Kickstand

In my youth, with its Schwinns and Raleighs, kickstands were typical. And kids typically didn't use them. Bikes got dropped, leaned against each other, stacked -- and damaged.

Today, many bikes do not come with kickstands. They're considered extra, unnecessary weight, to the point that even the Hammer Truck, the Rans cargo bike, does not come with one standard -- it's an extra $100 and they don't seem to envision using that stand when loading the bike.

While the traditional cargo/mamabike kickstand is a U-shaped monster that seems to be completely unavailable anywhere (hey, tell me I'm wrong! Please!), a Hebie BiPod/Double Kickstand is readily available and an adequate substitute as long as your loads (whether kids or cargo) are relatively centered on the bike (which they should be, or you may not make it home safely). Whether you get the Hebie, or some other double kickstand, expect one of the wheels to lift off the ground when you deploy it -- and as you load, it may switch from that wheel being airborne to the other wheel being airborne. Experiment with unbreakable items before advancing to children. Do not leave squirming children unattended and do not let children climb on the bike. (Yeah, it'll probably happen and they'll probably be fine, as long as their helmet strap doesn't catch on something and strangle them.)

Without a kickstand, a step-thru bike is virtually impossible to keep upright while loading cargo and/or children, as you cannot straddle the top tube and hold it between your thighs while strapping stuff (or kids) down.

Copyright 2009, Rebecca Allen
Created: July 10, 2009
Updated: July 10, 2009