Hand-Wringing: Kickstand Edition

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

You’ll forgive me for this unusual thread, I know you will. You will be compassionate to your RivSister who is yearning for spring after a Michigan winter, and if she can’t ride the bikes she will talk about the bikes. 

I love my Rivendells. I used to hate changing anything about them - if I wore something out like brake pads or tires - I would sometimes weep about it in the parking lot of the bike shop. “It will never be the SAME!” I’d think. These poor coping skills came after wearing my Betty Foy tires to threads. The mechanic told me he’d have to get me something else for tires because he didn’t have that kind. Then he called me and told my I’d actually need a whole new WHEEL because my rim was cracked. He explained he would have to build one. After a week in that shop, my Betty was returned to me. I got a flat on my first ride. I went howling back to the shop - it was something about rim tape and it was an easy fix. But I had developed a distrust and a distaste for messing with essentials on my bikes. 

I’ve mostly gotten over this. Especially now that I know about upgrades and how happy they can make you. But some things just shouldn’t need to be upgraded. Some things are so familiar that when they go missing or get replaced it’s intolerable.

Kickstands.

My Greenfield kickstand on the raspberry Platy inexplicably snapped in the back of my van en route to the Philly Bike Expo. A local shop replaced that kickstand with the same model (joy and rapture!) but cut it a hair too short. Was it going to tip over? No. BUT IT WASN’T THE SAME, I wailed in my head. I didn’t like the new lean it gave the bike. I wanted things the way they used to be. I decided I would spring for yet another kickstand and hope it would be right.

I took my Platy to my local shop and explained about the kickstand. I also brought them one of Rivendell’s new shiny rear racks to be fit to my bike. I may take that bike on a RivSister Tour this summer and needed a heavy-duty rack (not the saddlebag support I have presently). The mechanic thought he knew what I wanted and ordered me a new kickstand that he thought would be EVEN BETTER. He said this in email, so I did not get a vote. I picked up the bike today. The rear rack was expertly fitted. The kickstand…I know he meant well, but…

But it wasn’t the SAME. 

It’s this foreign thing on my bike. Chunky and stout. It’s a Portland Design Works stand; this one, I think: https://ridepdw.com/products/power-stance-kickstand

I haven’t gotten used to it. It’s been 4 hours. I don’t know if I can get used to it. This is my club ride bike and that kickstand is…a lot. The rack will get switched back - I just wanted the new one ready for plug and play for a summer tour. But what should I do about that kickstand? 

I could buy the one that is on my mermaid Platy. I think I want to be done with the kickstands that you have to cut to size. I’m liking that this one is adjustable. 

Is it as horrible as I think? I think it’s worse in real life than the photos show. Also, it’s dark and I had to alter these photos a lot so you could see well enough. Colors will be distorted. Anyway, I’m sending pics in the following post…

Who will help their RivSister? Who can understand her peculiar brand of angst? Who has words of wisdom, or even constructive criticism? Who else is nutty about small things that barely matter? Who has been crying in bike shop parking lots and hand-wringing in the garage, staring at these foreign, new, transplanted parts?

Pics forthcoming…

Leah

[Leah Peterson]

New stand:

That metal looks thick in real life. Not so bad here.

The Pletscher on my mermaid Platy. I like the look, and I think it’s pretty light. That PDW is a solid-looking piece of metal. I don’t know. I didn’t weigh it.

What do you think?

Leah

On Feb 28, 2023, at 9:26 PM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:

You’ll forgive me for this unusual thread, I know you will. You will be compassionate to your RivSister who is yearning for spring after a Michigan winter, and if she can’t ride the bikes she will talk about the bikes. 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/VuuydGcQcsE/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/43d2871b-a482-4ece-8a89-453f2dbd48d9n%40googlegroups.com.

[Leah Peterson]

Oh, here is the new Rivendell rear rack, for those of you wondering how it would mount. It clears the fender light, which is the problem I had with the Nitto medium Big Back Rack.

