How to position a bike for work without a stand

I have two large hooks attached to my basement ceiling. I attach a 1 inch cargo strap (look for them in camping supplies) from the hook to my saddle and a second around the bars and stem. This suspends the bike while allowing the wheels and crank to spin freely. By adjusting the strap length I can position the bike so the area being worked on is close to eye level. The hooks were less than $3 and the straps were $3 each.

Before I bought a bike stand, I used the bike rack on my car. I still use it in a pinch.

A cheap solution is a wall-mounted bike holding stand. The simple ones are just a couple of prongs that stick out from the wall and support the top tube of your bike. Something like this is $US40 or you can get fancy with this (will work better with sloping top tubes)

I suspect you could build one out of a 1.5m length of timber and some screws quite easily, although attaching it to the wall would require a little care.

The rope-based hanging bike storage systems also work well for this if you can put up with the bike swinging round. Those allow better access, but the bike moves. A solid wall mount won't move but you have to take the bike down and flip it round to access the other side, and you can't turn the handlebars much.

Normal workbenches have these big clamp tools (a vice) attached to the edge of the bench. LINK TO IMG

You can turn your bicycle upside down and carefully clamp the top tube. I use rags to protect the frame. The bicycle is as stable as it can get.

EDIT* This method should only be used on steel frames and with great care. Also keep in mind that high quality steel frames are 'butted' (thinner in the middle).

I have double kickstand on the bike which can act as mini repair stand. I pull the bike on the kickstand, and put some weight (u-lock and chain) on the front of the bike so it tilts forward and back wheel gets lifted in the air.

Turn the bike upside down and clamp the handle bar stem in the jaws of a WorkMate workbench and rest the seat on the opposite end of the WorkMate work surface. Turning the seat around backwards on its stem may be helpful.

Here is a cheap ($20) bike stand that elevates the rear wheel: http://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Bracket-Bicycle-Display-Stand/dp/B000C17HJ4

Note that it works best with thinner-tubed steel bikes, and doesn't necessarily hold up a bike with a thick aluminum downtube optimally.

I use two high chairs (with straight backrest) With one or two broomsticks inbetween them to hold the bike up.

My solution for this is a kickstand. It keeps the bicycle upright with both wheels on the ground.

If you need to adjust the gears, you can slightly tilt the bicycle to stand only on the kickstand and not on the rear wheel. Then the rear wheel is free to rotate, but it requires continuously keeping the bicycle in the slightly tilted position. It's a one-handed job though, so the other hand is free to rotate the cranks. Don't put too high stress on the kickstand though or else you may be looking for a new frame, as you accidentally bent the chainstays of the old frame!