# The Deal With Removing the Kickstand?



## temporaryscars (May 23, 2007)

Why does everyone say to do it? How do you stand your bike up? I've been thinking about doing it, but I dunno....


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## SlimTwisted (Jun 14, 2006)

This question pops up every now and then.. The reasons to go stand-less are as follows:

1) Weight. If you think the weight savings aren't substantial, remember there are weight weenies out there who remove the stickers from their bike for the same reason.

2) Rattle. Try pounding down some stairsteps or rock gardens (especially on a hardtail) without getting the kickstand jiggles.

3) Frame damage risk. Jumpers back in the day used to fear the stand coming down while air-born on account of fact that it would be the first object to smash into the earth upon landing. The rest of the visual I'm sure you can understand.


Finally, there is almost always something (wall, tree, vine, etc.) to lean your bike against. And unless you are riding in a swamp, you could always gently lay it on its side. Hope this helps.


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## temporaryscars (May 23, 2007)

Hmm...seems good enough to me. Is it hard to remove?


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## mtnbiker72 (Jan 22, 2007)

I believe its a 15mm (could be 14mm, can't remember) bolt that holds it on. Thats all it takes to remove it.

BTW-when you lay your bike down gently on its side, do it on the Non-Drive side


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## xmx250 (May 14, 2007)

Yeah my kickstand is constantly bouncing when i go over rough road. I've heard someone mention that riders have gotten hurt from the kickstand also/ It also seems more pro-ish to just lean your bike on a tree lol


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## Timeless (Mar 23, 2007)

temporaryscars said:


> Hmm...seems good enough to me. Is it hard to remove?


a few mins. 
I removed mine off my old bike because it was annoying me with it noise and I would come down after a jump or some time and that would cause me problems when I hit with my foot. 
One thing I did noticed off the bat was the weight loss was noticeable even off my 35lb+ bike.

After it was gone it was quiter and lighter and it never really bother me not having it. I would just set my bike down on it side if I did not have something to put it up against. I still do that quite a bit with my current bike and it is by far a nicer bike.


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## temporaryscars (May 23, 2007)

Well my kickstand is now gone. Kinda sad really.

Anything else I should take off?


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## TooManyTacos (Mar 13, 2007)

Do you need your reflectors?


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## Modena (Apr 3, 2007)

If you never ride at night in town then there's not much of a reason to have them (reflectors). I took mine off not for the weight savings or trying to look more pro, but because I knew that if I didn't I would break them off. Sure enough I forgot to take the reflectors on my pedals off, and I broke them off on my bikes maiden ride.


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## temporaryscars (May 23, 2007)

Hmm...guess they'll go next since I haven't done any night riding yet and I don't think I will be.


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## woody osb (May 9, 2007)

SlimTwisted said:


> This question pops up every now and then.. The reasons to go stand-less are as follows:
> 
> 1) Weight. "deleted"
> 3) Frame damage risk. Jumpers back in the day used to fear the stand coming down while air-born on account of fact that it would be the first object to smash into the earth upon landing. The rest of the visual I'm sure you can understand.
> ...


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## Timeless (Mar 23, 2007)

TooManyTacos said:


> Do you need your reflectors?


I took all but my pedals one off right after I got my bike (the pedals ones went away when I replaced my pedals). 
Reason I removed the front and the rear one was because I like the sleeker look with out them and it one less thing for me to have to deal with.
The wheel ones go because I would rather not have one of them catch and rip out a spoke. plus I removed the other ones already. I have gone until they broke before but now I just remove them from the get go and choose not to mess with them.


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## xmx250 (May 14, 2007)

i'm gonna remove the reflectors that go into the spokes


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

THe wheel reflectors I always end up breaking off, same with pedals, so I do without them now.


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## jim453 (Oct 23, 2006)

This may be a bit blunt and I don't intend any offence, but for goodness sake. It's a mountain bike. You're not doing a paper round on it (presumably). Loose the reflectors, they're crap and use less. Good riddance to the kick stand also, I can't even believe you can buy mountain bikes with these things. Your bike is arguably safer without both of these additions and you certainly now have a nicer looking machine.