On Feb 28, 2023, at 9:28 PM, Leah Peterson <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:



New stand:

<image0.jpeg>

<image1.jpeg>

[Kim Hetzel]

Hi Leah,

I am sorry to hear of your misgivings over your bicycle parts.

If you are still not happy with your new kickstand, I would be more than happy to send you my single kickstand that came stock with my Clem Smith Jr. "L" bike for no cost to you. I have not intentions of using it. I have a double footed-Pletscher kickstand.

I will take a picture(s) of it and send them to you, if are interested.

Kim Hetzel

Yelm, WA.

[Tom Goodmann]

RBW List to the rescue! So nice! 

Tom in Miami

[Joe Bernard]

I confess to thinking all kickstands are fairly equally horrendous and BITD when I was A Serious Cyclist I wouldn't have been caught dead with one. But now I see the light (as long as it's not on the kickstand and I don't have to look too close) and have one on my Riv and it stands the bike up and that's about all I can say for it. It's big and blocky and heavy like your PDW, but in an industrial flat black which makes it look even bigger and blockier and heavier. The one on your Mermaid? Kinda swoopy! I'm slightly amused that someone took the time to put so much styling into a kickstand but there ya go. The Ferrari of kickstands!  

My conclusion: The bike shop should have made sure you knew what you were paying for, you should have the kickstand you like the most. 

Also I don't think I've ever cried in a bike shop parking lot but if I did it was probably over some girl

Joe Bernard

[Nick Payne]

The best kickstand setup I've seen on a loaded touring bike was on this Koga belonging to a German cyclist who we met a few years back while cycling down the Rhone. Kickstands on both the chainstay and front rack make the parked bike quite stable even when fully loaded:

If you look on the Koga website, their touring (trekking) bikes come configured like this as standard: https://www.koga.com/en/bikes/trekking-bikes/collection.

Nick Payne

[Garth]

I remember when the name Platypus was sprung on us you were pretty upset Leah. When you realized the frame itself was the perfect design for you, you warmed up to the name. 

The other kickstand broke, for whatever reason. Who wants that kind of same ? !!!  

Does the PDW stand work good for you ?  If it does, just keep using it for awhile. I mean if it's there and it works, you may as well try it out for awhile. You can always change it later. Is it a beauty ? Of course not. Neither is a Greenfield, to me at least. 

[lconley]

I agree - life is too short to ride a bike with an ugly kickstand! I prefer the simple, classic, cut to length, Pletscher/Greenfield kickstand with the small Greenfield foot - in the words of the architect Mies van der Rohe: "Less is more." On bikes that carry a load, I use the double leg Pletcher - single leg kickstands and a high center of gravity just don't mix. 

I rode without kickstands for decades - you kind of become an expert at leaning the bike on things and using pedal against and seat curvature things to prevent the bike from rolling. I went with beauty over function on my custom and it has no kickstand plate or kickstand. 

Laing

[lconley]

should have said "pedal and seat curvature against things"

Laing

[Richard Rose]

I swear to God I was getting ready to type a response & read Joe’s. I was about to use very similar words which would have been needlessly duplicitous. Kick stands are UGLY. I love my dual leg Pletscher but it is UGLY. I mean, the sticks people utilize to take pics of their no kickstand bikes look at least as good as any kickstand. So it goes. I love my ugly kickstand. Embrace the ugly.

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 28, 2023, at 11:07 PM, Joe Bernard <joer...@gmail.com> wrote:

I confess to thinking all kickstands are fairly equally horrendous and BITD when I was A Serious Cyclist I wouldn't have been caught dead with one. But now I see the light (as long as it's not on the kickstand and I don't have to look too close) and have one on my Riv and it stands the bike up and that's about all I can say for it. It's big and blocky and heavy like your PDW, but in an industrial flat black which makes it look even bigger and blockier and heavier. The one on your Mermaid? Kinda swoopy! I'm slightly amused that someone took the time to put so much styling into a kickstand but there ya go. The Ferrari of kickstands!  

