If you tend to leave your bike for short periods, such as going to a shop, you may wonder why it can’t just stand on its own…
Why can’t a bike stand on its own?
Bicycles are designed for perfect balance when standing and also when they are in motion, negotiating the terrain. They are also meant to respond to the slightest forces to provide granular control, and so without a kickstand, the bike is simply going to fall in response to any nudging that it gets from you or another external source.
The simple addition of a kickstand gives the bike a place to put its weight when it’s not being controlled and no longer in balance.
What can I use instead of a bike stand?
If you don’t want to use a kickstand or a standard bike-rack-type stand, then you certainly have other options. When storing the bike at home, for instance, you can mount pegs to hang it vertically and this is a better solution than a kickstand.
That’s because less weight on the tires means they will naturally deflate more slowly. Just sitting in the garage horizontally and leaning on a kickstand, the extra weight on the bike causes it to slowly lose a little air each day.
While you should still check air pressure if you hang the bike instead, the natural loss will be greatly diminished from hanging it instead of leaving it standing.
Can you add a stand to a bike?
It depends on the design of your specific bike, but as a general rule, if you have enough bracket space, then you can certainly install it. It’s pretty easy, too. All you need to do is insert a bolt inside, up from the top of the kickstand bracket, then through the hold in the frame bracket, and simply screw it in.
Is it OK to hang the bike vertically?
Yes, hanging the bike vertically is fine, as the wheels are rated to support a lot more pressure than simply the weight of the bike. Just be sure that you are hanging it right-side up and if so, then a simple mount or two mounts will allow you to hang it vertically or horizontally, depending on which you prefer.
Is it better to bike standing up or sitting down?
It depends on your purpose for cycling. If it’s just for fun, then whatever you like is best, but for exercise and to maximize your speed about the effort that you are putting in, then standing until you hit a 10% gradient is ideal.
Standing up helps you to produce and sustain more power, although once you hit the speed that you like then you can relax a bit and let the bike coast. That way you aren’t constantly pedaling, but you’re still ‘feeding’ the bike energy for a swifter, more invigorating ride.
How do you make a bike stand on the floor?
Creating a bike stand from scratch is pretty easy, all that you need to do is create support for 2 or 3 bikes by the means of makeshift rails. The rails are just 2 small boards, standing long-side-down, to create a straight line of space in between them where you can put the back tires of the bikes.
For instance, lay down two long (6 to 7-foot) boards one above the other with a space of 1.5 feet between them, and then secure them together by nailing 2 sets of 1.5-foot length boards, placing side-by-side with enough clearance for your tires in-between, so that they are evenly spaced across the longboard.
Voila, you have an instant bike stand!
What type of bike stand is best?
Ideally, if you are short on space, your best ‘stand’ is a 2-peg horizontal mounting for your bike on the wall, with a collapsible bike repair stand in the corner. You can even save more space by hanging the bike vertically with a single peg.
Whether vertically or horizontally hanging your bike, this setup will save you the most space, while also allowing you to do bike maintenance weekly to check air pressure, and oil as needed, or to quickly disassemble the bike for transport if you need it.
It’s a minimalist approach, but perfect for cyclists who are short of space but need the full range of functions to maintain their bike properly.
Should you put a bike stand on a mountain bike?
It depends on how you use your mountain bike. If you commute with it or take it into town a lot, then yes, a kickstand installation is going to be in your best interest. If you only use it for trails, jumping, and other recreational ‘rough and tumble’ then you can generally skip the kickstand.
That’s because a kickstand isn’t designed for uneven, often dirty or muddy terrain, so you wouldn’t be able to use it very often in the first place. That said, if you can install one that is out of the way, then it’s worth doing so.
As long as it doesn’t affect your riding style, a kickstand gets you a useful option if you decide to take it somewhere that it’s going to work.
How much weight can a bicycle kickstand hold?
A bicycle kickstand is typically designed to hold between 40 and 55 pounds of weight, which will be adequate for most. However, if you need to have more weight for a more extended trip (such as a nice picnic or a camping outing that requires more gear) then you could go with a double kickstand to double your capacity.
If you just need a little extra, then a single rear mount kickstand will do as well, so it just boils down to your needs and the weight of your gear when you want to choose the right kickstand.
Do mountain bikers use kickstands?
Usually, no, and if you take a look at mountain bikes the next time you are in a cycling store then you will see that most mountain bikes do NOT have them, except some of the lower-end models to increase sales.
That’s because mountain bikers know that the chances of being able to use a kickstand in a grassy area or one that has a lot of loose dirt are going to be very low. Without a firm, flat support, the kickstand cannot distribute the weight of the bike on a single, thin point of contact.
So, kickstands are usually skipped, as you’ll rarely find a chance to use them!