Is anyone using a double kickstand on their folder and do they have any recommendations? The only one I've really seen out there is the Pletscher. I have a single kickstand on my Xootr Swift, but once I start loading more than a few light items on the bike, the kickstand becomes pretty useless.

will this work ? https://www.amazon.com/Action-655-100.../dp/B002ZFH696

Where is the load and where is the current Kickstand?
When I've had panniers on a rear rack, a single adjustable length kickstand mounted near the rear axle has seemed to work OK.

I have one of these and it's well made. Stable enough to support heavy touring panniers on my Swift. It doesn't come with a top plate though, you'll need one for mounting on a Swift. I canabalized one from an old Greenfield stand.

I have been using a Pletscher with my New World Tourist that I tend to load heavily. When I fold or unfold the kickstand, I lift the bike's front a bit, to take the load off the kickstand. Also, I had to file that kickstand a bit, so that it would not rub against the tire. Otherwise, it has been serving me fine.

I am in the process of exploring some double leg kickstand options for my own Raleigh Twenty. I had a bike shop order one for me. If it fits-great. If not, then they will try something else. I think that way will work well for me as I only pay for the one kickstand that will work on my almost forty year old folder.

Ooh, that's great to hear you've got one and are using it on a Swift! Certainly cheaper than a Pletscher. I think I read in some other forum that steel is a preferable material for a double-kickstand? Don't remember why. Besides needing a top plate, are there any other gotchas? What setting do you have your kickstand on? (Says it's adjustable to fit 24"/26"/700c.) The leg spread doesn't seem as wide as on other double-kickstands I've seen--is that a problem?

You are one smart shopper, Folder Fanatic! Keep us posted on your findings. Thanks!

No personal experience with them but Hebie kickstands look good:

https://www.hebie.de/Stands.4.0.html?&L=1

Don't be fooled by the use of double legged kickstands on motorcycles because the pedaling action compromises their use for most regular bicycles. In my opinion double legged kickstands for bicycles aren't as stable as single leg kickstands because:
1. They're often mounted lower. Single leg kickstands are often mounted on the chainstays as opposed to below the bottom bracket.
2. They aren't as wide. Think about it, for a given stand length leaning the bike will always give a wider stance.

Also, most often the way a bike falls over is the front fork turns sideways and the wheel rolls. So if you're not satisfied with your kickstand I recommend (in order of priority):
1. A strap to lock the front brake.
2. A strap to keep the front fork from turning.
3. A higher mounting kickstand...the ultimate being something which holds the bike at the top like a "clickstand" brand kickstand.

Love my pletscher. Installed one on one of my recumbents (a great bike to go bike touring with), and I love the fact that it swings up and out of the way out of the chain drive line. Cost a bit of money, plus I had to cannabalize some tubes to make some support plates for them, but I love the result.

My dahon curve d3 has a standard dual kickstand. Seems to work just fine, but it does tend to rattle a bit as I ride, and I might be concerned about clearance with the chain. YMMV.

Hi Chucky, thanks for your suggestions. For #1, I'm assuming it's a strap that squeezes the front brake lever against the handlebars to engage the brake, like the "brake bands" pictured on the clickstand site, correct? For #2, I'm not quite picturing where the strap would go to secure the front fork. A clickstand could be an interesting option. Are you using one?

Yeah by "brake strap" I just mean something to squeeze the brake lever. I prefer a strip of velcro to the rubber band things usually marketed for this purpose because:
1. a velcro strip doesn't have any flex and you can adjust the tightness to make it as tight as you want.
2. when not in use you can wrap the velcro strip around the handlebar (under the lever for quick deployment) whereas a rubber band is always dangling unless you find something else to stretch it over.
3. I seem to have lots of velcro strip/loops in my parts box from lights and various other cycle accessories. Recycling is good.

For the front fork you can just wrap a bungee cord through the wheel and over the main tube (or the headtube). It really depends on the frame and what's there to tie the wheel to in order to keep the handlebars from turning. I suggest a bungee cord because you're probably carrying one anyway and fork/wheel doesn't need to be perfectly rigid to make it stable.

I haven't used a clickstand, but a lot of people recommend it and based on my experiments trying to get a kick stand to hold my body weight I believe it is the ideal design. I mean, think about it, if you needed to keep the leaning tower of pisa from falling over would you brace it from the bottom or the top?

However, I also think the clickstand is overkill for your purposes and too much hassle for a folder. With a brake strap my chain stay mount kickstand can hold my folder up with over 50 pounds of cargo in the milk crate I have bungied to the back. Much more than that and I need to use something more rigid than bungies to attach the crate and if I'm going through the trouble to do that then I don't mind finding a sturdy wall to supplement the stand.

i've tried the Pletscher double on a Twenty





i did not cut the legs yet as im not sure if i'd leave it on this bike permanently so it ooks funny on the pic. i think its more stable and probably less chance to pinch the chainstays

OT, but that is truly a great picture! I love the angles, the interplay of light and shadow, the satured colors, the blue tones, etc. Are you a hobbyist or professional photographer per chance?

And the jaunty angle of the R20 is great--it seems alive!

I like your pic so much that it is now the desktop wallpaper on one of my monitors.

thanks




heres another one for you

Great use of shadow and depth of field... maybe I should have you come photograph my bikes!

The Pletscher is the way to go .... (of course ..........as I sell them, meaning I am not at all biased, not one bit )
The way it swings over to one side is pretty nice.... also its MUCH wider than all the others and has a much better stand.
for our beloved 20 inchers its nicer to cut the legs ( and than add a couple shoes to the stand as well )
They all come with top plates ... we have deluxe top plates as well, and of course a short allen bolt if you already have a braze on plate on the bike ( you need to ask for one in order for us to ship an extra bolt )

Thor

I got a Plescher or my NWT. I really like it for a very light load (and bike cleaning and adjustments), but for fully loaded bike, I can't lift it up high enough to put it the kickstand.

I installed a litepro double kickstand on bickerton junction 1808. The height of the kickstand is just right for the 20 inch folding bike.

The Raleigh 20 looks great..!

In the Philippines. Litepro has a double kickstand with adjustable legs.