Kickstands

[dogman dan]

I used two stands on my commuter bikes for years. front and back. But really loaded cargo bikes needed a two legged center stand.

 

[DogDipstick]

Eleek makes one hell of a kickstand.


https://eleek.com.ua/en/item/kickstand_pozitiffmd/

 

[E-HP]

OK, the plastic foot broke this morning, so the thing lasted 6 months. I'm glad I have a bunch of good ones to choose from the ones suggested !

 

[markz]

I love watching these types of shows.
I watched the entirety of this one, those guys put such heavy loads on their bicycles, wear through tubes and tires like butter and fly down hills packed with goods perfectly balanced with no way to brake. I noticed in a few spots that the slum bike mechanics installed rebar kickstands for the The Racing Cyclists of Burundi Africa.



[youtube]C_gQiOoUwfk[/youtube]

 

[E-HP]

I noticed in a few spots that the slum bike mechanics installed rebar kickstands for the The Racing Cyclists of Burundi Africa.

LOL, that's funny because I just started watching this series on YouTube last weekend. One with the buses on the side of a mountain.

The new center stand kickstand is great. I should have got one a long time ago. I folds up firmly, so no jiggling on bumps. I haven't tried it yet on uneven surfaces, so no final verdict, but it works great on flat ground.

EDIT: OK, final verdict is it's great on level surfaces, and less stable on anything not level. The surface can be loose, as long as it's level. Using it around town should be great though.

 

[markz]

Take a look at this kickstand on a Rad Power Wagon.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=112408#p1663079

 

[MoneyPit]

Ursus Jumbo was mentioned as the best aftermarket center stand, and it is. I put one onto a cargo bike build and its great.

For a middle-of-the-road solution in a side stand, there is the Portland Design Works stand. they are definitely a step up from the Chinesium stuff from Amazon

https://ridepdw.com/products/power-stance-kickstand

If you want to get serious, get an ESGE/Pletscher Flex stand. Good for 110 lbs and they are beefy suckers. I used to get them cheap from Germany and Rose Bikes. Amazon has them now in 3 of their 4 versions - center mount and two different stay bolt-ons. the one that is really neat is this one that wedges onto the chain and seat stays.

https://www.rosebikes.com/pletscher-multi-flex-rear-mount-kickstand-2656044?product_shape=black&article_size=Standard

I have I think three of them on various bikes. They are at least twice as thick as a regular kickstand.

 

[E-HP]

https://www.rosebikes.com/pletscher-multi-flex-rear-mount-kickstand-2656044?product_shape=black&article_size=Standard

I have I think three of them on various bikes. They are at least twice as thick as a regular kickstand.

It looks beefier, but I'm hesitant about any adjustable stands now, since that seems to be the weak point on most of them.

I ran down to the garage last night to check out my bike, after we had a 3.9 earthquake. Not big on the scale, and a good rock and roll for a few seconds. New center stand held up, so it passed one test. :thumb:

 

[MoneyPit]

It looks beefier, but I'm hesitant about any adjustable stands now, since that seems to be the weak point on most of them.

Well, the Pletschers are serious with respect to sturdiness. The adjustability is rock-solid, which is kind of to be expected I guess seeing as its a Swiss design and company. The PDW stand is pretty sturdy too but its nothing like the Pletscher.

This bike uses one of them as well. Its right up there near the official limit of what the stand can support, counting the panniers and the crap I have inside of them, and I often throw another set on the front rack. No issues. You can see the sleeving that makes it adjustable a little better here (open the image in a new window... its huge). In back is, I believe, an M4 grub screw and it locks into a pretty substantial shelf.

 

[E-HP]

Well, the Pletschers are serious with respect to sturdiness. The adjustability is rock-solid, which is kind of to be expected I guess seeing as its a Swiss design and company. The PDW stand is pretty sturdy too but its nothing like the Pletscher.

Looking closely at the pics on Amazon, and specifically at the silver version, it looks like the extension piece that makes is adjustable, is made of aluminum. Is that the case? That by itself would eliminate the breakage problem of the cheap ones with plastic feet/extensions.

 

[MoneyPit]

Looking closely at the pics on Amazon, and specifically at the silver version, it looks like the extension piece that makes is adjustable, is made of aluminum. Is that the case?

Yup its all metal. The thing is rated for 50 kg so it has to be beefy. I dug up some old pics from when I got my first one back in 2017. In the pic where its lined up against two others, I actually have those two attached to the bike and I was using a dual stand (which worked great). The single Pletscher has taken the place of everything else since then on every bike I have built that can use one.

And lo and behold I snapped a pic of the back of the stand showing the adjustment mech. Big pictures so open them in a new window to embiggen.

 

[E-HP]

Yup its all metal. The thing is rated for 50 kg so it has to be beefy. I dug up some old pics from when I got my first one back in 2017. In the pic where its lined up against two others, I actually have those two attached to the bike and I was using a dual stand (which worked great). The single Pletscher has taken the place of everything else since then on every bike I have built that can use one.

I'm sold.
Now I just need to decide whether to just order it, or wait for my new center stand to break (or just have two kickstands).

 

[LewTwo]

I note that most of these do not "play nice" with round chainstays. I have been considering using resin and fiberglass to add a "tab" to the chain stay.

 

[Chalo]

I note that most of these do not "play nice" with round chainstays. I have been considering using resin and fiberglass to add a "tab" to the chain stay.

Greenfield rear kickstands work great with round stays, as long as they're not too large in diameter.

 

[LewTwo]

Greenfield rear kickstands work great with round stays, as long as they're not too large in diameter.

LOL ... I have just the opposite problem:
>>> image removed <<<
Despite the 'second leg' it still twists on the chain stay.

Minoura SL-27 Smart Leg Kickstand (not so smart IMHO).
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UUNUV6
... and I likely paid too much for it.

 

[LewTwo]

Greenfield rear kickstands work great with round stays, as long as they're not too large in diameter.

Hard to go wrong with Chalo's advice and Amazon warehouse had one for $10.
I do note that they use cross/slotted head screws. May replace those with proper hex socket heads.

In the "before" picture, that thing at the bottom is a laminated wood block I had started to carry around to keep the bike from falling over.

Chalo: Have you ever used that spare hole in the bracket ?

 

[Chalo]

Greenfield rear kickstands work great with round stays, as long as they're not too large in diameter.

Chalo: Have you ever used that spare hole in the bracket ?
Kickstand bracket(640).JPG

Once in a while I use it, but only when the seat stay blocks the lower hole.