It’s funny, my whole life I have grown up only with bicycles that had kickstands, and never even knew there was a whole different side to the story.
It turns out that there is a whole case against bikes that had kickstands. However you are here because you want to know why a bike needs a kickstand!
Well according to my years of having bikes that have kickstands, I can say they are awesome for keeping your bike upright anywhere you need, and they are also great for making it easier start bicycling again after taking a break!
Let’s go a little more in depth to all the reasons bikes need kickstands, and then see about why kickstands may not be right for you as well.
Why bikes need a kickstand
There really is only one primary reason that a bike would need a kickstand. That is to keep the bike upright, no matter if there is anything around it to keep it up right.
No one wants to just lay their investment on the ground, and kickstands fix this.
It also keeps things from breaking, laying a bike on the ground leaves it there for someone to break, or run over with a car even.
Why bikes don’t need a kickstand
There are two primary reasons why someone would not want to have a kickstand on their bike.
The main reason is for those people that are constantly on the search for lowering the weight of their bike. Lowering the weight on your bike makes it go quicker, and take less energy, so this is a very valid concern.
Secondly, mountain bikers prefer to not have a kickstand, because they worry about it catching on a branch or log. This isn’t something you would ever want, racing through the woods.
Do you need a kickstand?
Now that you know a few reasons why kickstands can be a good thing, or a bad thing, you will need to decide for yourself if it is right for you.
If you are a casual bicyclist, or someone that uses it for commuting to and from work, I would highly recommend you get a kickstand, as the benefits of its uses are probably going to outweigh the negatives.
On the other hand, if you are someone that is really looking to get performance out of your bike, and use it for that purpose, then a kickstand may not be the best choice. It can take away from the performance of your bike, and actually make things more difficult.
Frequently asked questions
How do you park a bike without a kickstand?
If you are someone like me, who has grown up with kickstands on their bikes, you may ask yourself this question.
In the end, it really simple. You lean it on things.
Whether that be walls, trees, posts, or even on the ground, these are going to be your only options.
Why do bikes come without kickstands?
So you are shopping for a bike, and it doesn’t come with a kickstand. Why is that? Wouldn’t it be better for the manufacturer to let you choose to take it off?
Well there are a couple reasons this can be.
If you are looking at inexpensive bikes, it is likely a cost cutting measure. The more metal on a bike, the more cost for the bike.
If you are looking at higher end bikes, it is probably because the manufacturer of the bike knows their users are looking for performance, and most of them will probably be irritated to even see the sight of a kickstand on their bike.
How do you use a kickstand on a bike?
We haven’t dug into this much have we! It’s an easy procedure. As the name implies, you just kick back with your foot on the metal kickstand and it deploys. You then lean the bike over and it stands up the bike.
Ready to take off again? Just kick it back the opposite way, and it becomes close to flush with the bike, hidden away (for the most part).
Conclusion
You probably had never even thought about kickstands, and why you do or don’t need a kickstand, yet here we are!
I hope this article shed some light on the pros and cons of why a kickstand is needed or not.
Now…. I wonder how many people are going to unbolt their kickstand after reading this article.
Why do bikes have so many gears? And how many do you really need?
