# Why do name brand bikes not come with kick stands?



## CorvetteFan86 (Oct 28, 2010)

I just purchased my new bike a Trek 4300 18". The guy i bought it from said that he asked at the bike shop why it didn't have one and got a goofy look from them.

Thanks,
Thomas


----------



## jeffmuldoon (Jul 25, 2010)

this can't be real.


----------



## nov0798 (Nov 27, 2005)

Most dont! You didnt buy a Schwinn with it built in, or a Wal-Mart brand. Just ask them to install one if you really want one. Most Mountain Bikes dont as they just add weight , and bounce around, and get caught on things.


----------



## M_S (Nov 18, 2007)

Most people don't want them. Some shops will install one for you for about 15 bucks. If you're planning on mountain biking, leave it off.


----------



## CorvetteFan86 (Oct 28, 2010)

I appreciate the responses. I really didn't know most bikes don't come with them. All the bikes my family have all have them. The main thing I see as a problem is having it leaned up against something and it falls over.


----------



## keylay (Nov 14, 2006)

Lay it down gently, on it's left side. If it's resting with the wheels horizontal to the ground, the seat, pedal and handle bar will generally hold it in place. The brakes and components will be free of harm. Even if it falls, it's not going far.


----------



## LWright (Jan 29, 2006)

A kickstand on a mountain bike is not practicable, it would bounce around on trails. Also, the better bikes, road and mountain, are built with very thin tubing that may be damaged by clamping on a kickstand.


----------



## gnslr (Dec 24, 2004)

if you are using it for a neighborhood commuter they are fine but for trail riding they get in the way and add weight neither of which you need to hastle with


----------



## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=484577&highlight=kickstand


----------



## roxnroots (Aug 12, 2010)

Kickstands, dork discs, too many stupid stickers, and reflectors . . . rft: 

Get 'em off of there and/or keep 'em off if you want to avoid the pseudo-wallyride look on a ride that you've spent some coin on :thumbsup:


----------



## dust3313 (Sep 15, 2010)

crashing does a whole lot more damage than your bike falling over. its a bike, not a piece of art, get out there and get some dirt on it.


----------



## oscarperez (Jan 30, 2010)

CorvetteFan86 said:


> I just purchased my new bike a Trek 4300 18". The guy i bought it from said that he asked at the bike shop why it didn't have one and got a goofy look from them.
> 
> Thanks,
> Thomas


are you for real?


----------



## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

Most of the time, unless its a hybrid/beach cruiser type bike, there isn't enough room between the seat tube and the rear tire to even mount one up.

Besides, if you have a kickstand on the bike and you wreck, and the kickstand happens to extend out, your chances of impaling yourself increase tremendously.


----------



## GotoDengo (Aug 6, 2010)

oscarperez said:


> are you for real?


Some of you guys are so krucial, right? This is a beginners forum. All kinds of neighborhood, casual bikes have come with kickstands since... forever. They're an easy way to rest the bike when there's plenty of room. I knew about kickstands and reflectors since they weren't even cool on BMX's in rode in the eighties. But I didn't know about the dork disk until I joined this forum when I got a new bike. You learn things when you start asking questions.

Point is you can choose to answer a post or not... you can even throw a witty jab in at a noob idea. You can point out that the topic's been covered a million times and searching would be helpful. But why be an arse when an obvious beginner asks a straightforward question? You knew at birth that kickstands were uncool?

/rant over. Sorry... pet peeve. Too many responses like this on too many forums.


----------



## Kona_CT (Apr 25, 2010)

You can more than likely add one... but honestly? I never miss it or need one on either bike. My BMX and DJ both don't have a kickstand I never need one. There's always something to lean the bikes against or just lay 'em on the ground. You can always flip them over on the bars/seat, too.


----------



## b-kul (Sep 20, 2009)

this whole thread is full of win.


----------



## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

b-kul said:


> this whole thread is full of kickstands.


FIFY


----------



## Mattlikestobike (Nov 1, 2010)

well, usually the way i see it is that the lower end bikes ranging from like 0-800 usually come with a kick-stand since its meant for more of a casual rider. to school.. etc..

800 and up usually dont come with kickstands usually due to the people who do buy them are serious/beginner bikers or trailers..


