Kickstand

[groberts]

Can anyone recommend a good kickstand for my wife's Dawes KaraKum? She currently has a standard, single propstand but these are rather flimsy and as her bike is often loaded - either touring or shopping - I'm thinking a double leg stand would be better but don't have any experience of them. Thanks.

[Brucey]

the problem here is that the load is passed through to the chainstays, just where they see most stress anyway. Even if you get a stand which has a high load rating and is good quality (to find both is tricky) there is no guarantee that the frame will take the treatment.

A sensible approach is to think of a kind of dutchbike kind of stand, which swings down from the rear wheel tracknuts. Even these are not bombproof but if/when they fail it is only a £15-20 carrier/stand that breaks, not the frameset.

There are a few stands listed in SJS which are worth a look.http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/propstands-dept320_pg1/#page= IIRC they list the load rating of each stand in some cases. There is no guarantee that the frame will not be damaged even at the rated load of the stand.

e.g. a typical twin leg stand listing reads

" 600g, folds away to one side when not in use. NOTE>> Voids Thorn frame warranty, may crush chainstays if overtightened or the bike is heavily loaded or leaned on.

Maximum load including bicycle 18kg"

cheers

[Elizabethsdad]

sounds like a double leg prop stand is required I got one from Halfords to go on my Carera Subway 8

[honesty]

I've seen good things about click stands. http://www.click-stand.com/Home_Page.html

[townbikemark]

sounds like a double leg prop stand is required I got one from Halfords to go on my Carera Subway 8

yep, got one for my 20kg Kettler - works well

[Mistik-ka]

I've seen good things about click stands. http://www.click-stand.com/Home_Page.html

Click stands are well-made and very light weight, but for errands around town with a lot of on-and-off the bike, they're fussy to deploy and fold. We use one on our tandem where I have a stoker to hold the bike upright while I deal with the Click stand . Around town and on my solo bike I much prefer a double-leg kickstand — heavier weight, but heavier duty too.

[RickH]

IF your frame will take it/ you're willing to risk it, the Pletcher 2 leg stands are good - both legs fold to the non-drive side. I've got one on the tandem but that came with a nutted plate welded across the chainstays in the right place.

Should this be something more manufacturers should consider on touring (& other) frames? Are there any disadvantages, apart from possibly a few grams, to having a plate instead of a small tube between the stays behind the BB?

Rick.

[Brucey]

I must say I think the Pletscher stands are pretty well made. I'm just not 100% convinced by the concept.

I spent my pocket money on a single-legged one in 1970-something and when it moved (usually when it was folded up) I tightened it a little more. Then I noticed that I was crushing my chainstays in easy stages.... so off it came. The frame was never quite the same again.

Many twin-legged stands (with two pivots) have a kind of bevel gear mechanism in them so that the right leg goes up and down with the left one. I have seen this fail in some stands (not Pletscher ones), so they are not all created equal.

I think the welded plate on the chainstays is a good idea on a utility bike but I'm not so keen on it for a lightweight. Even on a utility bike the stand going up and down (plus the loads from the bike) can eventually reshape the mounting plate so that the stand will work loose ever after. It is a rust trap too; powder coated frames are not well coated in the nooks and corners thereabouts. I think that a different mounting (possibly with two bolts, not one) would be an improvement.

For a single-legged stand, for use with a rear loaded bike, maybe one that clamps to the chainstay and seat stay near the rear hub is worth a look?

cheers