Kickstand - Single Leg - Pletscher, Silver

The Pletscher kickstand is the best we've used, and among Swiss things, ranks up there with chocolate, army knives, and watches. The idea that you can buy 9.2 ounces of Swiss metal for less than $20 in the 21st century is something we should all rejoice. It will support your bike better than a Victorinox will; will last longer than the biggest bar of Toblerone; and it can take more abuse than a Blanc Pain watch.

Black plastic-y rubbery foot sold separately.

Note: this kickstand comes with kickstand, mounting plate and a long bolt for sandwiching around your chainstays. If you have a dedicated kickstand plate on your bike (like on most of our models, in the main picture) discard the mounting plate and long bolt and use one of these shorter bolts for a nicer installation (sold separately). 

TIP: Tape or otherwise pad the part that'll contact the pedal and crank arm. You've got to go pretty high up on the 'stand. It's not a hassle, just another place to use bar tape, twine, and shellac. (Or do it some other easier way like knitting a cozy). It's not being weird, trying too hard to be classy, or anything like that. If you've got a decent crank, simply protect it from getting scratched and dinged by the kickstand...and that's how you do it. You cover it.

And you have to cut it to size.

Here's what you do:

1. Set the bike vertical (on both wheels, pretty much its natural orientation, but not leaning. Measure the bottom bracket height. That's center of the crank (center of the bolt) to the ground. Shag carpet? Shave it. You want an accurate number in millimeters. Call that number X for now.

2. Look at the kickstand legs. There are raised cut-marks in 10mm gradations.

3. Cut each leg at X, the same angle as the mark. If the bike doesn't lean enough, remover the foot and cut another 10mm off. Don't cut too much. Better to cut three or four times than once and too much.