----------



## Sid Nitzerglobin (Sep 17, 2010)

Mattlikestobike said:


> well, usually the way i see it is that the lower end bikes ranging from like 0-800 usually come with a kick-stand since its meant for more of a casual rider. to school.. etc..
> 
> 800 and up usually dont come with kickstands usually due to the people who do buy them are serious/beginner bikers or trailers..


Price really has nothing to do with it IME. The vast majority of bikes designed for actual MTBing or road riding will not come w/ a kickstand because most people who buy them don't want them due to the aforementioned additional weight and potential for getting hung up. Beach cruisers, town/commuter and some segments of department store bikes, and some hybrids might because the target market might find not having one as a key deficiency.

I can't recall either my MTB or road bike ever falling over when I've parked it against something. Just make sure the front wheel is straight and lean either the crankarm, top tube, saddle, or bar against something relatively sturdy at as little of an angle as possible. If there's nothing around to lean it against lay it on its left side. Or go get a kickstand installed if you feel you absolutely have to have one.

There are a whole lot of cheap options for stationary storage that approximate the function of a kickstand without being bolted onto your bike. You'd have to take it with you if you wanted to use it while you were out and about though and would be a relatively major pain in the ass to carry around.


----------



## Mattlikestobike (Nov 1, 2010)

Sid Nitzerglobin said:


> Price really has nothing to do with it IME. The vast majority of bikes designed for actual MTBing or road riding will not come w/ a kickstand because most people who buy them don't want them due to the aforementioned additional weight and potential for getting hung up. Beach cruisers, town/commuter and some segments of department store bikes, and some hybrids might because the target market might find not having one as a key deficiency.
> 
> I can't recall either my MTB or road bike ever falling over when I've parked it against something. Just make sure the front wheel is straight and lean either the crankarm, top tube, saddle, or bar against something relatively sturdy at as little of an angle as possible. If there's nothing around to lean it against lay it on its left side. Or go get a kickstand installed if you feel you absolutely have to have one.
> 
> There are a whole lot of cheap options for stationary storage that approximate the function of a kickstand without being bolted onto your bike. You'd have to take it with you if you wanted to use it while you were out and about though and would be a relatively major pain in the ass to carry around.


idk, its just the price seemed right to me because when i go to my local bike shop, it seems that the 0-800 range have the kick stands. and then the highend ones have Kickstands..

but hey, its something to look at. and you may never know.

Also, to add on, Kick stands really vary from adult bikes to Children bikes. adults dont need kick stands, where as kids just need it for getting around and parking it at school.


----------



## PVR (Oct 29, 2006)

They don't come with these either


----------



## Mattlikestobike (Nov 1, 2010)

PVR said:


> They don't come with these either


hah sorry i meant like 16-20inch bikes for kids :thumbsup:


----------



## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

GotoDengo said:


> Some of you guys are so *krucial*, right? This is a beginners forum. All kinds of neighborhood, casual bikes have come with kickstands since... forever. They're an easy way to rest the bike when there's plenty of room. I knew about kickstands and reflectors since they weren't even cool on BMX's in rode in the eighties. But I didn't know about the dork disk until I joined this forum when I got a new bike. You learn things when you start asking questions.
> 
> Point is you can choose to answer a post or not... you can even throw a witty jab in at a noob idea. You can point out that the topic's been covered a million times and searching would be helpful. But why be an arse when an obvious beginner asks a straightforward question? You knew at birth that kickstands were uncool?
> 
> /rant over. Sorry... pet peeve. Too many responses like this on too many forums.


Good post. please explain this word , "krucial"

OP, kickstands on mountain bikes are potentially dangerous. If the purchaser asks for one, the store would be indemnified. If they didn't ask and the bike had one, the store might be liable.


----------



## nugzboltz (Apr 8, 2007)

All you need to do is ride a bike with a kickstand once on a real bike trail to understand that it can easily pop out when you are riding and interfere with your ride. That's why I don't like 'em. And once you learn to prop your bike up with the rear tire resting on something, you won't miss kickstands.


