The only bikes I own without kickstands are the ones I haven't gotten to putting them on yet. I find that I often stop where there is nothing to prop up against. I do not like laying the bike down. I have found that if the stand is not holding the bike, or there is a problem while it is up and I am riding, something is not right with it. Either it is damaged or installed incorrectly. The one instance I have found that my kickstand will fail installed correctly in working order is when my panniers are packed on the back. Even then, as long as I make sure to balance it correctly first, the kickstand will work.