The Granite Design Hex Stand Offers a Foldable, Lightweight way to Prop up Your Bike

The Hex Stand from Granite Design is a notably lightweight base to keep your bike in place while you work.

Lugging along a full-size repair stand while traveling with your bike can be a real pain. Repair stands are heavy and cumbersome and definitely won’t make the weight limit on most flights. Whether you are headed out of the country or driving 30 minutes to the trailhead, having access to a bike stand is a convenient luxury. It allows you to lube your chain without searching for the precisely awkward lean, dial in your shifting, wash your bike without knocking it over, and to perform a host of other useful tasks.

The Hex Stand from Granite Design is a notably lightweight base to keep your bike in place while you work. The 415mm long stand folds up into approximately the same space as a small camera tripod, and at only 720 grams there should be no trouble packing it in your bike bag.

Deploying the Hex Stand will be second nature for anyone who has used a traditional tripod. Simply slide the lower legs into their supportive stance, with the stand’s clamp covering the word “open” and close the clamp to secure the leg position. Then swing the axle arm into position until it locks with an affirmative click. Slide the axle arm into the hollow side of your crank and get to it. It’s that simple. Check out Granite Design’s video for full setup instructions.

Two different axle inserts make the stand compatible with most mountain bike crank spindles. With the axle arm inserted high enough to raise your rear wheel off the ground, you can spin the cranks and pedal through the gears to your heart’s content.

  • $79.99 (available from Amazon.com)
  • Weight: 720g
  • Max load capacity: 20kg (~44lbs)
  • Available in black, sliver, red, blue, green, or orange
  • Includes carrying bag and M20 adapter for Shimano road cranks
  • Adjustable up to 400mm BB height
  • Does not fit Campagnolo cranks

The Hex Stand is not a bedrock-stable piece of equipment, favoring packability and weight savings over perfect rigidity. While it will hold your bike up as advertised, you likely won’t want to perform high-leverage or brute-force jobs with your bike mounted in it, like removing a seized bottom bracket or banging out precarious pivot bearings. It is a lightweight instrument for lighter weight repairs, and it makes trailhead adjustments far more pleasant.

The Hex Stand fills about the same space as a small camera tripod but weighs and costs far less.

Thanks to Granite Design for sending the Hex Stand our way.