Introduction- How to Park Your Bike Without a Kickstand
Kickstands are accessories on a bike or motorcycle used for parking bikes upright without leaning it against an object. Nowadays, many serious road and mountain bikers do not like having kickstands on their bikes. This is because it adds to the weight of the bike, it rattles around, and it easily stores dirt.
History of Kickstands
Although bicycle was invented in the early 1800s, it was in the late 1800s that the designs of bicycle stand could be found. The earliest known kickstand was designed in 1869 by Albert Berruyer. Since then, kickstands have gone through reinvention for numerous times. During the time, the kickstand was mounted below the handlebars.
A shorter model of kickstand was patented in 1926 by Eldon Henderson, while a smaller and lighter version was developed in 1930 by Joseph Paul Treen.
In 1891, Pardon W, Tillinghast patented a kickstand design that was mounted on the pedal, but when not in use, it would fold up flat under the pedal. Nevertheless, in the 1970s, kickstands fell out of fashion as bicycles got lighter, and bikers worried more about extra weight on their bike.
How to Park Your Bike Without a Kickstand
Some of the ways that you can park your bike without a kickstand are listed below.
- By leaning the handlebar against the wall or tree
- By turning the bike upside down on the floor
- By hooking the bike’s bar over a fence or railing
- By leaning the back wheel against the wall or tree
- By leaning the bike’s front and rear part against the wall
- By laying your bike down on the floor
- By leaning two bikes against each other
Here is a video showing the ways that you can park your bike without a kickstand (Credits to Global Cycling Network):
Alternatives to the Conventional Kickstand
Below are the alternative kickstand options that you can use instead of the conventional kickstand.
Click-stand
Click stands look just like a modern folding tent pole. This accessory is made from connecting segments of 7000 series aluminum tubing that is joined together by a shock cord. It features a rubber-coated cradle on one side under the top tube of the bike while the end that grips against the ground has a rubber foot.A click stand is a great accessory because it is foldable. You could carry it in your backpack, jersey pocket, or anywhere else and take it out when you need it.
Upstand
The upstand is quite similar to the click-stand. It is made up of connected sections of tubing that are connected by shock cord. The significant difference is that the tubing is made of carbon fiber, and it features a neodymium magnet instead of a cradle on the bike end.
The ground part of the upstand is similar to the click-stand as it is covered with a rubber foot. To use the stand, you need to join the magnet end with a metal tab installed beside the quick release lever. This is located on the rear wheel skewer of your bike.