mtn_cyclist

Kickstands clamp on and put stresses on parts of a bike that aren't meant to have it. I think using a kickstand is a great way to damage a bike frame. No kickstands for me.

blue192

I ride daily, even though I only use a kickstand outside my house whem placing all the gear on the frame (lights/panniers/etc) I like having it on there.

rydabent

+1 I think you have an excellent point here.

If I were to use one, it would be the kind that get clamped on by the quick release on the rear wheel.

Robert C

I have, and use, a kickstand on my commuter/utility bike. However, my "fun" bikes don't have them.

packitin

No, never have needed one. I will not place anything on my 18 lb bike that adds any weight.

Scarbo

Yes. I have Greenfield KS3 kickstands on two steel vintage bikes that I now have and I love them. They ain't gonna hurt a steel frame. Would I put one on my CF bike? Uh, no.

Gresp15C

I believe the older, less fancy steel frames were probably OK, and those are the bikes that I've put kickstands onto. I put some rubber in between the kickstand and the frame, and don't torque it super hard. I've never seen a dented frame from a kickstand.

So it's definitely a case of using your best judgment about what you can install on any particular frame. But I also think mainstream bikes are a lot less delicate than people tend to think. On the other hand, a bike that's too delicate to accommodate a kickstand, may also be too delicate to park anywhere.

Roadwanderer

My old steel Univega Safari has a kickstand. I don't know if it's original equipment, but it is bolted to a portion of the frame that appears to exist for that purpose.

Someone said earlier something to the effect of "people who ride a lot don't use kickstands, people who don't ride a lot do." I think this is generally correct. You ride from your garage to a place with a bike rack and you're not going to be using your kickstand a lot.

However, I stop in open areas with no suitable bike stand often enough that I'd much prefer my kickstand than to be without one. I have an aversion to laying my bike on the ground for a number of reasons, several of which involve my reluctance to risk accidentally scuffing my bike up for no reason.

My general philosophy on equipment is it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Especially if I'm not putting myself out by having it.

wjjones

Three bike, two with kickstands. When I can figure a way to install one on my Surly Cross Check, I will.

kickstart

I could counter that with "2 wheel vehicles have kickstands, 2 wheel toys don't".

Its really a matter of perspective, to me a bicycle is transportation that can be used for recreation, to others a bicycle is sports equipment that can be used for transportation.

Mark Stone

My locks hold the bike up.

Wileyrat

I haven't used a kickstand since I was a kid riding gas pipe bikes in the early 70's. I bought a bike with a Reynolds frame in 73, and that was the end of kickstands for me.

wipekitty

Kickstands: Road bikes, no; commuter bike, no; utility/winter bike, yes; cruiser, yes.

13 years ago, I was very pro-kickstand. I was also riding a beat up mountain bike everywhere, mainly because I was in grad school and couldn't afford parking at my university, not because I actually enjoyed cycling.

thumpism 

Yes, different styles on different bikes. Did not use one on my only fast bike (since departed) but do on all the others. I use traditional center-mounts on a couple, rear axle stands on a couple more, and an ESGE Twinn on a touring bike after discovering that front panniers in addition to rear panniers adversely affect the ability of the first two types of stands to reliably keep the bike upright. The Twinn works fine for that and it's more than twice the weight of a "normal" kickstand but its function proves its worth.

Back in my shop days when people asked about the weight of stuff like that I always told them, "It's not the additional weight, it's what that weight does for you." Don't like kickstands? Fine, don't use one. Don't like fenders and lights? Fine, don't use them. Don't want a rack or a pump or a seat bag on your bike? Same answer.

Incidentally, in every shop I ever worked in kickstands were a profit center and they were never given away, not "thrown in" on a sale. Bikes rarely included them unless it was a Varsity built-in type or a Fuji Cambridge rear axle type that was specifically designed for it.

vol

I always used kickstand (they usually came with the bike), but the new bike didn't come with one. After buying and returning two kickstands that didn't fit and seeing that they are all heavy, I'm settled without one now. The next thing to consider is whether to have a rear rack.

Roadwanderer

That's actually an interesting point, and I don't actually know where I'd fall on that spectrum. I'd guess somewhere right in the middle. I love riding my bike for fun, but I insist on fenders, chain guards, baskets/paniers/etc and other things to make it a useful vehicle. I use it as a car replacement whenever I can, but it's mainly because I just really like riding.

canklecat

I took the chainstay crusher off my heavy comfort hybrid errand bike. It never held right, was too heavy, just a slapped on generic thing not really designed for that bike. I'd like to have a good stand for it, especially when it's loaded down with groceries or whatever. But the original kickstand was useless.

But my pre-owned '92 Univega came with a well designed kickstand with a stamped metal clamp that attaches to both the chain stay and seat stay so it doesn't damage the frame. It's still not particularly stable but it doesn't weigh much and works well enough on an unladen bike.

AdvXtrm

That looks really interesting. I wonder if there are any aftermarket versions that can fit on more bikes?

kickstart

Yes, I too insist on having my bikes fully equipped, no stripped down racing bikes for me. But that doesn't mean I shun recreational riding, on the contrary I'm great at finding reasons to make unnecessary trips simply for the joy of riding.

Roadwanderer

Heh. Me too. In fact, I'll jump at a chance to go to the store if my wife has forgotten something. She lets me because it somehow takes me a comparable amount of time to her driving there herself.

biggus duckus

Pletscher double kickstand is rad and I will always promote it when I get a chance.

RhythmRider

I have this on my bike....although I rarely use it...but it's nice to have when you need it

Billyensign

2 Yes
1 No

Pops1959

Always have used a kickstand, always will.

fietsbob

My Koga WTR, a world touring bike has 2, one under the left low rider rack

for holding the front wheel steady.


My Race bike has none, Different tools, horses for courses.





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