Thursday, April 12, 2012

#30DaysofBiking: Kickstand Kind


In this world of bikes and riders there are many bicycles and many ways to ride. There are riders who race, or at least who rush, and those seeking speed favor minimalist machines. We do tend to move quicker when less burdened, so these riders are wise to be wary of weight. If your goal is to go with the least effort, take only what you need.

This is why you don't see kickstands in the Tour de France.

But there are other ways to ride and if your trips are anything like mine, they may involve at least as much stopping as going. If you saunter more than sprint, then perhaps you are not a racer. Perhaps you are another kind of rider, on another kind of ride.

Perhaps you are the kickstand kind.

A kickstand does nothing to make the bike go, but it's there for you when you stop. For me, on my rides, it's worth it's weight.

I stop and take pictures. I stop and eat. I stop sometimes just for the sake of stopping.

I am the kickstand kind.

I'll go riding later today, after the sun is up. I'm not sure yet where I'll go, but I'll update this post later with a mileage total.

I'm not sure where I'll ride, but it'll be somewhere. And I'll be stopping and putting down the kickstand.

Because I am the kickstand kind.

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah WA USA


Evening update. 4 miles of riding around town. The best picture from the day is this one of McNugget the Rooster. He lives in a little house next to the espresso stand on Front Street.

6 comments:

Oldfool said...

I am also the "kickstand kind" and proud of it. One of my bikes even has two kickstands.

Mimi said...

I love kickstands. And this is a great post.

Ted said...

I could not imagine having a bike without a kickstand. The convenience far out weighs the weight.

Anonymous said...

I've been needing to put one on my go-to around town bike (Origin 8 700CX frame built up as a go-to bike despite it's drop bars,including rack and occasional panniers),as leaning it against something....just sucks,LOL! I find it's something I can never remember to order/buy though,as I only think of it when riding/stopping :P

I've been riding my folder lots more lately though,and it had one...I'm the kickstand kind,except when I'm not :)

The Disabled Cyclist

Hobbes said...

I'm proud to say I am a "kickstand kind" also. Great post!

Velomann said...

I love the idea of an espresso stand having a mascot pet rooster - two ways to wake up, so to speak.