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## xmx250 (May 14, 2007)

I asked for the kickstand i guess thats why i'm a newb


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## MightyTurtle (Sep 19, 2006)

If they're still on your bike, you could also take off the plastic thingy that's on the outside of the big chainring and the other plastic thingy that's between the spokes and cassette on the rear wheel.


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## irish_carbomb (Sep 20, 2005)

I went to a maintenance class the other day at a local REI and he said the reflectors in the wheels are actually used to help counterbalance the weight of the tube valve. As such, if someone that knows what they are doing puts the bike together, the reflector will always be opposite your valve.

He seemed to know what he was talking about with the other stuff and said hes been working on bikes for 23 years. He might have just been trying to look impressive to a bunch of new bikers though.


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## jim453 (Oct 23, 2006)

That could be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I like it though and I hope it's true. Still not putting the weight balancer back on though.


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## sleeymas (May 19, 2007)

i work with a guy who used to be a bmx racer/bike mechanic/ rep for giant, he told me the same thing about reflectors in the wheels, he said especially on bikes that go faster such as road bikes they come in handy so you dont get the shakes at higher speeds. 

needless to say my reflectors got busted off the first day lol


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## irish_carbomb (Sep 20, 2005)

There were road bikers in the class too as it was pretty general stuff. He may have been refering to road more than the mountain bikes, but didn't say. Either way, I figured I would leave them on till they get broken off. I agree I was/am a bit of a skeptic too, but its a nice story.


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## John_Michael (Sep 19, 2006)

For all the "remove this" advice, remember to add a bell. Your rides will be more enjoyable when practicing trail manners


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## markf (Jan 17, 2007)

i've always been told the wheel reflectors are required by law and actually totally mess up your handling. the seem in the rim is opposite the valve, the reflector weighs much more than the valve and totally messing with your cornering, especially at higher speeds.


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## clumpymold (Jun 8, 2007)

John_Michael said:


> For all the "remove this" advice, remember to add a bell. Your rides will be more enjoyable when practicing trail manners


Are you serious? Because I was thinking about getting a bell. A really girly one just for kicks. I figured it would be sorta cute. Haha.


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## Kyoseki (Oct 26, 2004)

jim453 said:


> This may be a bit blunt and I don't intend any offence, but for goodness sake. It's a mountain bike. You're not doing a paper round on it (presumably). Loose the reflectors, they're crap and use less. Good riddance to the kick stand also, I can't even believe you can buy mountain bikes with these things. Your bike is arguably safer without both of these additions and you certainly now have a nicer looking machine.


It's actually law in some states that you can't sell a bike, even the $5-6,000 downhill rigs out there, without a full set of reflectors (certainly is in California, my LBS sells both cheap beach cruisers and Intense/Foes DH rigs, all of em have reflectors, much to their chagrin).

It's plain stupid, none of these machines are ever going to be used on the street let alone at night.


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## clumpymold (Jun 8, 2007)

Kyoseki said:


> It's actually law in some states that you can't sell a bike, even the $5-6,000 downhill rigs out there, without a full set of reflectors (certainly is in California, my LBS sells both cheap beach cruisers and Intense/Foes DH rigs, all of em have reflectors, much to their chagrin).
> 
> It's plain stupid, none of these machines are ever going to be used on the street let alone at night.


Wow, didn't realize that. The kickstand is not a requirement, right? That would be pretty funny. Damn CA laws. They're trying to regulate everything.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

clumpymold said:


> Are you serious? Because I was thinking about getting a bell. A really girly one just for kicks. I figured it would be sorta cute. Haha.


Had someone ding me yesterday with a bell. I was just riding along the road with my son when all of a sudden I hear this ringing sound. I'm thinking "what the h---?", and wondering whether it's my disk brakes (the disks on one of my bikes will sometimes ring) when all of a sudden this nice lady passes us on her bike. Duh! Of course! I was hearing a bike-bell. I think that was only the second time in all the years that I've lived here that another rider has used a bell on me. I just plain wasn't used to hearing them.

Sometimes I run into hikers out on the trails. I'll usually feather my brakes to make some noise. That's usually enough for them to hear me, so that they are not completely startled out of their skin.