----------



## GotoDengo (Aug 6, 2010)

Trail Ninja said:


> Please explain this word , "krucial"


Something along the lines of "pretentious" or "self-important". I'm not sure where I pick up these words... a lot of it probably on forums. My colleagues started using krucial a lot when talking about blowhard customers who think arsehole-ishness is an effective business/negotiating tactic.

Most of the time this type of slang works its way up to guys my age (pushing 40), it's already "out" with the hipsters. Once their grandmas start saying "oh snap! new bling", time for them to move to new memes. I have a 4 and 5 year old... it's usually the older guys breaking out words we go "huh?"... as they pick it up from their kids who are older.


----------



## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

GotoDengo said:


> Something along the lines of "pretentious" or "self-important". I'm not sure where I pick up these words... a lot of it probably on forums. My colleagues started using krucial a lot when talking about blowhard customers who think arsehole-ishness is an effective business/negotiating tactic.
> 
> Most of the time this type of slang works its way up to guys my age (pushing 40), it's already "out" with the hipsters. Once their grandmas start saying "oh snap! new bling", time for them to move to new memes. I have a 4 and 5 year old... it's usually the older guys breaking out words we go "huh?"... as they pick it up from their kids who are older.


I thought you might have been going for crucial (important, or required to achieve a goal) or critical (inclined to criticize severely).

Actually it's a combination of both. A self-important person who criticizes others. Hmm... sounds familiar.

Krucial Ninja? Nah. Let 'em figure it out themselves.


----------



## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

AZ.MTNS said:


> http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=484577&highlight=kickstand


that guy is a retard


----------



## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

*I'll play.*

More expensive bikes don't have kickstands, because the people that buy them prefer to balance their bike by setting one pedal on top of an obscure imported bottled beer or liquor. They then take pics and post them on forums like these. Often times they 1st align their tire logos, and extend their seatpost a good 3 or 4 inches higher than they actually ride it. Pay attention beginners, this is all very important stuff.

I think this is also why people now wear backpacks/camelbacks when they ride, because some of those imported beer bottles won't fit in a water bottle holder.

Plus, the bike companies have entered into a conspiracy to convince bike riders that kickstands aren't cool. You know how much money they save by not having to buy/make all those kickstands. They did the same thing with fenders and chainguards. When I grew up (the 60s) almost every bike came with a kickstand, fenders, and chainguard. They were also built a lot better than today, you could tell because they weighed like twice as much as a modern bike. Yeah, when you tried to pick up your 40-50 pound cruiser, you knew you got your money's worth.


----------



## [email protected] (Feb 3, 2008)

oscarperez said:


> are you for real?


well, yeah, of _course_ he's for _real._ kickstands are designed to protect trees, just ask highdell and a lesson to those of you who lean bikes against them, and then there's when you bike falls, particularly on grass cuz that has feelings too, yanno, and do you really want to be responsible for grass genocide? I think not.


----------



## manabiker (Jul 18, 2010)

Kickstand??? I'm still looking for my bikes kickstarter !!!


----------



## AladdinP (Sep 25, 2010)

Kickstands aren't all that practical on the trail because of the soft or uneven ground. All it takes is a little breeze or a slight shift to throw your bike onto the ground and actually damage something if it's poorly balanced. It's not like there isn't an abundance of trees and boulders you can lean your bike on anyway.

But hey, if you want to run a kickstand on your 4300, don't let the bike snobs stop you. It's not like that extra 150 grams is going to stop you from making that climb (pfft, weight weenies). I still keep a kickstand on mine because I commute with my hardtail once in a while. Motorists typically don't share the same appreciation for saving a few grams if it involves blocking off a good chunk of a Pennsylvania road that's only a few feet wide in the first place. At worst it'll cost you a couple of dirty looks from the same folks who think they're athletes once they buy a Yeti and use it as a garage ornament.


----------



## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

AladdinP said:


> But hey, if you want to run a kickstand on your 4300, don't let the bike snobs stop you.
> We are bike snobs because we try to clue the OP in on the hazards of using a kickstand ?
> 
> At worst it'll cost you a couple of dirty looks from the same folks who think they're athletes once they buy a Yeti and use it as a garage ornament.


At worst it could impale you in a crash .:bluefrown:

....


----------



## AladdinP (Sep 25, 2010)

AZ.MTNS said:


> At worst it could impale you in a crash .:bluefrown:


I'd love to see a crash that manages to sweep a kickstand forward, bends it left and up in the direction of the rider, and runs him or her through it. It's practically the Magic Bullet Theory of mountain biking.

I know the first thing I think of when I go OTB is "oh man, I hope that Lee Harvey Oswald doesn't show up and impale me with my kickstand".


----------



## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

AladdinP said:


> I'd love to see a crash that manages to sweep a kickstand forward, bends it left and up in the direction of the rider, and runs him or her through it. It's practically the Magic Bullet Theory of mountain biking.
> 
> I know the first thing I think of when I go OTB is "oh man, I hope that Lee Harvey Oswald doesn't show up and impale me with my kickstand".


Well, considering I had a crash in the past where I landed on the side of the bike and had a pedal get jammed into my upper thigh, anything is possible.

Or how about the guy that broke his leg because he couldn't unlip out of his pedals?

Sometimes crazy stuff happens. I'd just wouldn't risk it.


----------



## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

How many guy's have been impaled by handle bars ? Don't even suggest that impaling by kickstand cannot happen .


----------



## AladdinP (Sep 25, 2010)

> How many guy's have been impaled by handle bars ? Don't even suggest that impaling by kickstand cannot happen .


I guess it depends on what kind of kickstand you're using.


----------



## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Yeah , your vast experience surely trumps everyone else's that suggests otherwise .


----------



## AladdinP (Sep 25, 2010)

> Yeah , your vast experience surely trumps everyone else's that suggests otherwise .


Just because I haven't been riding since the penny-farthing era doesn't mean that I can't understand what should and shouldn't be a concern of people who actually like to have fun on their bikes. 

As someone who rides a 4300, though, I can say you can mount the kickstand in a place where it won't get in the way or be susceptible to mysterious multidirectional stabbing forces.


----------



## Poikaa (Jun 10, 2010)

You could do like these guys......


----------



## Poikaa (Jun 10, 2010)

Or train it to stand by itself....


----------



## Poikaa (Jun 10, 2010)

Or do like I do and use a tree!

Poikaa


----------



## Sid Nitzerglobin (Sep 17, 2010)

Poikaa said:


> You could do like these guys......


LOL, Segway commandos ?!?!


----------



## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

AladdinP said:


> I'd love to see a crash that manages to sweep a kickstand forward, ....


It's not the 'sweeping forward' thing - It;s the 'tri-pod' effect when you least expect it that get's ya


----------



## RBowles (Jun 1, 2010)

Sid Nitzerglobin said:


> LOL, Segway commandos ?!?!


Welcome to the new U.S. Army.


----------



## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

What's a kickstand?


----------



## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

highdelll said:


> It's the 'tri-pod' effect when you least expect it that get's ya


:thumbsup: You can tell it to them, you just can't understand it for them.

Kind of like a two year old child at the beach that keeps trying to eat sand and you keep telling them not to. Finally, you just let them put some in their mouth. Problem solved.

So, go ahead, ride trails with your kickstand (like I did back in the mid-nineties). But rather than heading directly toward Darwin's loving, waiting bosom (like I did back in the mid-nineties), maybe you could use a velcro strap (like I did _not_ back in the mid-nineties) to greatly reduce the chances of your kickstand self-deploying when you least expect it and when it could pole-vault you toward a place you have no desire to inspect that closely..

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I still have a grain or three of sand to rinse out of my mouth :blush:


----------



## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

Poikaa said:


> Or do like I do and use a tree!
> 
> Poikaa


I'd like to see you mount a kickstand on that thing.


----------



## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

I still have a scar on my leg from a kickstand accident when I was a kid. They're not worth it. Plus, I'm not sure a kickstand would even be effective on the trail, especially if there are any hills involved.


----------



## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Who *needs* a kickstand ?


----------



## Poikaa (Jun 10, 2010)

AZ.MTNS said:


> Who *needs* a kickstand ?


 Looks like an accident that did happen! :eekster:

poikaa


----------



## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

AZ.MTNS said:


> How many guy's have been impaled by handle bars ? Don't even suggest that impaling by kickstand cannot happen .


