Touring - To Kickstand or not to kickstand

I had a single leg kickstand on my old bike, but I used it with a trailer. The Fargo i.e. Ethel will be pannier. So do you have one? Why/Why not. Which one? Alternatives?

I have standard, single, Greenfield kickstands on all my bikes. However, once I've got the bike loaded for a trip, it's just too unstable so I don't use it.

I have a Civia (http://www.bikeman.com/KI3300.html) dual leg kickstand on my bike and love it. The little rubber boots only lasted a couple of weeks, but the metal legs have withstood two years of being parked on concrete and gravel. The only problem is that the front wheel isn't on the ground at all so it swings around. I currently have an aluminum Trek Allant and the only front wheel stabilizer that I've found, it's from Velo Orange is for steel framed bikes.

I just ordered a SOMA Saga frame that I'll be building up over the next couple of months and am debating whether to use the Civia kickstand that I already have or this one (http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/accessories/chainguards-stay-protectors-kickstands/porteur-double-kickstand.html) from Velo Orange.

With the Civia, it's important that your load is balanced. Trips to the grocery store often end with more weight in one pannier than the other, but the kickstand provides an amazing amount of stability. I find there's less damage to my bike overall because it isn't falling over all the time, nor do I have to always find something to lean it up against.

I have a Civia (http://www.bikeman.com/KI3300.html) dual leg kickstand on my bike and love it. The little rubber boots only lasted a couple of weeks, but the metal legs have withstood two years of being parked on concrete and gravel. The only problem is that the front wheel isn't on the ground at all so it swings around. I currently have an aluminum Trek Allant and the only front wheel stabilizer that I've found, it's from Velo Orange is for steel framed bikes.

I just ordered a SOMA Saga frame that I'll be building up over the next couple of months and am debating whether to use the Civia kickstand that I already have or this one (http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/accessories/chainguards-stay-protectors-kickstands/porteur-double-kickstand.html) from Velo Orange.

With the Civia, it's important that your load is balanced. Trips to the grocery store often end with more weight in one pannier than the other, but the kickstand provides an amazing amount of stability. I find there's less damage to my bike overall because it isn't falling over all the time, nor do I have to always find something to lean it up against.

I have the VO wheel stabilizer. If you don't use the spacer included with the downtube clamp, it will fit to 31.8 downtubes.

Must have kickstand for touring - stop wherever you want, whenever you want ;)

I've had pretty good luck with a chainstay/seatstay kickstand with panniers.

Pretty good, because the bike will find its own stable direction, and turn to find it. Funny thing, we were on a deserted east-west road in the middle of Kansas and parked for a break. The bike turned north, away from the wind. A couple of cyclists came from the other direction, and parked along us to chat a bit. We blocked the whole lane with four bicycles all pointing north. Then came along the first traffic either of us had seen in a hour. They gave us all dirty looks as they had to change lanes.

I have bikes with kickstands and they are no doubt handy, but on my Long Haul Trucker I have not added a stand due to what Surly says on their site:

"You can crush the chainstays of the Long Haul Trucker (and our other frames too) if you tighten the kickstand’s clamp bolt too much, or, if you leave it too loose. This is because the chainstay tube walls are not super thick. You can crush them or flex them to death. The LHT chainstays were chosen to optimize the strength-to-weight ratio for the task at hand --hauling gear various distances-- while minimizing unwanted torsional flex in the rear triangle. They are not designed specifically for the clamping forces imposed on them by chainstay-mounted kickstands. Thicker stays could be used, of course, but there would be a performance penalty, and we are not willing to sacrifice ride quality for the sometime-convenience of a kickstand. Since kickstands can safely and effectively be installed without hurting the stays, this is not a great solution. Why don’t we just add one of those kickstand mounting plates under the stays? Because those plates introduce more weld heat to an already sensitive area, meaning we'd likely have to go to thicker walled stays, and we're back to the design-intent and ride quality issue. And anyway they're fugly."



I haven't found it to be an inconvenience not having a stand as most times, I can find something to lean the bike against and times where I can't, I can always lay it down. One trick I've found on BF is to use a rubber band like the one that come on broccoli to create a parking brake. You wrap the band around the brake lever then around the bars and back to the lever so that in hold the brake on. This makes the bike very stable and less apt to fall when leaning against something. It would also mess with the head of a potential thief if he was trying to ride away with the brake on.

I have bikes with kickstands and they are no doubt handy, but on my Long Haul Trucker I have not added a stand due to what Surly says on their site:

Yes, they do say this, but they do go on to recommend a Pletscher double kickstand if you must have one.

