How long should a $50 double-leg Swiss kickstand last?!

Jay said:

This is my second kickstand from these guys, and my patience is wearing
thin. Am I being unreasonable (which has happened)?!

http://tinyurl.com/2bcncy

Let me say at the outset; when this kickstand is new, it works perfectly,
and does exactly what it needs to do. It is a pleasure to use on my daily
commute, where a double-leg kickstand is essential to my feng shui.

The first one crapped out after 6 months. The retailer and manufacturer
(both) were prompt and helpful. They replaced the obviously defective
kickstand.

Nine months later, the replacement unit needs to be replaced. The kickstand
does not retract as it should. It nearly drags on the pavement. So I just
finesse it with my toe, and it then retracts to the midpoint. At least it is
not dragging on the ground. When the kickstand is new, it retracts fully. At
this point, the kickstand will not retract fully - this is why I tied it up,
for the purpose of this pic.

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-drag.jpg

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-midpoint.jpg

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-retracted.jpg

I suspect, this kickstand is actually being made in China, not Switzerland.

End of rant and out of breath,

America (and Northern Europeans) First J.

A rear triangle mount Greenfield should go superbly with your White
Power.

"Jay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This is my second kickstand from these guys, and my patience is wearing
thin. Am I being unreasonable (which has happened)?!

http://tinyurl.com/2bcncy

Let me say at the outset; when this kickstand is new, it works perfectly,
and does exactly what it needs to do. It is a pleasure to use on my daily
commute, where a double-leg kickstand is essential to my feng shui.

Have you tried lubricating the spring mechanism?

MJP

"MJP" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Jay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This is my second kickstand from these guys, and my patience is wearing
thin. Am I being unreasonable (which has happened)?!

http://tinyurl.com/2bcncy

Let me say at the outset; when this kickstand is new, it works perfectly,
and does exactly what it needs to do. It is a pleasure to use on my daily
commute, where a double-leg kickstand is essential to my feng shui.

Have you tried lubricating the spring mechanism?

MJP

Yes, of course; the kickstand is on my regular lubrication checklist. Chain,
derailleur, kickstand. Clean and lube, as needed, depending on conditions.
In the winter, we are talking at least 3x per week.

I think this is a design defect. How could my beloved Swiss betray me like
this?!

J.

"landotter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jay said:

This is my second kickstand from these guys, and my patience is wearing
thin. Am I being unreasonable (which has happened)?!

http://tinyurl.com/2bcncy

Let me say at the outset; when this kickstand is new, it works perfectly,
and does exactly what it needs to do. It is a pleasure to use on my daily
commute, where a double-leg kickstand is essential to my feng shui.

The first one crapped out after 6 months. The retailer and manufacturer
(both) were prompt and helpful. They replaced the obviously defective
kickstand.

Nine months later, the replacement unit needs to be replaced. The
kickstand
does not retract as it should. It nearly drags on the pavement. So I just
finesse it with my toe, and it then retracts to the midpoint. At least it
is
not dragging on the ground. When the kickstand is new, it retracts fully.
At
this point, the kickstand will not retract fully - this is why I tied it
up,
for the purpose of this pic.

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-drag.jpg

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-midpoint.jpg

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-retracted.jpg

I suspect, this kickstand is actually being made in China, not
Switzerland.

End of rant and out of breath,

America (and Northern Europeans) First J.

A rear triangle mount Greenfield should go superbly with your White
Power.

Do you have a specific link? I can't find a vendor, given only your cryptic
hint.

I am sure you know - Germans / Swiss / Austrians make the world's finest
products. It is in their very nature to NOT MAKE JUNK.

That is why I am so disappointed in this 'Swiss made' kickstand. The Swiss
do NOT make junk, regardless of price point.

Steamed J.

Jay said:

Yes, of course; the kickstand is on my regular lubrication checklist. Chain,
derailleur, kickstand. Clean and lube, as needed, depending on conditions.
In the winter, we are talking at least 3x per week.

with what? WD40?

--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

"M-gineering" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jay said:

Yes, of course; the kickstand is on my regular lubrication checklist.
Chain, derailleur, kickstand. Clean and lube, as needed, depending on
conditions. In the winter, we are talking at least 3x per week.

with what? WD40?

--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/teflon-plus-lube.htm

I like to use the red straw, because the lube goes exactly where I intended.
No overspray.

J.

Jay said:

Quoted message said:

A rear triangle mount Greenfield should go superbly with your White
Power.

Do you have a specific link? I can't find a vendor, given only your cryptic
hint.

I think this is what he is talking about, but probably not what you
will want.
http://midtownbikeco.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2522

This one is similar to yours, from another Swiss company!
http://www.BikeMania.Biz/Pletscher_ESGE_Double_Kickstand_p/pletscher_kickstand_double.htm

I don't know how to find them, but there are rear mounted kickstands
I've seen in Europe and on work bikes here that lift the rear wheel
off the ground.

