General Cycling Discussion - Kickstands

My BMX obviously doesn't have a kickstand.
But I also have a MTB that has one.

Depends on the purpose of the bike, a daily transportation bike needs a KS,

but lots of people commute on racy bikes to go fast on their way to work,
and lock the bike up firmly to a fixed bike rack when they get there,
and so hate fitting Kickstands.. Like, on their carbon-fiber race bikes..

My Touring bike, 2nd one, had to have a KS, because I wanted to stop, without laying the bike down,
or needing a tree/building nearby to lean it against .

got an '04 Koga Miyata WTR, It has 2 kickstands .. OEM spec'd, thru Tubus,

added one on the bottom of the left front low-rider rack..

so , mixed .. , several types of bikes here, no blanket generalization..

I have an admittedly unreasonable prejudice against kickstands, I don't even have one on my heavy-duty tourer. Just don't like them.

no kickstands on any of my bikes. there always seems to be somewhere or something to lean a bike against, making a kickstand superfluous.

if i had a reason to put kickstands on my bikes, i wouldn't be opposed to it, i just haven't come across the functional reason for doing so.

It's kind of fun to be on a group ride and come to a rest stop. Others are jostling for position, trying to find spots to park against a diminishing supply of trees, when I roll up, put down the kickstand, and walk away.

The last time I had a bike with a kickstand was 1971.

My primary bike has a kickstand which gets used a lot. I tend to lock the bike with its right side against the bike rack/post/whatever. The post stops it falling over to the right, and the kickstand likewise stops it falling on the left. It also means I can take the bike away from where I've locked it to load up my stuff. The backup bike is awaiting one.

I have no use for a kickstand. However, once I convert my mountain bike to an xtracycle I may finally find a use for one.

I wish they still made Flickstands, tho... :(

Most of my bikes have kickstands, several of them have the double legged ones. I can only think of three out of 30+ that don't: MTB, Tandem and fixed gear.

Aaron :)

I wish they still made Flickstands, tho... :(
+1
Although I might still have one in the basement. My commuter has a kickstand my roadbike does not.

My BMX obviously doesn't have a kickstand.

I haven't had a kickstand since my Schwinn Varsity.

When I bought my hybrid I was surprised to find it had no kickstand. The helpful LBS employee explained that they added weight, you could always lean it or lay it down, and he hinted that it was un-hip to have one.

After a couple months of precarious leaning, having it slide off things and fall over, worrying about someone stepping on or running over it when on it's side, and in general being annoyed by the lack thereof, I bought a 2 legged one and love it.

I just shake my head at groups of cyclists with bikes leaning against every vertical surface, stacking them, and laying them everywhere in the way.

When I bought my hybrid I was surprised to find it had no kickstand. The helpful LBS employee explained that they added weight, you could always lean it or lay it down, and he hinted that it was un-hip to have one.

After a couple months of precarious leaning, having it slide off things and fall over, worrying about someone stepping on or running over it when on it's side, and in general being annoyed by the lack thereof, I bought a 2 legged one and love it.

I just shake my head at groups of cyclists with bikes leaning against every vertical surface, stacking them, and laying them everywhere in the way.


+1000
It is so un-hip to leave your bike standing there all by its lonesome.

I just put one on my touring bike last week.

It's kind of fun to be on a group ride and come to a rest stop. Others are jostling for position, trying to find spots to park against a diminishing supply of trees, when I roll up, put down the kickstand, and walk away.
+1

I remember the looks several people gave me during both the Monster Cookie Metric Century, and the Cycle Oregon Weekend, when I'd find an open space, drop the kickstand, and walk away. :lol:

In the 80's when I was a teenager, kickstands were very uncool. Funny how things stay with you, I still think their uncool unless on a cruiser or old lady bike.

If you want to leave your bicycle unattended in public, you must secure it to an immovable object. In this situation you won't typically need a kickstand, since you can lean the bike against the immovable object.
But depending on how/where you store your bike, a kickstand might be needed.

It is more amusing on group rides to take your bike, a friend's bike, and lean them together. I doubt I would find using a kickstand that amusing in such a setting but whatever floats your boat. :p

It's kind of fun to be on a group ride and come to a rest stop. Others are jostling for position, trying to find spots to park against a diminishing supply of trees, when I roll up, put down the kickstand, and walk away.

Huh? What's the matter with laying it on the ground?

I wish they still made Flickstands, tho... :(

All my bikes have kickstands except for the '83 Super Course, which has a Flickstand. I got it from someone in the C&V Sales forum.

Huh? What's the matter with laying it on the ground?

People trip over 'em.

People trip over 'em.

Or kick'em or worse yet stomp the spokes outta the wheel for being in the way.

I really must stay away from the group rides you two frequent. lol

If you leave them anywhere near a walkway, at ground level, non-cyclists will simply not realize they are there and kick or stumble over them.