I never like kickstands on my road or MTB bikes, but on city or touring bikes, I find them really convenient.

No, well yes.... Just about any wall or street sign works perfect.

Wouldn't leave home without one. Simple, common stand. The bike occasionally falls over when I forget to position it into the wind when loaded for touring. Also on the DFs which I no longer ride.

I use a Pletscher double kickstand. I find it's better than a single leg stand for when the bike is carrying a load. But a big enough load or an unbalanced one can still tip it over.

I've never heard a good reason to NOT have a kickstand on a touring bike.

I've never seen the need for a kickstand.

Waste of money and 2 extra pounds carried constantly for no good reason. May as well start packing your pannier with a big rock, at least saves cost and hassle of ordering and installing a kickstand.

I've never seen the need for a kickstand.

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Lemme s'plain it to ya; iffin ya ain't got nowhere to lean your bike up onto, you can just lean it over on the "kickstand". Otherwise you have to lay your bike on the ground. Or else gravity will make your bike fall over. Reckon it's just one of those convenient thangs.

Has anyone used a Greenfield rear kickstand? Feedback please.

Lemme s'plain it to ya; iffin ya ain't got nowhere to lean your bike up onto, you can just lean it over on the "kickstand". Otherwise you have to lay your bike on the ground. Or else gravity will make your bike fall over. Reckon it's just one of those convenient thangs.

Well, I sare as shoot foond that that there kickstand 'ill make the peddlebike end up'n on ther grond any ol' ways, so why in tarrnation don't ya just cut out the mid'le man?

My Koga Miyata WTR came with 2 ..

one on the bottom of the Tubus Ergo keeps the loaded wheel from rolling,
and pulling the bike over.

I use the Click Stand with my LHT and have been happy with it. Weighs very little, folds down into a convenient size that fits in my handlebar bag, and stabilizes the bike just fine even with loaded panniers.

One word clickstand.

Well, I sare as shoot foond that that there kickstand 'ill make the peddlebike end up'n on ther grond any ol' ways, so why in tarrnation don't ya just cut out the mid'le man?

Yer missin the point, son. You have to actually kick the stand in the down position before you try to lay the bike over onto it.

Yes, they do say this, but they do go on to recommend a Pletscher double kickstand if you must have one.

+1, my Pletscher should be coming in tomorrow. Also now it comes with a top plate (http://www.thorusa.com/accessories/pletscher.htm (http://www.thorusa.com/accessories/pletscher.htm)) so paint damage is minimized. Don't know how it'll work out until I have it on the LHT

Yes, I think a rear-mounted kickstand works best if you have loaded panniers and rear rack. The popular Greenfield worked well for me on my 2008 Jamis Aurora with cantilever brakes. I've seen loaded touring tandems with rear-mounted kickstands.

Unfortunately, I'm trying to find a rear-mounted kickstand that works on my 2012 Jamis Aurora Elite with Avid BB7 disk brakes.

We have a common problem; maybe there's a common solution. We can hope. As I said in my earlier post, I'm hoping for a rear-mounted stand that will work with disk brakes, which take up a huge amount of space around the dropouts.

Never understood why people want them. Mst of them don't work too well, especially in windy conditions, and if there's nothing to lean the bike against I've never seen the problem with lying it down.

Yes, I had one and liked it. It supported as much weight as I could put in my Grocery Getter panniers, rear rack and front rack. My record load was 148 lbs and the kickstand supported the load as I loaded the bike and until I was able to mount my bike and get moving up the hill in lowest gear. I think only a rear-mounted kickstand would have let me get my bike upright and start moving with that much load.

My brother pointed out that that load was equivalent to Alberto Contador and his bike and I carried it 3 miles home up the hill. I didn't do anything like a TdF climbing pace, but without a rear-mounted kickstand, I would never have been able to get started. That's one of the points of loaded touring; we can carry ridiculous weights uphill as long as we don't have to carry it too far. The advantage of a rear-mounted stand is that it lets you position and center the load before you take off.

See my other post in the "Touring" section. I'm looking for a rear-mounted kickstand that works as well as a Greenfield but works around a disk brake setup.

Dip****; have you ever gone to the grocery store? How expensive is your bike that you are willing to lay it down on pavement without locking it up? Does your grocery store have a bicycle rack?

Do you have a duffel bag or panniers that can carry a loaf of bread without crushing it?

How many of these questions are rhetorical?

I'm a refugee from CL BikeFo but you seem like many of the trolls that I'm used to. If you want to lay your $XXXX bike on the ground like a 10-year-old, I got no problem with that. You don't care what the rest of the world thinks. That's obvious. The rest of the world can draw its own conclusions.

