Touring - Do I need a kickstand for my touring bike?

As a bike commuter, I have experienced the convenient for using a kickstand in my daily life. Now, Im wondering whether it is worth the extra weight to put it on for my extended tour

The advantage of handy to keep a bike self-standing whenever I came off. (It always look cool and presentable)

When a bike is self-standing, 1) it will be easier to search for items in the panniers and for cleaning and maintaining the bike
2) Prevent scratches to the frame caused by leaning
3) Hold a bracketed camera for taking pictures etc

However, the con is still the extra weight to carry along for a long journey.

(The lightest aluminum kickstand available to me still weight around 200-300g)

Any Opinion or recommendation?

I don't have one, but I'd say its worth the weight. Especially if you can find a good one. My bike has crashed over many times and it is VERY frustrating. I am keeping my eyes open for one that will be compatable with my bike.

Go for it. On a tour, there isn't always a nice concrete wall to lean your bike against. And on the road, it always seems like sign posts are inconveniently set a little too far off the side of the road, after a dip or ditch. Ugh!


Dave

Will a single-leg kick-stand reliably keep a loaded touring bike upright? I wonder.
ESGE makes a twin legged kick-stand (moped style) which does not require the bike to lean, but it costs around $40-50 provided you can track one down.

BK

Try leaning the bike against the panniers rather than the frame to avoid scratches.

If you are doing a light-weight tour where all your luggage is reduced to a minimum, then maybe the weight of a kickstand can become an issue. For me (I usually carry about 20kg when touring), 200 grams isn't that much.

But it is you that have to carry that weight, so you have to decide if the advantages is worth it for you. That's my philosophy regardning everything I bring on a tour.


Will a single-leg kick-stand reliably keep a loaded touring bike upright?

Mine did during 15000km of fully loaded touring (and since it's my only bike it took some beating between tours as well) until it finally broke this spring. I haven't replaced it yet, but I will. A twin-legged kickstand is not a bad idea.

/Csson

use a BOB trailer and you don't need a wall or a kickstand, just angle the bike and trailer, and magically the bike stands on it's own (most of the times).

A chainstay mounted kickstand might not work with panniers so check it out before you buy.

Put on the kickstand, and if you get tired during the tour just take it off and pitch it! :D


(in a proper recepticle of course)

For years, I have used a single-leg chainstay kickstand, which did a decent job, mostly with the bike unloaded. I still have one on my commuter bike.

On my touring bike, I now use an Esge (SKS) 2-legged kickstand, which is a bit more stable with the loaded bike. An added advantage is that it's easy to keep a wheel off the ground (to adjust gears or brakes), or even to remove one to repair a flat. The bike will remain upright.

Regards,

Originally posted by Moose
Put on the kickstand, and if you get tired during the tour just take it off and pitch it!

Sound advice.

I suffered the embassasment of asking my LBS for one a couple years back to use with my Burley trailer. I felt like I was buying condoms at age 15 or something. I made sure no one else in the shop heard me, stuck it in the bag, and ran out.

The only other time I felt like that was when I bought a John Tesh CD for my wife.

I use a single leg chainstay stand on my main touring bike, I also carry a small piece of plywood to put under the stand. I would like to use the two legged type, but theres no way to mount it on my bike (RANS Screamer) As far as weight? the bike and all the gear is well over 100 pounds, so whats a little bit more?:D

Me again,

I had this really bright idea, I was going to build a kick stand that would doubble as a tri-pod. It was going to mount to the stokers seat of the bike....brain fart! The only time you would use the tri-pod is when your off the bike, when you need the kick stand... DOH!:rolleyes:

if i were u, id get the kick stand. u can get a light one if u want so it wont make that much of a weight difference. sound slike theres more pros than cons to me...

Most of the weight of a kickstand is in the mounting hardware.
It should be possible to braze a mounting tab onto the chainstay, to attatch a lightweight tube of steel, Al, carbon, with a spring to keep it in palce.
You would have to be very careful setting the angle of the tab and hinge, to get the stand to tuck against the chainstay, and swing out.

when I bought a John Tesh CD for my wife.

"It's for my wife" That's what they ALL say. ;)