If you leave them anywhere near a walkway, at ground level, non-cyclists will simply not realize they are there and kick or stumble over them.

+1 to all of the above, plus it tends to scratch the fairing and get the bodysock dirty. :)

Like I said- so un-hip:

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSeBTO24amIvyCSb55wToa4M1FhrB72uzIQC3VMkMCAis6hXfXr

Why they don't make a thin, lightweight CF permanent aftermarket kickstand and lose that weight penalty is beyond me. What a natural...you could probably make a two legger like that swiss one and have it weight no more than a good mini pump.

No? Make that hell no :)

Unless you're racing, there's really no reason not to have a kickstand. I use mine every day and simply can't imagine not having it.

I beg to differ. Why would I need a kickstand on a carbon fiber bike that I use to climb mountains and haul arse down them at 50 mph?

I beg to differ. Why would I need a kickstand on a carbon fiber bike that I use to climb mountains and haul arse down them at 50 mph?

But, but, but.... unless you reach the same conclusion as me, how can I validate my choice? ;)

I have no idea but I expect as with every reasonable solution it involves the judicious use of a hammer. :D

I rode my Worksman cruiser for 2 years with a kickstand, and never saw a reason to take it off. I've ridden my Raleigh Sojourn for 2 years without a kickstand and never saw a reason to put one on.

One thing to note is that the lighter a bike is, the worse a kickstand works. Or the more top-heavy it is, the worse it works. So a CF bike is not the ideal choice for a kickstand, even if somebody made a lightweight one. And since I put the baskets on my Worksman, the kickstand is not overly dependable on it, either.

I love my kickstand, couldn't live without it. It holds my bike up while I load it up (groceries and babies!). I just bought a new bike a few weeks ago, and had them put on a more heavy duty kickstand before it even left the shop.

I rode my Worksman cruiser for 2 years with a kickstand, and never saw a reason to take it off. I've ridden my Raleigh Sojourn for 2 years without a kickstand and never saw a reason to put one on.

One thing to note is that the lighter a bike is, the worse a kickstand works. Or the more top-heavy it is, the worse it works. So a CF bike is not the ideal choice for a kickstand, even if somebody made a lightweight one. And since I put the baskets on my Worksman, the kickstand is not overly dependable on it, either.

My bike can get top heavy when I'm loading it so I got a two legged kickstand. It works great.

Very, very seldom do I need a kickstand. For me, it wouldn't be worth it.

Little Spalding I use to pull the trailer has a KS, the Trek Multi Track, no!
Always something to lean it against. Most of the time, a curb or parking
block and I just set the pedal on that.

Kickstands became uncool in the bike boom of the 70's...because everyone was riding "racing bikes," supposedly. And racing bikes didn't have kickstands.

Is it all high school students on this thread, worried about how cool their ride looks when they park it at the malt shop after school??

You don't use a tool cuz it's cool--you use it because it has a useful function. Use a kickstand if you have to steady your bike to load a rack, panniers, or basket. Don't use a kickstand if your bike's purpose is to go very fast, or get through heavy mud on a backwoods trail. For other circumstances, consult your common sense.

I beg to differ. Why would I need a kickstand on a carbon fiber bike that I use to climb mountains and haul arse down them at 50 mph?
When you finish climbing the mountain or slow down and get off your bike. Most cyclists get off their bikes every now and then.

When you finish climbing the mountain or slow down and get off your bike. Most cyclists get off their bikes every now and then.

that's what buildings, street light poles, parking meters, fences, planter boxes, trees, street sign posts, bike racks, etc. are for.

i'm not anti-kickstand or anything like that, i've just never had a problem finding something to lean my bike against when i get off of it. if i were to experience difficulty finding such objects, i would probably go ahead and put kickstands on my bikes.

When you finish climbing the mountain or slow down and get off your bike. Most cyclists get off their bikes every now and then.

Incorrect.

Besides...who in their right mind would race with a kickstand? It is against regs for one thing.
I could imagine the carnage in a group wreck. That and a CF bike would look amazingly idiotic with one and I doubt that the design even allows a kickstand. What a stupid thing to argue about.

In the 70's when we 1st started turning our Schwins into BMX bikes the kick stand was the 1st thing to go.

Besides...who in their right mind would race with a kickstand? It is against regs for one thing.
I could imagine the carnage in a group wreck. That and a CF bike would look amazingly idiotic with one and I doubt that the design even allows a kickstand. What a stupid thing to argue about.

You forget the forum you are currently in...:D

Thanks for reminding me. :D
lol

no kickstand on my bike.

I have kickstands on bikes that are used around town. Those bikes also have racks and rack trunks. I find it very convenient. Bikes like that are a PITA without a kickstand, especially since I am on and off of them much more than my road bikes, which don't have kickstands and never will. My road bikes are used solely for climbing, so no kickstands on those.