A kickstand is a device on a

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

that allows the bike to be kept upright without leaning against another object or the aid of a person. A kickstand is usually a piece of

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

that flips down from the

frame A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (con ...

and makes contact with the ground. It is generally located in the middle of the bike or towards the rear. Some

touring bicycle A touring bicycle is a bicycle designed or modified to handle bicycle touring. To make the bikes sufficiently robust, comfortable and capable of carrying heavy loads, special features may include a long wheelbase (for ride comfort and to avoid p ...

s have two: one at the rear, and a second in the front.

History

The earliest known kickstand was designed by Albert Berruyer in 1869, and since then kickstands have been independently reinvented many times. It was mounted below the handlebars, so was much longer than more recent designs. A shorter model was patented by Eldon Henderson in 1926. In the 1930s, a "smaller, more convenient" kickstand was developed by Joseph Paul Treen. In 1891, Pardon W, Tillinghast patented a design for a stand which was mounted on the pedal, but folded up flat under the pedal when not in use. Kickstands on bicycles fell out of fashion in the 1970s, as the bicycles became lighter, and many riders were concerned about extra weight.

Types

A ''side stand'' style kickstand is a single leg that simply flips out to one side, usually the left side, and the bike then leans against it. Side stands can be mounted to the

chain stay A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, onto which bicycle wheel, wheels and list of bicycle parts, other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consis ...

s right behind the

bottom bracket The bottom bracket on a bicycle connects the crankset (chainset) to the bicycle and allows the crankset to rotate freely. It contains a spindle to which the crankset attaches, and the bearings that allow the spindle and crankset to rotate. The ch ...

or to a chain and seat stay near the rear hub. Side stands mounted right behind the bottom bracket can be bolted on, either clamping the chain stays, or to the bracket between them, or welded into place as an integral part of the frame. A ''center stand'' kickstand is a pair of legs or a bracket that flips straight down and lifts the rear wheel off the ground when in use. Center stands can be mounted to the chain stays right behind the bottom bracket or to the rear dropouts. Many

motorcycles A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising, ...

feature center stands in addition to side stands. The center stand is advantageous because it takes most of the motorcycle's weight off its tires for long-term parking, and it allows the user to perform maintenance such as chain adjustments without the need for an external stand. Center stands are found on most "standard" and "touring" motorcycles, but are omitted on most high-performance

sportbikes A sport bike (sports motorcycle, or sports bike) is a motorcycle designed and optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on asphalt concrete race tracks and roads. They are mainly designed for performance at the expense of comfor ...

to save weight and increase ground clearance. While not strictly a ''kickstand'', the ''Flickstand'' is a small bracket that flips down from the

down tube A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, onto which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles: a main triangl ...

and engages the front tire to prevent the front end from steering and tire from rotating, and thus enabling the bike to be safely leaned against an object without danger of the front end turning and the bike subsequently falling to the ground. These were made by Rhode Gear Company in the 1970s and 1980s. While the Flickstand is no longer made, a

Velcro Velcro, officially known as Velcro IP Holdings LLC and trading as Velcro Companies, is a British privately held company, founded by Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in the 1950s. It is the original manufacturer of hook-and-loop fasten ...

strap can be employed for similar success by strapping a brake lever to lock the brake or strap the front wheel to the

Construction

Kickstands can be made of

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

or cast

aluminium Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...

. There may be a rubber cap on the end. Kickstands can lock in place, either up or down, by several means: * A spring that is stretched when the kickstand is partway deployed and less stretched when it is stowed or all the way deployed. * A

detent A detent is a mechanical or magnetic means to resist or arrest the movement of a mechanical device. Such a device can be anything ranging from a simple metal pin to a machine. The term is also used for the method involved. Magnetic detents are ...

mechanism, which usually also employs its own spring.

Gallery

file:Rear kickstand.JPG, Side kickstand mounted to rear of

and bottom of seat stay file:Integrated kickstand.JPG, Steel side kickstand integrated (welded) into the bicycle frame file:1977 Nikishi International.jpg, Center stand under the

of a Nishiki file:Front kickstand.jpg, Forward kickstand attached to front

rack Rack or racks may refer to: Storage and installation * Amp rack, short for amplifier rack, a piece of furniture in which amplifiers are mounted * Bicycle rack, a frame for storing bicycles when not in use * Bustle rack, a type of storage bin ...

. A rear kickstand is visible in the background file:Japanese -keikaisha- BRIDGESTONE MESSAGE Men's Type.jpg, Kickstand of a Japanese style bicycle.

References

{{Bike equipment Bicycle parts fr:Béquille centrale

History

Types

Construction

Gallery

See also

References