My conclusion: The bike shop should have made sure you knew what you were paying for, you should have the kickstand you like the most. 

Also I don't think I've ever cried in a bike shop parking lot but if I did it was probably over some girl

Joe Bernard

<Screenshot_20230228_200527.jpg>

On Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 6:26:39 PM UTC-8 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

You’ll forgive me for this unusual thread, I know you will. You will be compassionate to your RivSister who is yearning for spring after a Michigan winter, and if she can’t ride the bikes she will talk about the bikes. 

I love my Rivendells. I used to hate changing anything about them - if I wore something out like brake pads or tires - I would sometimes weep about it in the parking lot of the bike shop. “It will never be the SAME!” I’d think. These poor coping skills came after wearing my Betty Foy tires to threads. The mechanic told me he’d have to get me something else for tires because he didn’t have that kind. Then he called me and told my I’d actually need a whole new WHEEL because my rim was cracked. He explained he would have to build one. After a week in that shop, my Betty was returned to me. I got a flat on my first ride. I went howling back to the shop - it was something about rim tape and it was an easy fix. But I had developed a distrust and a distaste for messing with essentials on my bikes. 

I’ve mostly gotten over this. Especially now that I know about upgrades and how happy they can make you. But some things just shouldn’t need to be upgraded. Some things are so familiar that when they go missing or get replaced it’s intolerable.

Kickstands.

My Greenfield kickstand on the raspberry Platy inexplicably snapped in the back of my van en route to the Philly Bike Expo. A local shop replaced that kickstand with the same model (joy and rapture!) but cut it a hair too short. Was it going to tip over? No. BUT IT WASN’T THE SAME, I wailed in my head. I didn’t like the new lean it gave the bike. I wanted things the way they used to be. I decided I would spring for yet another kickstand and hope it would be right.

I took my Platy to my local shop and explained about the kickstand. I also brought them one of Rivendell’s new shiny rear racks to be fit to my bike. I may take that bike on a RivSister Tour this summer and needed a heavy-duty rack (not the saddlebag support I have presently). The mechanic thought he knew what I wanted and ordered me a new kickstand that he thought would be EVEN BETTER. He said this in email, so I did not get a vote. I picked up the bike today. The rear rack was expertly fitted. The kickstand…I know he meant well, but…

But it wasn’t the SAME. 

It’s this foreign thing on my bike. Chunky and stout. It’s a Portland Design Works stand; this one, I think: https://ridepdw.com/products/power-stance-kickstand

I haven’t gotten used to it. It’s been 4 hours. I don’t know if I can get used to it. This is my club ride bike and that kickstand is…a lot. The rack will get switched back - I just wanted the new one ready for plug and play for a summer tour. But what should I do about that kickstand? 

I could buy the one that is on my mermaid Platy. I think I want to be done with the kickstands that you have to cut to size. I’m liking that this one is adjustable. 

Is it as horrible as I think? I think it’s worse in real life than the photos show. Also, it’s dark and I had to alter these photos a lot so you could see well enough. Colors will be distorted. Anyway, I’m sending pics in the following post…

Who will help their RivSister? Who can understand her peculiar brand of angst? Who has words of wisdom, or even constructive criticism? Who else is nutty about small things that barely matter? Who has been crying in bike shop parking lots and hand-wringing in the garage, staring at these foreign, new, transplanted parts?

Pics forthcoming…

Leah

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cd7ec737-58ff-431b-ab6d-54b30f56eb51n%40googlegroups.com.

<Screenshot_20230228_200527.jpg>

[Doug H.]

The kickstand on my Clem works. But, I have never liked the look of it (photo below). I bought it from Bike24 in Germany when ordering some dynamo lights as an add on to the order. I can commiserate Leah with not wanting to mess with things that work. Your example of brake pads is a good one. I get my brakes set up just right and they are working well, then I need new pads. In fact, I need new pads now! I do enjoy tinkering with bikes but always think I'll never get it set up as good as it was. Then, I do and the worry was for naught. I plan to keep using the current kickstand because it just works. 

