I want to add a kickstand to my Romanceur to compete my do everything machine. But, I've heard the stories of people hurting frames clamping kickstands to tight. I've also had a friend who's Nor'easter cracked right at the chainstay/seat tube. (Not kickstand related to my knowledge)
Can I hack it and put some inner tube or something to not have the crazy clamping force+hard edges ruin my frame?
I don't love the idea of a click stand as I take bags on and off this bike a lot and will almost certainly leave it behind.
by DickNutter
8 Comments
You can put a kickstand on any bike that isn’t carbon
I think if you got one of the ones that mounts to both the seat and chainstay that would probably be safe for the frame. Of course you don’t want to torque them like crazy, but the stays should be pretty crush resistant where they are smallest diameter and round near the dropout. The ones I have seen tend to have rubber pads I think, but inner tube will work fine too.
Get a click stand or similar
https://www.click-stand.com/
The whole world is my kickstand
Middle kickstands with front rack loads (even just a heavy empty rack and basket) often suck, because the load makes the forks rotate and then the whole bike tips over, unless you want to put a stabilizing spring between the fork crown and the down tube.
You’re unlikely to damage the tubes unless you overtighten the kickstand. The chainstays are ovalized vertically and are then surrounded by the BB lug. There’s no way you’re going to flatten that oval in the opposite direction unless you set out to destroy the frame. But start with just enough torque to fix the kickstand, and increase if necessary, you’ll notice if it comes loose in use.
Gonna mess up the paint though.
You can always throw an old tube or some cloth tape between the mount and your frame
“Oh no, I overtightened the kickstand on my steel frame and it cracked!”
“Why would anyone want steel anything?”
metal frame, so ofc. something under the clamp to procet the laint is a good idea.