Silca acquires Hirobel to bring US-made repair stand clamp to market

Tuesday, 5 March 2019 Jonathon Harker

In a search to develop a repair stand that can safely secure aero, road and tri frames – and fix repair-stand problems presented by dropper posts and internatl Di2 batteries – SILCA has picked up a new company and scaled up production of its Frame Clamp.

SILCA has acquired Hirobel Cycling Solutions and moved production to SILCA HQ in Indianapolis. Hirobel’s primary product is the Hirobel Frame Clamp, pitched as a solution to the problems presented in mounting modern bikes to repair stands.

SILCA found the Hirobel Frame Clamp when its engineers began researching how to create a better solution to mounting a bike in a repair stand. Most shops and amateurs use clamps designed 40-plus years ago for the steel frames of the time, found the R&D team; while Pro Tour mechanics use fork-mount stands which are increasingly unwieldy when working on modern disc-equipped bikes.

In their investigations, SILCA found Hirobel, founded by a pro mechanic, had already developed a solution.

Touted as unique in the cycling industry, the Hirobel is a specially designed repair stand clamp developed for greater compatibility with today’s frames and components. The Hirobel distributes stresses and loads through the bicycle frame rather than just clamping the seatpost or a frame tube, improving stability while eliminating possible crushing forces.

The Hirobel clamp features highly adjustable, specially shaped, paint-friendly cones to hug the frame at tube junctions, providing maximum support and stability with minimal clamping force. This is in stark contrast to the standard “jaw-style” clamp used by the vast majority of shops and home mechanics.

Not only a great solution to the problems presented by lightweight aero carbon frames, it also allows the frame to remain in the stand with the seatpost out, perfect for internal Di2 batteries and dropper posts. The Hirobel is also superior to ProTour-style fork/axle mount clamps in that the wheels can remain mounted for quicker adjustment of brakes and drivetrains, the brand added. The Hirobel also clamps the frame lower than seatpost-clamping jaws, closer to a bike’s centre of gravity. This improves stability while keeping the drivetrain higher for improved visibility and reduced back strain.

SILCA’s acquisition of Hirobel gives them the opportunity to provide a better bike-repair stand solution to more riders, taking advantage of SILCA’s distribution network and Indianapolis production facility to make more Hirobel Frame Clamps while lowering the retail price.

Hirobel Frame Clamp Highlights: