I just removed my Pletscher. It's been a mixed bag for me. I like having a kickstand, and the Pletcher was more stable then a regular, center-mounted kickstand, but still not 100% stable, especially when the bike was loaded up. It would occasionally topple, and during one fall the kickstand got very loose and appears to have slightly dented the chainstay in spite of my care not to overtighten.



I took mine off the other day when I got my Click Stand. I can see the value of the Click Stand when touring, but it certainly lacks the ease-of-use of a dedicated kickstand. Although I did heft the Pletsher in one hand and the Click-Stand in the other, and I got a real feel for how much weight that two-legged stand adds. Given that it is still unstable on uneven ground or when the bike is loaded up, and given that I sometimes have it loaded with too much for the kickstand even when not on tour (not to mention the problem of lifting a fully loaded bike to engage the kickstand), I may be done with the Pletscher stand, at least on this bike.


I have also tried the Pletscher REAR Multi ZOOM Kickstand (http://www.thorusa.com/accessories/pletscher.htm). It worked. I can't remember if I had any spokes in the holder or not at the time, which might interefere with the installation. It didn't stay on for a long time, as it was slated for another bike. It suffered from the same problem as other, single-legged kickstands in that if the bike wasn't on a level surface, it could wander. The Click Stand has this problem as well, and it's solved by locking your brakes closed with an elastic band. The rear-mounted kickstand was definitely more stable than a center-mounted, single-leg kickstand, though, and it might be an option for you. I may put it back on my bike for commuting and use the Click-Stand for touring. In my daily commute, the most useful piece of the Click-Stand is the elastic bands the keep the brakes engaged and enable me to lean the bike against anything, including the Click-Stand, without the bike rolling.