Handlebars? Me, my son, his friend Eric, Eric's brother. That's all I can think of in the last 2 years.

Kickstand. Eric. It was on a road bike but he was dirt jumping with it. (Don't ask, he's Eric. Around here that explains everything.) Well into his ankle. A 3 hour high speed boat ride to the hospital.


----------



## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

Trail Ninja said:


> Handlebars? Me, my son, his friend Eric, Eric's brother. That's all I can think of in the last 2 years.
> 
> Kickstand. Eric. It was on a road bike but he was dirt jumping with it. (Don't ask, he's Eric. Around here that explains everything.) Well into his ankle. A 3 hour high speed boat ride to the hospital.


there ya go...
this stand would've let you keep water-skiing


----------



## snellvilleGAbiker (Apr 30, 2009)

Two years ago, i bought my first "real" mountain bike from REI. It didn't have a kickstand on it so i told the guy i needed one. My 15 yo walmart bike have one right. I went home and installed it myself. After one ride on the trail, i took it off. I still have it. Want it???


----------



## Bobby Peru (Sep 8, 2004)

GotoDengo said:


> Some of you guys are so krucial, right? This is a beginners forum. All kinds of neighborhood, casual bikes have come with kickstands since... forever. They're an easy way to rest the bike when there's plenty of room. I knew about kickstands and reflectors since they weren't even cool on BMX's in rode in the eighties. But I didn't know about the dork disk until I joined this forum when I got a new bike. You learn things when you start asking questions.
> 
> Point is you can choose to answer a post or not... you can even throw a witty jab in at a noob idea. You can point out that the topic's been covered a million times and searching would be helpful. But why be an arse when an obvious beginner asks a straightforward question? You knew at birth that kickstands were uncool?
> 
> /rant over. Sorry... pet peeve. Too many responses like this on too many forums.


Thank you! I was about to say the same thing. All I can add is two words-

*BEGINNER'S FORUM!*


----------



## Jwiffle (Jan 26, 2004)

Friend of mine was in a mtb race, guy in front of him was trying to kick his kickstand back into place because it kept flopping down. Before my friend could pass, they guy fell right in front of him while kicking at his stand. My friend crashed over him and got banged against a log. He thought he may have broken a rib at first, but luckily turned out just to be bruised.


----------



## alien4fish (Oct 17, 2010)

CorvetteFan86 said:


> I just purchased my new bike a Trek 4300 18". The guy i bought it from said that he asked at the bike shop why it didn't have one and got a goofy look from them.
> 
> Thanks,
> Thomas


Really? this cant be real..........:madman:


----------



## CorvetteFan86 (Oct 28, 2010)

Wow, never thought my post would cause all this! I get the whole not having kickstand on the trails, etc but how about when its in your garage for instance? I know I can lean it against something but this sounds pretty primitive if you ask me.


----------



## GotoDengo (Aug 6, 2010)

Poikaa said:


> Or do like I do and use a tree!


Dezilaiceps? Never heard of it. Must be walmart brand.

You don't really it like that, do you?


----------



## 97Ultra (Oct 27, 2010)

> how about when its in your garage for instance? I know I can lean it against something but this sounds pretty primitive if you ask me.


I have a bungee cord attached in the garage that clips to the bike when the bike is parked. Keeps it from falling over if bumped, and the bike is more upright (and hence takes up less space) than it would on a kickstand.


----------



## Sid Nitzerglobin (Sep 17, 2010)

CorvetteFan86 said:


> Wow, never thought my post would cause all this! I get the whole not having kickstand on the trails, etc but how about when its in your garage for instance? I know I can lean it against something but this sounds pretty primitive if you ask me.


I've got a couple of simple $15 crank stands from my LBS for my bikes to live in when they're at home. The mountain bike is usually leaning against the work bench in my bike room however.


----------



## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

CorvetteFan86 said:


> Wow, never thought my post would cause all this! I get the whole not having kickstand on the trails, etc but how about when its in your garage for instance? I know I can lean it against something but this sounds pretty primitive if you ask me.


If you want a kickstand, go ahead and put one on. You know why not on a mountain bike. Most people will have a rack of some sort in the garage to park the bike in.


----------

