I�ve been riding for 23 years and am currently building a CERVELO Soloist from the frame up, it�ll be my third frame build since 2018. The Soloist has a �D� shaped thin aero seatpost and I wasn�t thrilled about clamping it in my Feedback Sports bike stand. Then I saw a brief overview on the Hirobel from Silca and I knew I �needed� one! The Hirobel is Made in USA (major plus), finish is excellent, the main alloy bar is sturdy & heavy duty. The straps to secure the Hirobel to the frame are long and robust. The bar is simple and quick to install, the rubber mounts are easy to adjust inside the bike�s main triangle. The Soloist tubes are somewhat angular and wide so the rubber mounts don�t fit closely to the frame but hold well enough. With today�s modern carbon bikes having wider tubes that aren�t always round a wider or adjustable width rubber mount would be helpful. Once the bar is clamped into the bike stand it holds the bike well and now I don�t worry about damaging my bike or worrying about all the weight being carried by the seatpost. Great concept, excellent construction, and Made In USA!
I had the blue handled set already but really wanted this set.? I finally ordered! They are built like tanks, have precision tooling and all of these fit nicely into the hex bolts on the bikes I work on. Took a few uses to get the spinning technique mastered. I love this set, infact I loved them so much I bought the torx spinning set!
Affordable and easy to use, but a couple of strange design choices that have lead me to go back to my 15 year old rusty Topeak multi. First, the case is strange and doesn't quite close as well as it could. Second, there is no included phillips bit. Thirdly, and the biggest offense for me, is the decision to make the 3mm and smaller hex keys ball-end. When I'm on the side of the road making an adjustment, I don't need to be worrying whether or not I'm about to round out the 3mm bolts on my Thomson stem. It's a bizarre design choice and I can't think of any situation where I'd prefer ball-end over straight hex, especially in roadside/emergency situations.
I use the repair stand at least a few times per week. It works very well for all of the bikes we have (road, mountain, gravel, but no e-bikes) and is easy to set up and put away. It is very lightweight which has pros and cons. The pro is that it's easy to move around as needed. The con is that the lower mass makes it a little less stable than a heavier stand. Overall, I find the weight about right but maybe the HD version would be better in this respect. The best feature is the clamp. It has a ratchet that allows you to quickly mount and release a bike. Overall, it is well worth the money and I recommend it to friends.
