Feedback Sports Pro Elite Workstand

by Simon · 04/05/2017

Feedback Sports Pro Elite Workstand

Robert Matusek

Review of the Feedback Sports Pro Elite Workstand

When you are about to review one of the standout products in a particular category, anticipation is high but so is expectation – it has to be good. Such was the case with the Feedback Sports Pro Elite Workstand.

To ensure a proper review, I gave the stand to our team mechanic, providing support at MTB races. The constant travelling and harsh conditions at races would be a good test of its resilience. As it turned out, its portability, stability and durability meant it was tailored made for such an environment.

Before putting it to work, I checked out the Pro Elite workstand’s “credentials”. It’s made of red, anodised aluminium with a clamp height of between 1067 mm – 1800 mm. We could clamp up to 66 mm wide tubes, normally too much for many workstands.

It takes up a reasonable amount of space in the car; folded size is 140 x 203 x 1168 mm. Standing it the pit took up nearly a metre and a half of space. Weight is 5.9 kg, which means it is portable yet also accounts for the sturdiness that allows it to hold bikes up to 38.6 kg. Unless you put a really heavyweight DH rig or ebike on it, you will never cross this weight threshold. Fortunately, if you damage the Pro Elite, there is a 3-year warranty.

In between rounds, and occasionaly during the actual races, our mechanic hurriedly clamped bikes in different places, and not always in the ideal spot on the seat post. Nonetheless, the procedure was always a quick affair. With the “Secure-Lock”, ratchet-action closing and push-button release system you can get your bike at almost any angle or position. The quick release is just a hit of a switch, which comes in handy when your hands are busy – or cold.

Given the grassy, uneven, and muddy ground in the pit area at our races, the stability provided by the tripod design was excellent. Besides some sub-zero temperatures, the Pro Elite also had to deal with pouring rain and snow. There is no sign of any corrosion or other harm caused by the damp weather.

Feedback Sports are keen on living up to their name and getting feedback on their product portfolio, and to cut it short, we soon realised that Feedback Sports has one of the best workstands in the industry. Our mechanic, a seasoned pro who has worked with numerous stands before, repeatedly stated how handy and dependable the Pro Elite stand is. “I worked on Park Tools the longest, and they are really lovely. But this one is even more impressively made and better finished. It is rock-solid, firm, and clamps to just about any part of your bike.” Praise indeed.

Cleaning was an easy, brief procedure. The anodised red alloy finish doesn’t suffer damage easily, with only minor scrapes obvious after so much (mis)use.

During the review period, we took the stand to our training camp in Spain, for some sunshine and mild temperatures. The Pro Elite’s weight and size means it is portable and whether using a car park, a workshop or a hotel room as a makeshift service de course, operation was a breeze.

Such quality and ease of use does not come cheap. There is no denying the purchase price is on the high side compared to its competitors. My advice would be to weigh up the likely long-term, frequency of use, to help you weigh up whether it is worth it. Also bear in mind the conditions you will use it under. The Feedback Sports Pro Elite Work Stand is immensely versatile with few limitations. From BMX up to tandems it will cope.

Taking everything into account, this stand ought to be top of your short list. The initial purchase price will soon fade into memory once you work with the Pro Elite workstand regularly. Feedback Sports do have other stands in their range of similar quality but without all of the features and the versatility. I used the stand myself on numerous occasions and even at times when I don’t feel like tinkering with bikes, this stand has acted as a good motivator to get repairing or setting up a bike.

It will be interesting to see long-term durability, but after talking with users, they are all in agreement, “It will outlast you, your bike, and all your gizmos in your workshop.” Our mechanic, my fellow team riders, me myself and all those who have worked with this stand had a hard time to find a chink in its armour. The above mentioned purchase price is the only minor gripe that comes to mind, but again, I feel that the advantages of the Feedback Sports Pro Elite Workstand far outweigh any the cost.

So kudos to Feedback Sports for a masterpiece of engineering, which combines a ton of features with minimalist and simple operation. It is hard to envisage our workshop without this stand in the future…

Buy now: Feedback Sports Pro Elite Workstand