Doug

[Jay Lonner]

The Click-Stand has come up before in prior kickstand threads, and in my judgement is both functionally and aesthetically superior to the traditional Greenfield/Pletscher design. 

Jay Lonner

Bellingham, WA

Sent from my Atari 400

On Mar 1, 2023, at 6:40 AM, Doug H. <dhansf...@gmail.com> wrote:

The kickstand on my Clem works. But, I have never liked the look of it (photo below). I bought it from Bike24 in Germany when ordering some dynamo lights as an add on to the order. I can commiserate Leah with not wanting to mess with things that work. Your example of brake pads is a good one. I get my brakes set up just right and they are working well, then I need new pads. In fact, I need new pads now! I do enjoy tinkering with bikes but always think I'll never get it set up as good as it was. Then, I do and the worry was for naught. I plan to keep using the current kickstand because it just works. 

Doug

<IMG_4655.jpeg>

On Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 9:26:39 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

You’ll forgive me for this unusual thread, I know you will. You will be compassionate to your RivSister who is yearning for spring after a Michigan winter, and if she can’t ride the bikes she will talk about the bikes. 

I love my Rivendells. I used to hate changing anything about them - if I wore something out like brake pads or tires - I would sometimes weep about it in the parking lot of the bike shop. “It will never be the SAME!” I’d think. These poor coping skills came after wearing my Betty Foy tires to threads. The mechanic told me he’d have to get me something else for tires because he didn’t have that kind. Then he called me and told my I’d actually need a whole new WHEEL because my rim was cracked. He explained he would have to build one. After a week in that shop, my Betty was returned to me. I got a flat on my first ride. I went howling back to the shop - it was something about rim tape and it was an easy fix. But I had developed a distrust and a distaste for messing with essentials on my bikes. 

I’ve mostly gotten over this. Especially now that I know about upgrades and how happy they can make you. But some things just shouldn’t need to be upgraded. Some things are so familiar that when they go missing or get replaced it’s intolerable.

Kickstands.

My Greenfield kickstand on the raspberry Platy inexplicably snapped in the back of my van en route to the Philly Bike Expo. A local shop replaced that kickstand with the same model (joy and rapture!) but cut it a hair too short. Was it going to tip over? No. BUT IT WASN’T THE SAME, I wailed in my head. I didn’t like the new lean it gave the bike. I wanted things the way they used to be. I decided I would spring for yet another kickstand and hope it would be right.

I took my Platy to my local shop and explained about the kickstand. I also brought them one of Rivendell’s new shiny rear racks to be fit to my bike. I may take that bike on a RivSister Tour this summer and needed a heavy-duty rack (not the saddlebag support I have presently). The mechanic thought he knew what I wanted and ordered me a new kickstand that he thought would be EVEN BETTER. He said this in email, so I did not get a vote. I picked up the bike today. The rear rack was expertly fitted. The kickstand…I know he meant well, but…

But it wasn’t the SAME. 

It’s this foreign thing on my bike. Chunky and stout. It’s a Portland Design Works stand; this one, I think: https://ridepdw.com/products/power-stance-kickstand

I haven’t gotten used to it. It’s been 4 hours. I don’t know if I can get used to it. This is my club ride bike and that kickstand is…a lot. The rack will get switched back - I just wanted the new one ready for plug and play for a summer tour. But what should I do about that kickstand? 

I could buy the one that is on my mermaid Platy. I think I want to be done with the kickstands that you have to cut to size. I’m liking that this one is adjustable. 

Is it as horrible as I think? I think it’s worse in real life than the photos show. Also, it’s dark and I had to alter these photos a lot so you could see well enough. Colors will be distorted. Anyway, I’m sending pics in the following post…

Who will help their RivSister? Who can understand her peculiar brand of angst? Who has words of wisdom, or even constructive criticism? Who else is nutty about small things that barely matter? Who has been crying in bike shop parking lots and hand-wringing in the garage, staring at these foreign, new, transplanted parts?