"Jay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This is my second kickstand from these guys, and my patience is wearing
thin. Am I being unreasonable (which has happened)?!

http://tinyurl.com/2bcncy

Let me say at the outset; when this kickstand is new, it works perfectly,
and does exactly what it needs to do. It is a pleasure to use on my daily
commute, where a double-leg kickstand is essential to my feng shui.

The first one crapped out after 6 months. The retailer and manufacturer
(both) were prompt and helpful. They replaced the obviously defective
kickstand.

Nine months later, the replacement unit needs to be replaced. The
kickstand does not retract as it should. It nearly drags on the pavement.
So I just finesse it with my toe, and it then retracts to the midpoint. At
least it is not dragging on the ground. When the kickstand is new, it
retracts fully. At this point, the kickstand will not retract fully - this
is why I tied it up, for the purpose of this pic.

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-drag.jpg

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-midpoint.jpg

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-retracted.jpg

I suspect, this kickstand is actually being made in China, not
Switzerland.

End of rant and out of breath,

America (and Northern Europeans) First J.

I have one of these hanging in the garage. I used it about a year before
buying a new frame. It won't fit my new frame so I replaced it with a
Greenfield, which works quite well. I never had your problems. Perhaps I
ride in milder conditions than those seen during Chicago winters. My wall
decoration has "Made in Switzerland" stamped on it so I expected it to be
great and last forever.

What are those vertical posts in the middle of your bike's chainstays?

BobT

Jay Bollyn said:

This is my second kickstand from these guys, and my patience is wearing
thin. Am I being unreasonable (which has happened)?!

http://tinyurl.com/2bcncy

Let me say at the outset; when this kickstand is new, it works perfectly,
and does exactly what it needs to do. It is a pleasure to use on my daily
commute, where a double-leg kickstand is essential to my feng shui.

The first one crapped out after 6 months. The retailer and manufacturer
(both) were prompt and helpful. They replaced the obviously defective
kickstand.

Nine months later, the replacement unit needs to be replaced. The kickstand
does not retract as it should. It nearly drags on the pavement. So I just
finesse it with my toe, and it then retracts to the midpoint. At least it is
not dragging on the ground. When the kickstand is new, it retracts fully. At
this point, the kickstand will not retract fully - this is why I tied it up,
for the purpose of this pic.

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-drag.jpg

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-midpoint.jpg

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-retracted.jpg

I suspect, this kickstand is actually being made in China, not Switzerland.

End of rant and out of breath,

Have you disassembled and cleaned the kickstand? I would expect any area
not well sealed to be full of grunge, considering the winter commuter use.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
POST FREE OR DIE!

"velodancer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Jay said:

Quoted message said:

A rear triangle mount Greenfield should go superbly with your White
Power.

Do you have a specific link? I can't find a vendor, given only your
cryptic
hint.

I think this is what he is talking about, but probably not what you
will want.
http://midtownbikeco.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2522

This one is similar to yours, from another Swiss company!
http://www.BikeMania.Biz/Pletscher_ESGE_Double_Kickstand_p/pletscher_kickstand_double.htm

I don't know how to find them, but there are rear mounted kickstands
I've seen in Europe and on work bikes here that lift the rear wheel
off the ground.

Quoted message said:

The Swiss one you cited, is exactly what I have. The very same. When new, it
is wonderful!

Hard to imagine that the Greenfield product will out-perform the Swiss
product, when the Greenfield item is one-half the price of the Pletscher
kickstand, which I already have.

Bottom line, it looks like I need to replace kickstands on a yearly basis, 9
months, whatever.

The basic design problem is, the Pletscher kickstand does not protect their
working mechanism, from grime / crud / winter salt / whatever. I am their
worst nightmare.

This is yet another case of Jay pushing the bike weather envelope, to an
unreasonable point. I did not think it was that bad?

J.

Either their standards have dropped, or there's something unusual in
your riding conditions that is damaging the stand. My commuter bike's
ESGE stand dates from the early 1990s and still works perfectly with no
maintenance required. (Other than cleaning a bit of gunk out of it
every few years.)

--
[email hidden] is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Braze your own bicycle frames. See
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/build/build.html>

Jay said:

"velodancer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Jay said:

Quoted message said:

A rear triangle mount Greenfield should go superbly with your White
Power.

Quoted message said:

Do you have a specific link? I can't find a vendor, given only your
cryptic
hint.

I think this is what he is talking about, but probably not what you
will want.http://midtownbikeco.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2522

This one is similar to yours, from another Swiss company!http://www.BikeMania.Biz/Pletscher_ESGE_Double_Kickstand_p/pletscher_...

I don't know how to find them, but there are rear mounted kickstands
I've seen in Europe and on work bikes here that lift the rear wheel
off the ground.

The Swiss one you cited, is exactly what I have. The very same. When new, it
is wonderful!

Hard to imagine that the Greenfield product will out-perform the Swiss
product, when the Greenfield item is one-half the price of the Pletscher
kickstand, which I already have.