I use a double Pletscher. Once you have them trimmed to the right length they are better than a single. That's about it. Unstable ground, windy days, and uneven loads will still have to be avoided. I think it better to have them on touring or city bikes, but even the two legged ones are not entirely dependable.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b7T1Z0gDp5g/TbV9pfcwD5I/AAAAAAAABgM/xe-kH3Fu0YI/s320/IMG_0717.JPG

Marc

Dip****;

Really? Is that your usual response to someone with a different point of view?


have you ever gone to the grocery store?

Sure.


How expensive is your bike that you are willing to lay it down on pavement without locking it up?

My touring bike cost in excess of $3000. Laying it on the ground does it no harm. And the question of locking it is immaterial to this conversation. If it isn't secured to some fixed object, it can be picked up and carried away just as easily if it is standing as if it is lying down. In any event, I wouldn't leave it unattended without securing it.


Does your grocery store have a bicycle rack?

Yes, as it happens. But it's hardly relevant, since I wouldn't leave it outside without locking it to something.


Do you have a duffel bag or panniers that can carry a loaf of bread without crushing it?

I feel confident that your imagination will stretch to devising strategies that might avoid this eventuality.


How many of these questions are rhetorical?

You tell me. You seem over-excited.

Got one on the MTB as I use it with trailer for granddaughters. GF has one on her bike (MTB). But I don't want one for the road bike. Someone pointed out you can crush the chainstays if you're not too careful and over tighten. GF's bike frame is made for stand fitting but mine being a '88 Saracen doesn't so it doesn't fit as nicely as it could. Looking out for something that fits better.

I don't bother with one. I have toured places where there is nothing to lean a bike against for miles and miles, but in those cases I just lay the bike on its side.

I will add that when touring with others who use kick stands I have seen quite a few of them blow over. Funny thing is that a couple of the folks whose bikes I have seen blow over more that once will tell you that they have never had that happen.

I'm a firm advocate of the Pletscher double kickstand. Makes it much easier to fix flats and also to periodically check for road debris in the tires. Can just rock between the front and back tire as needed. One thing, if you put a kickstand on, make sure to use some loc-tite or it can come a little loose and get into the pedal crank.

I use the Click Stand with my LHT and have been happy with it. Weighs very little, folds down into a convenient size that fits in my handlebar bag, and stabilizes the bike just fine even with loaded panniers.

The Click Stand is awesome! Here's link: http://www.click-stand.com/
Some have mentioned winds, but the clickstand design is excellent in the wind.

I have one surprise surprise the sky has fallen in and my Surly Long Haul Trucker is still trucking along.

Mine is a Hebie Bipod Stand 605 NL and a retro fit stand plate 699 40 (http://www.aushiker.com/hebie-bipod-stand-605-nl-bicycle-kickstand-owner-review/). WOrks a treat for me. I particularly like how I can work on the chain etc on the road whilst the bike is on the stand.

http://www.aushiker.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/IMG_0807.jpg

Andrew

I highly recommend blue locktite on all kickstand bolts. I prefer this type of rear mounted kickstand, it seems to be the most stable for me.

243203

Can't be bothered with one, and yes uncle Ross certainly did take his grumpy pills before posting.

After my last touring bike build I've decided that kickstands are evil things. All my bikes either are been ridden or on the ground. Kickstand free.

My beater road bike though does have a kickstand, I'm too lazy to remove it and the bike itself is light with only a single pannier on it;

Can't be bothered with one, and yes uncle Ross certainly did take his grumpy pills before posting.

Understated.

Although I don't use kickstands, I do use a mini-bungee cord stretched from spoke, over DT, to another spoke, to immobilize front wheel / bike - my low budget version of a Flickstand. Also string/cord to lock brake lever.

yes uncle Ross certainly did take his grumpy pills before posting. I think it's more likely he forgot to take his meds.

Yer missin the point, son. You have to actually kick the stand in the down position before you try to lay the bike over onto it.

Nope. Not missing the point. A gust of wind, soft dirt, wheel turned the wrong way, set on a slight slope, etc. will often end up with the bike on the ground. Not worth the trouble.

Using a kickstand, like many bike related decisions is personal preference. My preference is not to use one.

I use one on my old shopping basket/baby carrying mtb converted to cargo bike. On my exercise bike its just extra weight for no real gain.

Cycco, by gum I rekin that THulsa done pulled yur leg reel gud an y'all dint notis.

Has anyone used a Greenfield rear kickstand? Feedback please.

I use 'em on my road bikes and love 'em. They are "out of the way" but add a bit of weight (like all kick stands). I like being able to
park my bikes without having to lean them on something...