Pics forthcoming…

Leah

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/62fc0cea-4e70-4711-ae4d-68f676fc72b1n%40googlegroups.com.

<IMG_4655.jpeg>

[Brian Forsee]

There's nothing wrong with not liking a particular part for aesthetic or any other reason. Leah if you don't dig the look of the new kickstand, ditch it and get what you want. I agree that kickstand is ugly. I think the classic greenfield is the best looking kickstand out there. Probably because it is the most minimal. I'll echo others statements about the double leg pletcher being better for loaded bikes, though. 

I tend to have the opposite problem as Leah. I get the itch to change things on a bike just for the sake of changing them and trying something new. Handlebars and tires most notably fall into this category for me.

One thing I especially LOVE changing is wear items like brake pads, tires (assuming i wear them out vs. just changing them), chains, or any kind of bearing. Wearing things out on a bike (as long as it isn't premature) is extremely satisfying to me and makes me feel justified in the time and money invested in changing the part out.

Brian

[Eric White]

Sorry to hear you did not get the kickstand you asked for. Maybe you want to go back to that shop and ask them to replace the current kickstand with the one you originally asked for? Or maybe you've had enough of that shop already.

No one else thinks it's a bit out of line for the shop to use the kickstand they wanted vs. the one Leah wanted?

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/43d2871b-a482-4ece-8a89-453f2dbd48d9n%40googlegroups.com.

[George Schick]

Yeah, what Brain sez.  There are two ways to look at this situation, keep the original as "original" as possible, perhaps for sentimental reasons, or upgrade as parts fail or wear out.  A look of folks get hooked on the label "OEM quality" or "contractor grade" when it comes to replacing parts on automobiles or fixtures in houses.  But keep in mind that an auto manufacturer wants to keep the price on his cars as low as possible in order to edge out competitors - so the OEM parts he gets to assemble his cars are usually not the best quality.  Likewise, a contractor building houses wants to keep the total cost down so his "contractor grade" translates to "cheapest possible."

This is not to imply that Riv is installing junky components on its bikes, but they ARE caught in the trap of having to try to keep the total cost of their product at least somewhat within a range that will attract those who don't seem to think any bike should cost over $1,000 (some don't think it should cost more than $100).  When I bought my Riv back in '05 (a Ram) I bought just the frame and fork with BB and headset and then picked and chose the components from various sources - some from Riv, some not. If I had do it all over again I wouldn't even have had the frame and fork equipped with the BB and headset.  'Course, this implies that one has to have all the right tools and skills to install everything else on the bike, but that comes along with over 50 years in the saddle - it's an acquired skill set.

[Joe Bernard]

Yes, I'm also annoyed that the shop guy - a person she's interacted with several times - got the kickstand he liked and popped it on there without asking her. That's weird. 

[Kim Hetzel]

Very selfish of the bike mechanic to do so over Leah wanted.

Kim Hetzel

Yelm, WA.

You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/VuuydGcQcsE/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7a17e985-0fa5-42e0-9792-114b7d10cd1dn%40googlegroups.com.

[Garth]

I missed the part of the employee taking the liberty to order something other than what was agreed upon. While it's not uncommon, it is wonky and it's up to the customer to take it up with either the employee or the store management. Be firm about it, kind, but firm. If the store hems and haws, tell them to take it up with the employee who ordered the part, and leave you out of that drama. That's not the customers responsibility, you're there to buy the stuff you ask for. The employee may have thought you wouldn't notice, or worse, were clueless to tell the difference. Oops, you did.

Surprise ! I bought you and even BETTER present !

[George Schick]

Unfortunately, this is not uncommon.  What they're often doing is using something they already have in stock, telling the customer that they've selected a "better" product.  Also, if they've stocked those via a one-time mass purchase from a distributor, they're likely to be making a wider profit margin off of it vs. something they had to special order.  Yet another reason to DIY if you can.

