Is it worth fitting a bike stand to my galaxy?

Bigtallfatbloke

..so i dont have to rely on walls to lead the bike on fully loaded.
My daws galaxy hasn't got one and I notice from pictures of loaded bikes that some do and some dont. I guess it's a weight over convenience thing and each will have their own preference, but as i novice I want to be prepared....won't look cool to have my loaded bike falling over outside the pub you know[:D]

I am temted to fit one...which are good/bad...pros cons etc...any comments helpful. Ta for your time[:)].

john holiday

Would not leave home without one! Have one fitted to my Thorn Raven & all earlier tourers.Have found that type that fits to rear drop-out/triangle are better.Makes parking when loaded so much easier!

rgisme

I've found a bike stand really helpful on the bike I use for touring, I think they're one of the most useful accessories you can fit on any bike used with loaded panniers - not just Galaxies!

daviddd

Yes, I've fitted one to my Thorn Raven too, ready for Oz where there will be places where there's noting to lean on. Some surfaces may be too soft / uneven maybe but on balance it should be an advantage.

Alpine Tour July 2006:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=l ... =1914&v=9d
Forthcoming lap of Australia:http://www.davidddinoz.blogspot.com/

TorugartTim

Yes, definitely worth the weight. Very convenient and saves scuffing your panniers. Hebie stands are good.

Tours in far away places
Info:www.adventure-cycling-guide.co.uk

Bigtallfatbloke

ok...advice taken.. I just ordered one from Evans along with my panniers. Cheers.

Brains

Make sure it's one that sits on the rear triangle, not the conventional ones (in the UK), that attach on the underside forward of the rear wheel. A loaded bike will fall over and/or bend the stand

This sort ot thing.
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-SJSC-Pletscher-(ESGE)-KS10-Rear-Stay-Fitting-Single-leg-Propstand--Over-295mm-13208.htm
Costs maybe half as much again, but well worth the money

rgisme

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Brains</i>

Make sure it's one that sits on the rear triangle, not the conventional ones (in the UK), that attach on the underside forward of the rear wheel. A loaded bike will fall over and/or bend the stand
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I haven't found that at all. It shouldn't matter whether the stand is placed forward of the rear wheel or along the chainstay, it seems to me it should just be a matter of adjusting the length of the leg to get the right amount of lean - not to much and not too little. Any stand should be strong enough to take the kind of weight a couple of panniers are designed to hold. Mine works perfectly well mounted conventionally in the little area between the seat tube and the little cross-brace between the chainstays, ahead of the rear wheel. The only issue I did have with mounting my stand was that it didn't follow the line of the chainstay closely enough for the crank to rotate! That was cured by the application of a strong bending force directly at an appropriate point...

Brains

each to their own, I went through three of the vhainstay versions in a summer before going to the rear triangle version which is now on it's 5th year

Uncle Phil

Never had one. Don't miss one. If there's nothing to lean the bike on, I lean it on the ground.

Not having a stand didn't cost any money, doesn't need any maintenance and never breaks or malfunctions.

(Just presenting a balancing argument here...)

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot
Nothing is going to get better. It's not"
- Dr Seuss

Give Baby Elephants Room!

daviddd

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Uncle Phil</i>

If there's nothing to lean the bike on, I lean it on the ground.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">I'd be hard pushed to lift a fully-laden touring bike from off the ground?!

Alpine Tour July 2006:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=l ... =1914&v=9d
Forthcoming lap of Australia:http://www.davidddinoz.blogspot.com/

Tourist Tony

I just rest mine on the panniers.

If I had a stalker, I would hug it and kiss it and call it George...or Dick

PHcp

I can see how it would be useful in some circumstances but I've never had one or missed it. Where possible I like to lay the bike down, then I know it can't fall any further.
In your other post about tents you say
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Need minimal weight ...I do not want to spend more than œ100 absolute tops.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I suggest it's a matter of priorities, the extra cost and weight would be better off used for a bigger/better tent.

Uncle Phil

[/quote]I'd be hard pushed to lift a fully-laden touring bike from off the ground?!
[/quote]

It can be a struggle I guess. Probably not recommended if you have a bad back.

Thinking about it, I probably bend my knees and sort of stick my bum out and use my body weight to lever it up.

I usually only park it on the ground on a camp site where there's nothing else to lean it on, and then I'll have taken the luggage off anyway. Mrs Uncle Phil struggles, it's true - but then she's only 4'10" and 38kg - her loaded bike probably weighs more than she does!



"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot
Nothing is going to get better. It's not"
- Dr Seuss

Give Baby Elephants Room!

Cheys03

I have a twin-legged ESGE stand on my heavy-weight tourer..

While there are times I use it, most of the time the ground is too soft or uneven for it to support the bike. Even on tarmac it can struggle with gradients etc. I tried fitting wider 'feet' to the legs without much sucess.

For me personally, while a great idea in theory, there are rarely times that I can practically use it. I mostly lean it against a wall or strong fence by the panniers, or if traveling with someone else, their bike.

sloe

Helpful to lock the front brake on whatever stand - or even wall - you use. I use a big rubber band scissored from a cars inner tube but a dedicated bit of velcro might be handier.

And my stand is two foot lengths of plumbing overflow plastic pipe, painted, that normally live beside the pump. They slot togetherwith a plumbing joint glued to one and snag any handy high up bolthead and weigh 70g. Then I can root around in the bags, fiddle around with things on the bike. Bit of a faff - a new definition of sadness possibly - but when I want it it's there, rock solid.

Uncle Phil

Ah, yes, now, something to stop the bike rolling <i>is</i> worth having.

I used to use a clothes peg jammed in the brake lever.

Now I've got one of those "nurse's" locks that clamps on to the seat stays and has a bolt that throws through the spokes. On tour, I use a cable lock, secured by this to lock the bike to things overnight. For short stops outside shops and the like in "safe" areas, I just do up the lock to prevent casual theft. And when parking to rootle through bags, pitch tents, fit panniers or whatever, I can just lock the lock but leave the key in and it stops the bike rolling away.

Helps hold the bike up, but also helps stop it being nicked, you see...

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot
Nothing is going to get better. It's not"
- Dr Seuss

Give Baby Elephants Room!

Mike Bcp

Never having had a stand until I bought my VSF T-400 Rohloff in April, which came with an ESGE stand, I've found it much more useful than I would have anticipated, particularly on tour with a laden bike. Even went to the length of weighing it with its fitting bolts and decided that the 250g involved was a small price to pay for the convenience.

Bigtallfatbloke

..I am going to run without one to start with, even 250g is more weight added to my already heavy load (mostly me[:D]). If it gets to be a problem I will find a LBS and have them fit one on my trip....I bet the problems happen on a Sunday after 4pm in the middle of nowhere...[:D]