When placing the bike on the stand, first pull the lever until the stand hits the ground, then pull back on the handlebars while lifting. If there is a particularly heavy load on the bike, it may be best to actually lift the front wheel off the ground while pulling back, to allow the stand to support the bike without having to lift the loaded rear wheel.

To take the bike off the stand, simply push the bike forward. In some cases, slippery ground surfaces may not allow the stand to grip. It may then be necessary to dismount and put a foot behind the stand to allow it to retract.

If you are stopping on a slope, be sure to point the front of the bike up the slope. This keeps the bike upright, and insures that the slope will not roll the bike off the stand. Do not attempt to deploy the stand with the bike sideways on a hill. This will not only place excessive stress on the stand when only one leg contacts the ground, but the bike will be unstable even if the stand can be successfully set.

When the bike is on the stand, it is a good idea to lock at least one brake. Wrapping a toe clip strap or similar device around the brake lever will do this quite well. Normally, the front wheel will be on the ground, and it will be sufficient to lock the front brake. If the bike is heavily loaded, however, the front wheel may lift off the ground, and locking the rear brake will be more effective.

There is a small hole in the center of the main pivot tube which will allow you to inject grease should the stand ever become stiff or squeaky. The main pivot tube is the tube about which the leg assembly rotates. The pivot has been thoroughly lubricated before shipping, so this should not be necessary for quite some time.

The stand will also allow you to do routine maintenance on your drivetrain and rear wheel without a repair stand. If the rear end of the bike is weighted so that the rear wheel rests on the ground, front wheel maintenance can be done, too. The stand will also support the bike while using bike blenders, electric generators, or other rear wheel driven appliances, though it may be worthwhile to lengthen the stand legs a bit for extended use of this type, for better ground clearance.