[Slacky Mac]

Poking my head in to say that this is the most entertaining and affirming thread I have ever seen on these pages during my short tenure!

From the Kindrid Spirits Club, the attached pic shows my recent level of kickstand obsession. I hacksawed, ground, and polished the aluminum slab that typically goes atop the chainstays to use as a thick spacer/washer to relieve the stress accompanying the deployment of the kickstand.  For it is my own theory that the vibration associated with the kickstand use (ya know, the bbddddtttt sound) led to the premature kickstand plate failure on certain Riv bikes. Oh sure, I am conveniently ignoring that this is the most stressed area of the bike. (Let’s not let the facts get in the way of a good argument.)  

Keen eyes will note that I also used the Riv sourced Greenfield bolt to secure the kickstand, having hacksawed, ground and polished that to size as it was far too long for this custom use.  Oh sure, I could have sourced the proper sized bolt at my local hardware store, but then it would not have been an original part, now would it?

Yes, it drives me crazy that my custom Greenfield washer/spacer has a misalignment.  I will remedy that when I remove the kickstand to shorten it using my micrometer for measurement as it needs to lean over .783 degrees further to feel just right. 

All this to say, Leah, I get it!

[Joe Bernard]

On the subject of changing stuff on my bike I've definitely regressed from the "change everything all the time" person I used to be. My custom was designed with Boscos in mind and started there, then I fell in love with the shape and grip angle of Billies and spent a ludicrous amount of money to get one back in the pandemic supply shortage days. It was indeed lovely and the grip angle was perfect, but alas after time I realized I was never going to get them high enough for my dodgy old wrists and threw in the towel...Boscos forever! My bike looks like this and and it works and I'm not messing with it anymore. 

[Kim Hetzel]

Leah,

Here is my kickstand from my Clem Smith Jr. "L" bike.

You are more than welcome to have it . I will ship it to you for free.

Kim Hetzel

Yelm, WA.

[Leah Peterson]

This is the response I was hoping for! Lol, you get it completely and I sympathize with your hand-wringing about bolts being original and the final washer/spacer misalignment. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one.

Kim, thank you so much for the offer - it’s so kind. I actually purchased the Pletscher that I originally wanted, and I’ll get it on there soon. Save your Clem kickstand - you may need it someday!

I should also clear the name of the good bike shop here - I probably didn’t word it well in that hurried post last night. They tried to get the exact kickstand I wanted and only realized after it arrived that it was for a rear mount and not the center mount I needed. Not having access to that version, they chose another kickstand they thought I would like. They just don’t know me well enough to know I’d hate that kickstand. So, all is forgiven and I will never mention it to them. If I can’t install the new kickstand myself I’ll slink off to the bike shop across town and have them do it. And my local shop will be none the wiser!

I’ll send a video of the two kickstands in the next post. The PDW stand vibrates so much that the frame even shakes, or it seems to. Might be loud/annoying on rough roads. It also looks huge on my bike and that’s my club riding bike - already an anomaly - and I don’t need one more thing to make even weirder.

I swapped the racks back on my Platy tonight but didn’t get to ride it yet. I’ll ride it and see what I think of that kickstand while I wait for the new one to arrive.

Leah

On Mar 1, 2023, at 3:33 PM, 'Slacky Mac' via RBW Owners Bunch <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/VuuydGcQcsE/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/8a1d121c-0b68-49fe-ae80-d7d78d4bb34an%40googlegroups.com.

<3B20619C-8CE8-425D-83AE-E1AED31FD684.jpeg>

[Leah Peterson]

[JW]

I have full faith you can swap the new kickstand on when it arrives, no reason to outsource that labor with your newfound bike mechanic skills!

Jared

On Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 6:43:45 PM UTC-8 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

[Pam Bikes]

Of course we all understand.  I don't mind the looks of the new one and would be willing to try it but then you said it rattled.  i don't like a noisy bike.  I don't mind something a little weird looking if it's more functional.  Does it at least work well?  Change is hard when you loved what you had and just want that but it did break so you do want better.  But the new one should work better and look better too.  Can't wait to see pictures of what you decide.  

