Tandem kickstand
#1
Bike-train
Thread Starter
Tandem kickstand
I need a kickstand for my tandem; and it needs to be one that can handle some pressure. I have a trailer with my three year old in it. My stoker is my six year old. Currently I try to fine something to lean the bike against but I have broken one mirror already and had my son crash on top to it once as well. What stand do you recommend?

Introductory tandem ride.

Introductory tandem ride.
#2
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For that rig I recommend a Pletscher (Esge) double leg kickstand. It isn't going to hold up a child stoker though! Nothing can do that. Not even an Ursus Jumbo (sp). They do best with a static load with a low center of gravity. The Esge is elegant and cool though and much stronger than it looks. We have abused ours badly and it still does for us.
#3
Bike-train
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I don't plan on having my child stoker on the bike while it is on the kickstand. I do plan on trying to get my three-year old out of the trailer while it is on the kick stand. Would you recommend the Pletcher over the Ursus? The Ursus appears to have a bigger profile that would be touching the ground. Which does better on grass or gravel? I ride 90% of the time on paved trails; but I am planning a 80 mile gravel ride with the boys this summer.
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Or consider a Click-Stand (Click-Stand Home Page)
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I don't plan on having my child stoker on the bike while it is on the kickstand. I do plan on trying to get my three-year old out of the trailer while it is on the kick stand. Would you recommend the Pletcher over the Ursus? The Ursus appears to have a bigger profile that would be touching the ground. Which does better on grass or gravel? I ride 90% of the time on paved trails; but I am planning a 80 mile gravel ride with the boys this summer.
#6
Full Member
The click stand is a great light weight option to hold up the bike but I would have second thoughts about using It in the scenario the OP stated. Loading and unloading a kid trailer will undoubtedly result in the trailer moving the bike forward, backwards , and/or sideways. I would not trust it to reliably stay in place.
it’s a great option for a stand, and one that is easily shared between multiple bikes in your stable, but I would not trust it if I were looking to do what the OP does.
it’s a great option for a stand, and one that is easily shared between multiple bikes in your stable, but I would not trust it if I were looking to do what the OP does.
#7
Junior Member
I don't plan on having my child stoker on the bike while it is on the kickstand. I do plan on trying to get my three-year old out of the trailer while it is on the kick stand. Would you recommend the Pletcher over the Ursus? The Ursus appears to have a bigger profile that would be touching the ground. Which does better on grass or gravel? I ride 90% of the time on paved trails; but I am planning a 80 mile gravel ride with the boys this summer.
If you read the reviews on the Ursus Jumbo you will see the second reviewer Peter Moskos talks about his tandem and how the Pletscher was a no go and the Ursus was the best for him. Not to mention the review from Paul Walker (an avid e-biker who actively buys and destroys lots of bike parts and shares his experience in many online forums) also gave it a hearty thumbs up.
If you decide on the Ursus Jumbo I think you might even find a lower price with a bit of googling around.
Just be aware they appear to make 2 lengths: a 275mm and a 300mm version. Looks like the 275 is for 26inch bikes or with BB height <275mm off the ground. And the 300 is for 700c bikes or with BB height >275mm off the ground.
More info here: https://ursus.it/shop/urban-city/kickstands/jumbo-80/
And other kickstands here: https://ursus.it/products/urban-city/kickstands/
Last edited by unikid; 01-19-22 at 03:58 PM. Reason: correction/addition
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I don't have experience with either of the above, but have been happy with the Velo Orange Porteur Double Kickstand on our tandem. I wouldn't trust it to a squirming kid, but I do routinely sit on the back of mine while it's on this stand. Not while riding, more that I often want to sit where I happen to store the bike.
https://velo-orange.com/products/por...uble-kickstand
https://velo-orange.com/products/por...uble-kickstand
#9
Bike-train
Thread Starter
I looked at the click-stand, but I fear that my bike will be shifted enough when loading and unloading that it would still fall. I looked at Velo Orange on Amazon and the reviews seam to be hit or miss. I think I am just going to go with the Ursus Jumbo. It’s expensive; but hopefully by buying the quality item to start with, I will hopefully save my self any more headaches and another broken handlebar mirrors.
#11
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I strongly recommend a Velcro strap to prevent the front wheel from either rotating or turning (much) side to side. That, one solid object, and careful process, cover a lot.
My procedure as family lead stoker on our double-double was:
Stop short of a tree or pole that was solid.
Walk forward, precisely aligned for small tilt, right next to the pole at my seat position.
Tell the 5-year old to climb down from the kid back stoker of the tandem.
Securely Velcro the fron wheel to the downtube.
Swing leg off the tandem. Lean it gently against the pole or tree.
Walk hands along the bike back to the tandem-trail-a-bike, front seat. Unbuckle the seat-back strap holding the 3-year old, lift her into the ground.
Walk hands back the the child seat on seatpost mount. Unbuckle and lift down the 1 year old.
Walk to front of bike, unhook panniers with diaper bag, picnic blanket, lunch, and IPA.
Feed kids, drink IPA as they play in the park.
Reverse above.
Ride home 10 miles.
Survived another Saturday.
My procedure as family lead stoker on our double-double was:
Stop short of a tree or pole that was solid.
Walk forward, precisely aligned for small tilt, right next to the pole at my seat position.
Tell the 5-year old to climb down from the kid back stoker of the tandem.
Securely Velcro the fron wheel to the downtube.
Swing leg off the tandem. Lean it gently against the pole or tree.
Walk hands along the bike back to the tandem-trail-a-bike, front seat. Unbuckle the seat-back strap holding the 3-year old, lift her into the ground.
Walk hands back the the child seat on seatpost mount. Unbuckle and lift down the 1 year old.
Walk to front of bike, unhook panniers with diaper bag, picnic blanket, lunch, and IPA.
Feed kids, drink IPA as they play in the park.
Reverse above.
Ride home 10 miles.
Survived another Saturday.
#12
Full Member

