/p/0954/2373/ Now I just need to find a good source for some aqueous cleaning solution. I used to have a SafetyKleen Agitator - but completely impossible to bring back to Japan.
 
Tim - you can't use solvents on that unit.
 
The 13l Monotaro? You use aqueous cleaner. I stopped using petrosols over 25yrs ago. I had a very nasty solvent reaction experience after spending most of the night rebuilding a FA cylinder head, antiphylactic shock, the whole works. For small parts now I use a citrus based wheel cleaner. Or I just use a small bucket with Simple Green and water. Other degreasing, I'll use denatured alcohol or acetone.
Tim - you can't use solvents on that unit.
 
Well I'm pecking away at this, not a lot of free time right now :mad:

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That is basically where the stand will go.
The plywood and stuff in the background is not going to be there for long.

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The yellow thing on the floor will not be there for long, so I can push the stand back further if I need too.

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The opposite wall will be where the bench will go, the grey wall area further back is going to be for my welding. I'll put a curtain between the two areas to keep out the dust and crap from the welding area.

Now to build a workbench.
 
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