Lidl bike stand - bargain or fromage?
- Thread starter GazK
- Start date
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I wasn't making an impassioned 'Buy British' speech! There's a lot of tat bearing a made in UK label too, Stanley for instance
Sorry, that's a bit harsh! But you get the drift.I'm suggesting only that all stuff be judged on it's merits. I often have a look at things in Lidl (bit of a habit to tell the truth
), and have bought stuff there. All my printer paper comes from there for instance; damned sight cheaper and does for my purposes. Some of their power tools though... well, let's just say I don't feel confident they'll last much past one use!Labour costs are just one of the 'cost savings' that can be made. Obviously, cheaper quality materials can also be used. Manufacturing processes can be short cut. Cheap tools aren't necessarily poor tools it's true but there is a greater chance of it being the case, wouldn't you agree?
battered
Guru
I can't argue with you there.
I do think that when the Chinese manufacturers started getting established they were very careful to ensure the quality was up to scratch. As a result the Chinnese stuff in 2003-2006ish was mostly excellent IME. Since then they have started cost engineering the stuff and some of it is getting a bit dicey, you do have to check it over.
Re Chinese power tools, I've got an amusing anecdote. A sadly deceased mate ran a business building clean rooms in pharma factories. He had vanfuls of angle grinders, part of his job involved fitting wire brushes to a grinder and cleaning parts up. Unsurprisingly this beat the living daylights out of the bearings and £100 Makitas were turning up their toes after a year or so. He would get them reconned at about £50 a pop, and one day bought a couple of cheap £8 supermarket jobs for a job. They survived and after 6 months they eventually succumbed to the inevitable. Given the choice of a £50 rebuild every year or buying half a dozen cheapies to last 2 or 3 years, unsurprisingly he took to carrying 3 or 4 cheapies on any job and simply dumping them when they started smoking.
Ah yes, the disposable culture and built in obsolescence! I can understand it sadly.
The wife had a B&D sander, a multi type one. That stopped working and I discovered that the problem was the connection between the motor and the pad had worn. Basically a small metal lip had worn away meaning the pad and drive part just came apart. There was no spare available. In fact, it was pretty much the only bit that there wasn't a replacement for. I reckoned it was fixable if you had the time, know how and capability to fashion up something... so not by me! Everything else about the sander was in good working order but, for the sake of something simple like a circlip, the thing had to be binned. Stuff like that just grieves me!
The wife had a B&D sander, a multi type one. That stopped working and I discovered that the problem was the connection between the motor and the pad had worn. Basically a small metal lip had worn away meaning the pad and drive part just came apart. There was no spare available. In fact, it was pretty much the only bit that there wasn't a replacement for. I reckoned it was fixable if you had the time, know how and capability to fashion up something... so not by me! Everything else about the sander was in good working order but, for the sake of something simple like a circlip, the thing had to be binned. Stuff like that just grieves me!
ThePainInSpain
Active Member
- Location
- Malaga, Spain
I bought one of those from Lidl's. It's OK, but the bracket that actually holds the bike can't be tightened enough to prevent it from turning on the shaft. There are two holes in the shaft, so I just pushed a bolt into it and that solved the problem. It's solid enough and is easy to put up and down for storing. The photo shows the tool tray conveniently facing front, in reality it's in the way of the pedals in that position, and makes a hell of a mess first time you spin them !
guitarpete247
Just about surviving
- Location
- Leicestershire
If it isn't any good I might try to get one of these. The "velo grip" from Kestrel Engineering. At £56 + £8 p&p it seems a good deal as I can use my work mate and it will therefore have a solid base and place to keep tools and bits. My dad said he could make me something similar but he's always away in his caravan. He has another 5 weeks away this year and then Christmas and New Year 
. But I am going to have a look in at Lidl first to check it out first.
. But I am going to have a look in at Lidl first to check it out first.
Alembicbassman
Confused.com
The folding feet look as if they'd go very wobbly after a while. The the plastic boss where the clamp arm joins the vertical is a bit suspect too.
I suspect it won't be a great piece of kit.
I suspect it won't be a great piece of kit.
Ribble stand is a good buy atm being reduced to £56. I have one its very sturdy and very chuffed ps note cycling plus review 10/10.
http://www.ribblecyc...ORK200000000000
http://www.ribblecyc...ORK200000000000
The wiggle one is Ok - i got it last year when it was £50 (think I might have got £10 or £5 off on a special weekend deal). It holds the bike, but you need to watch out it doesn't tip forward and the clamp isn't very good on anything but straight top tubes - I also end up putting a bit of cloth between the clamp and the top tube to save it getting scratched. For £50 its alright, but I'd be tempted to try one at £30 if I didn't already have this - lets face it they aren't anything special in terms of engineering!!!
mountainbiker1
Active Member
- Location
- Norwich
Both LIDL and ALDI are very good about returns and will give cah back if you have receipt. So my advice would be to go and buy it, they come regularly to both stores and are very similar, check it out at home, it's difficult to do so in store because the boxes are taped, and then if goo d keep, if not return.
I have had one from both (I think- I confuse the stores and can't remember provenance) and they are not perfect fit for purpose.and value for money.
I have had one from both (I think- I confuse the stores and can't remember provenance) and they are not perfect fit for purpose.and value for money.
Tommyboy1289
Regular
- Location
- Doncaster
I got excited seeing this thread thinking they were coming back into stock. Darn halfrauds it is.