Along the same lines, I put on a new seat post and no one will ever know the difference but it bugs me that it doesn't look the same.  So I know how you feel.  It's a problem we all can relate to.

[Joe Bernard]

Now that I've watched Leah's comparo video and kicked my kickstand a few times I'm surprised how much rattle the PDW shows. My Pletscher Touring and the swoopy-looking Pletscher make the same sounds, I'd return the PDW. I'm Team Swoopy! 

[Ken Yokanovich]

I polished a kickstand for the build of my daughter's Cheviot and said to myself "never again!"

But then came the Platypus for my wife and I just couldn't help myself

In the end, my wife preferred a single leg version. You guessed it, I found myself polishing another Greenfield.

[lconley]

OOOH, I like it. I have been considering doing some drillium to one of my kickstands (single leg) and have always wondered how they would take to polishing. May have to do both, now.

Laing

[George Schick]

Ken - after you polished it did you apply any kind of sealer to it?

[Toshi Takeuchi]

Leah, I feel your pain and have a potential solution for you.  Get your favorite color of Newbaum tape and wrap the offending kickstand with the beautiful colored bar tape and then you won't have to look at that offending black part of the kickstand and you get to accessorize your bike with another beautiful color.  You can finish the end with some twine.  Riv website has good instructions on how to do this.  I can take a picture of my wife's Betty Foy's kickstand if you'd like.  I think it would be sweet!

Toshi

[Ken Yokanovich]

I applied some Groit's Garage Ceramic 3-in-1 spray finish, same stuff that I use to spray down the entire bike.

Honestly, it can be a maintenance nightmare to keep shiny, particularly a kickstand that is subject to lots of abuse. Fortunately, I really enjoy keeping the fleet of bikes clean. I generally keep at least one bike ready for all kinds of inclement weather and abuse.

[John Rinker]

Wow, Ken! I love that polished double! A real pletscher to look at!

How'd you do that?

Cheers, John

[Michael Baquerizo]

yes i'll take a mini tutorial on polishing a pletscher for sure.

[Garth]

That's some nice looking kickstand Ken !  Everything looks good all sparkly -) 

[Kim Hetzel]

I am waiting on the video to come out ...

Kim.

[Jacob Byard]

I did mine this morning at work. I used a big polishing lathe (3,000 rpm 10HP) and a 14” color buff wheel. I used white rouge but probably would have used a red to get a little more cut. One thing to keep in mind is that a color buff will snatch the part from your hands. I could have done a better job near the top but I didn’t feel the risk was worth it. If you are using a bench top set up then there’s much less risk. It will still want to grab though so be careful. 

 

All in all I’m happy with the results. Probably never do it again as I’m not a clean your bike kind of person. 

-Jacob

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 3, 2023, at 8:13 AM, Kim Hetzel <krhe...@gmail.com> wrote:



--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/d96f5e8b-772b-4e47-b889-f705b99c2007n%40googlegroups.com.

[Ken Yokanovich]

For what it is worth- those similarly inclined to try to polish their kickstands.  There are lots of rough spots and irregularities to surface including a seam from where they are cast. I used a flat file to smooth out the seam and a palm sander to sand the surface smooth before attempting the polish. It's messy work so recommend gloves and a face-mask. I used a progression of sandpaper from 220/400/600/1000/2000. After the 2000 the surface can easily be buffed to a mirror finish by hand using an aluminum polish like Mothers Aluminum Polish, or use a buffing wheel to make the process quicker.

[Garth]

Waaaay back in the 80's I'd take to painting bike parts and the lugs of my Stumpjumper with Testors Model paint. It was fun ! I often polished my Campy seatposts as sweat would do a number on them, but doing it by hand was an endless task. You know.... you start out thinking this will just take a few minutes.... hah hah .... an hour later you wonder where and when to stop !  .... The painting was more fun colorful anyways. It's not done for anyone but yourself, for the joy of the joy of it !