beatnik0422

So I'm sitting at my desk at work when I get a text from my wife. "I've got a surprise for you!!!" she writes. Not wanting to seem extremely busy (which I was) and uninterested, I write back that I'm teeming with anticipation. Apparently she was so excited that she drove up to where I work to bequeath me with this gift.

She walks up to my cube, beaming, and hands me a bag. Inside is a kickstand.

I just bought a new bike and, yes, sometimes it'd be nice to have a kickstand, but, truth be told, I don't want to put a kickstand on my bike. It's not a weight thing. It's an I-don't-want-to-scratch-the-frame thing.

I really don't want to crush her spirit and tell her there's no way I'm putting that thing on my bike, but I really don't want to.

I might just use it because it will come in handy and she'll have the satisfaction of knowing she bought me a well thought out gift.

Do most of you put kickstands on your bikes? And if you have, does it scratch the frame pretty good?

Raiden

What kind of bike is it? With any luck, you've got a track-style fixed-gear with no room in which to install the kickstand between the bottom bracket and rear wheel

Edit: It doesn't do TOO much damage on initial installation, but over the years sometimes they'll move around just a little and really grind some paint. I've only ever put kickstands on scuzzy utility bikes, and experimented with them on touring bikes (and found them lacking).

What kind of kickstand, though? One of those cheap Greenfields that fits between the chainstays?

TejanoTrackie 

Bolt-on kickstands are pretty useless, since your bike can fall over pretty easily and they can break if you put any weight on them, so I don't use them. The only kickstands that are worth having are the massive built-in steel ones like I've got on my old 46 pound Schwinn Speedster.

beatnik0422

I've got an Origin8 Uno. It's not the most expensive bike out there, but it rides like a champ. I love it.

The kickstand is a Greenfield.

wroomwroomoops

^^^That, by TejanoTrackie,

or this:

LupinIII

eh, it'll scratch up an area you won't really be able to see, I wouldn't worry about that

If you really don't want to put it on, just say it won't fit on your frame. it may be bs, but say the chainstays are too thin to be clamped if it's obvious there's plenty of clearance for it.

beatnik0422

I wouldn't mind a kickstand like that. Aside from being an eyesore, the Greenfield also doesn't look very sturdy.
Now I just need to convince my wife that I really do appreciate the thought, but she needs to go back to the drawing board.

wroomwroomoops - that Sunlite Double Kickstand looks like it will do the job.

wroomwroomoops

Glad I could help. Especially when your family peace is at stake
Do try to be gracious about her present, though; a year from now you'll be so glad you were.

destikon

There's the perfect reason to get a bar/beach cruiser or something. You need to put a bike on that kickstand. Same thing happened to me with a handlebar mirror. I just said "yeah, uh great". I think it's still on the floor in my garage.

Doohickie

I have kickstands on most of my bikes and frankly, I think the convenience of having it far outweighs the downsides. The one bike I have that doesn't have a kickstand accidentally falls over far more often than the ones with kickstands. If you want to protect the frame, wrap it in old handlebar tape or something where the kickstand bolts on.

Leukybear 

I only have 1 bike with a kickstand and that's on a 80's schwinn..... the scratching caused by a bike stand depends on its design..... my schwinn has one of those nice spring loaded cut to fit your bike kickstands and it remains scratch less around the kick stand area... its design with a rigid independent spring housing assembly helps absorb the force when using the kickstand in addition you don't even have to use much force to engage and disengage the kickstand since its spring loaded.... just keep any kickstand properly secured as that definitely helps prevent potential scratch causing play between the kickstand and frame.

Grivooga

I really don't care what you do with your bike but I don't think there will ever be kickstands on any of my bikes.

I guess it could be useful sometimes. If it wouldn't look totally out of place I wouldn't mind one on my fixed because that's my around-town city bike. It would just look so out of place though. Bikes still fall over frequently with them so I'm not seeing how they're all that great to have in the first place.

Kickstands just don't seem to belong on any bike with drop bars or suspension. You could not pay me (well you could but it would be a bunch) to put a kickstand on my mtb. I've seen a few wally-world mtbs with the kickstand wrapped into the rear wheel.

ro-monster

I love having kickstands on my bikes. To keep them from scratching the frame I cut a small length of clear vinyl tubing, slit it lengthwise, and wrap it around the frame under the kickstand's clamp. Works beautifully.

mihlbach

Return the favor by giving her one of these...

hairnet

Nevaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar

xB_Nutt

Tough situation. That's why my wife gives me gift cards to the LBS. I would just be upfront with her and explain you really appreciate the thought, but don't really want to put a kickstand on your fixed gear. Try to use some kind of a make-up /hair tool analogy.

Leukybear 

I LOL'd

CB HI

I don't want kick stands on my bikes, but that kickstand would get put on (using the vinyl tubing idea).

Be smart and put the kickstand on.

Retro Grouch 

You're just doomed. Anything that you can do is wrong.

If you install the kickstand you'll kick yourself every time that you look at your previously spiffy new bike. There's also mega hen pecking points involved here.

If you don't use the kickstand, your wife will be utterly crushed because she tried so hard to please you and failed. Also - no sex.

If Shakespere were alive today he could write a tragedy about your situation.

Good luck! I have a feeling you're going to need it.

Derreck

I would put it on. My wife is more awesome than any other person who would be looking at my bike and scoffing because of scratches or a kickstand (including me).

bkowa092

I can't believe some of these responses. I know riding a fixed gear is about style to a lot of people on here, but come on.

Your wife bought you a gift that she thought you would enjoy; just use it. You don't want her to feel like you rejected a gift that she put thought into. No amount of "hipster points" is worth making your wife feel bad.

Brian

My fiance' got me a Windsor Hour. No kickstand yet, and she lets me keep my bikes in the spare lounge room.

badonis

I hope your wife isn't on BikeForums.

Raiden

The man's got a point.

JacoKierkegaard

I don't go for kickstands myself, but in this case you definitely don't want to insult the wife. Wrap the chainstay in something like a section of old tube to protect the frame and put it on for her, at least for a while.