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## 29Colossus (Jun 4, 2006)

I did not know that threads and posts like this existeds anymore.

How refreshing. :thumbsup:


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## clumpymold (Jun 8, 2007)

JonathanGennick said:


> Had someone ding me yesterday with a bell. I was just riding along the road with my son when all of a sudden I hear this ringing sound. I'm thinking "what the h---?", and wondering whether it's my disk brakes (the disks on one of my bikes will sometimes ring) when all of a sudden this nice lady passes us on her bike. Duh! Of course! I was hearing a bike-bell. I think that was only the second time in all the years that I've lived here that another rider has used a bell on me. I just plain wasn't used to hearing them.
> 
> Sometimes I run into hikers out on the trails. I'll usually feather my brakes to make some noise. That's usually enough for them to hear me, so that they are not completely startled out of their skin.


So are you saying that it's a good idea to get a bell? Or just weird to get one?

I know you're definitely implying that it's "girly".


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

clumpymold said:


> So are you saying that it's a good idea to get a bell? Or just weird to get one?
> 
> I know you're definitely implying that it's "girly".


Oh, no, I was not implying anything about bells, except perhaps that they are rare in my area. I am just not used to hearing them. When I did hear one, I didn't recognize it for what it was.


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## xmx250 (May 14, 2007)

^^^ LOL

BTW my front reflector is now gone. It broke off when i crashed this weekend, lol


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## anirban (Apr 20, 2006)

irish_carbomb said:


> I went to a maintenance class the other day at a local REI and he said the reflectors in the wheels are actually used to help counterbalance the weight of the tube valve. As such, if someone that knows what they are doing puts the bike together, the reflector will always be opposite your valve.
> 
> He seemed to know what he was talking about with the other stuff and said hes been working on bikes for 23 years. He might have just been trying to look impressive to a bunch of new bikers though.


Wow


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## copag74 (May 6, 2006)

Also as a recomendation if you take your kikstand off If you"rest" your bike on flat ground, do so on the left hand side as not to foul the settings of your rear derailer. That goes for transporting it in your car too...


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

you need reflectors or a light around here.

lose the reflectors get a lite if you ride at nite.


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## clumpymold (Jun 8, 2007)

jeffscott said:


> you need reflectors or a light around here.
> 
> lose the reflectors get a lite if you ride at nite.


Ditto. I actually put on my reflectors only to find out they're essentially useless at night. So now I have a light (front and back LEDs). Will take her out tonight to see how helpful they are.


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## Clutchman83 (Apr 16, 2006)

My LBS had to ask me if I wanted my reflectors on my wheels when I bought my first bike. I was like "Is it free to put them on or should I do it myself?". Yeah... so now I know better, took about 2.5 miles on my first trail before they shook off the wheels.


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## jonny290 (May 8, 2007)

Kyoseki said:


> It's actually law in some states that you can't sell a bike, even the $5-6,000 downhill rigs out there, without a full set of reflectors (certainly is in California, my LBS sells both cheap beach cruisers and Intense/Foes DH rigs, all of em have reflectors, much to their chagrin).
> 
> It's plain stupid, none of these machines are ever going to be used on the street let alone at night.


You underestimate the money-blowing potential of the average Californian when looking for a grocery-getter.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Dec 2, 2005)

Take a look at just about every single middle to top end bike... no kickstand. They really aren't needed. Just a place to sit up next too and their fine


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## litehedded (Apr 18, 2007)

my bike didn't come with a kickstand.
I sometimes with I had one but so far it's not a problem.


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## duff76 (Jun 1, 2006)

I think it was my second ride on the trails where my kickstand just fell off. I didn't realize it until I got back to my truck but I haven't missed it since and I never went to look for it either.


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## IbexEric (Jun 27, 2007)

I dont have a kick-stand... or reflectors.. but i do have a little bubble wrap. it adds alot of weight and ruins my areodynamics. but it looks sweet and i cant bring myself to take it off yet...


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## clumpymold (Jun 8, 2007)

litehedded said:


> my bike didn't come with a kickstand.
> I sometimes with I had one but so far it's not a problem.


Ditto. Plus, I never really "park" my bike unless it's in my garage.


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