The double-double.
Front wheel not able to swing or rotate, it could lean against post, fence, or wall, and stay up enough that I could get the kids off the back.
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#15
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I love the click-stand but as mentioned in an earlier post, the band for the brake is a necessity.
#16
Bike-train
Thread Starter
So I bought the Ursus Jumbo. Put it on and it does a great job of holding up the tandem.

Yeah, it's heavy. but it's holding up my tandem as I am putting my son in and out of the trailer so it has to have some weight to it. I haven't been stabilizing the front tire; but I think that I am going to start doing that.

Yeah, it's heavy. but it's holding up my tandem as I am putting my son in and out of the trailer so it has to have some weight to it. I haven't been stabilizing the front tire; but I think that I am going to start doing that.
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We have TWO Ursus Jumbos on our steel framed S&S coupled handicap assisting tandem ebike which I designed.
Rear stand holds ridiculously heavy assembled bike, gear, and even wife during rests or fittings. Also rear half when decoupled.
Front stand holds front half of decoupled bike during each rides' assembly and disassembly necessary for transport.
These stands are absolutely necessary and also remarkably bombproof. I rebuilt the rear stand after grinding away some cast metal to get the retracted legs to swing higher for ground clearance.
Bombproof steel plate mounts and heavy hex bolts as well. Killed a couple of cheap stands before going with the Ursus.
The front stand in photo since replaced with second Ursus Jumbo.

bike during asssembly (handlebars rotated down for transport)

Photo during fitout. Here is the kickstand mount our builder machined from steel plate and brazed.
He also brazed a 5/8" solid steel rod vertically through the bottom tube, drilled out for the through bolt so it does not squish the frame.
Think about cantilevering 105# of bike and gear, plus handicapped 135# stoker during pedal tests, from this one point.
He made it bombproof. Added a second mount to front half of bike later.
Rear stand holds ridiculously heavy assembled bike, gear, and even wife during rests or fittings. Also rear half when decoupled.
Front stand holds front half of decoupled bike during each rides' assembly and disassembly necessary for transport.
These stands are absolutely necessary and also remarkably bombproof. I rebuilt the rear stand after grinding away some cast metal to get the retracted legs to swing higher for ground clearance.
Bombproof steel plate mounts and heavy hex bolts as well. Killed a couple of cheap stands before going with the Ursus.
The front stand in photo since replaced with second Ursus Jumbo.

bike during asssembly (handlebars rotated down for transport)

Photo during fitout. Here is the kickstand mount our builder machined from steel plate and brazed.
He also brazed a 5/8" solid steel rod vertically through the bottom tube, drilled out for the through bolt so it does not squish the frame.
Think about cantilevering 105# of bike and gear, plus handicapped 135# stoker during pedal tests, from this one point.
He made it bombproof. Added a second mount to front half of bike later.
Last edited by RoulezTandem; 02-24-23 at 09:17 PM.