I see the wingnut mind is plodding along as usual. "It's more
expensive...it MUST be better". Not so. Greenfields are by far the
best stand out there. That's why cops, that have all that spendy gear
in the rear case, use them. I've got the even cheaper $8 BB mount
version, and it's doing it's job thoughtlessly right now.

Jay said:

"M-gineering" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jay said:

Yes, of course; the kickstand is on my regular lubrication checklist.
Chain, derailleur, kickstand. Clean and lube, as needed, depending on
conditions. In the winter, we are talking at least 3x per week.

with what? WD40?

--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/teflon-plus-lube.htm

I like to use the red straw, because the lube goes exactly where I intended.
No overspray.

J.

a wonderfull product no doubt, but in the impressive writeup anti
corrosion properties are suspiciously absent. I suspect that a decent
squirt of engine oil would have had better results

--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

landotter said:

Jay said:

"velodancer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Jay said:

> A rear triangle mount Greenfield should go superbly with your White
> Power.
Do you have a specific link? I can't find a vendor, given only your
cryptic
hint.

I think this is what he is talking about, but probably not what you
will want.http://midtownbikeco.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2522

This one is similar to yours, from another Swiss company!http://www.BikeMania.Biz/Pletscher_ESGE_Double_Kickstand_p/pletscher_...

I don't know how to find them, but there are rear mounted kickstands
I've seen in Europe and on work bikes here that lift the rear wheel
off the ground.

The Swiss one you cited, is exactly what I have. The very same. When new, it
is wonderful!

Hard to imagine that the Greenfield product will out-perform the Swiss
product, when the Greenfield item is one-half the price of the Pletscher
kickstand, which I already have.

I see the wingnut mind is plodding along as usual. "It's more
expensive...it MUST be better". Not so. Greenfields are by far the
best stand out there. That's why cops, that have all that spendy gear
in the rear case, use them. I've got the even cheaper $8 BB mount
version, and it's doing it's job thoughtlessly right now.

another thing to note: it is not a $ 50 item, it ia s $27 item which for
some reason retails in the US for $50 😉

--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

Quoted message said:

Either their standards have dropped, or there's something unusual in
your riding conditions that is damaging the stand.

That's true. Chicago salt is pretty vicious.

Something that's got a stupid simple mechanism like this guy might be
the trick:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_info.php?products_id=11375

"landotter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Either their standards have dropped, or there's something unusual in
your riding conditions that is damaging the stand.

That's true. Chicago salt is pretty vicious.

Something that's got a stupid simple mechanism like this guy might be
the trick:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_info.php?products_id=11375

I respectfully ask, with that fully exposed spring, how could it possilbly
hold up to all conditions, year round, daily use in Chicago?!

My problems have generally not been solved by throwing FEWER dollars at the
problem, although I do not rule it out.

But I agree, Chicago winter riding is not just about common road salt. Our
stuff is in fact a brakish abrasive slurry of grime, sand, grit, etc., all
dissolved into a witches brew, specifically designed to destroy bike
components.

Well, maybe I overstate my case a bit.

J.

Jay said:

"landotter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jay said:

This is my second kickstand from these guys, and my patience is wearing
thin. Am I being unreasonable (which has happened)?!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

http://tinyurl.com/2bcncy

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Let me say at the outset; when this kickstand is new, it works perfectly,
and does exactly what it needs to do. It is a pleasure to use on my daily
commute, where a double-leg kickstand is essential to my feng shui.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The first one crapped out after 6 months. The retailer and manufacturer
(both) were prompt and helpful. They replaced the obviously defective
kickstand.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Nine months later, the replacement unit needs to be replaced. The
kickstand
does not retract as it should. It nearly drags on the pavement. So I just
finesse it with my toe, and it then retracts to the midpoint. At least it
is
not dragging on the ground. When the kickstand is new, it retracts fully.
At
this point, the kickstand will not retract fully - this is why I tied it
up,
for the purpose of this pic.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-drag.jpg

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-midpoint.jpg

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-retracted.jpg

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I suspect, this kickstand is actually being made in China, not
Switzerland.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

End of rant and out of breath,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

America (and Northern Europeans) First J.

Quoted message said:

A rear triangle mount Greenfield should go superbly with your White
Power.

Do you have a specific link? I can't find a vendor, given only your cryptic
hint.

I am sure you know - Germans / Swiss / Austrians make the world's finest
products. It is in their very nature to NOT MAKE JUNK.

That is why I am so disappointed in this 'Swiss made' kickstand. The Swiss
do NOT make junk, regardless of price point.

Steamed J.

I once paid to have the ball joints on my French registered car
replaced in Switzerland because I didn't want to get ripped off in
France. I paid to have the ball joints replaced, but I only got the
rubber gaiters replaced.

Swiss are people too.

FWIW, I have come to consider all semi-inexpensive manufactured items
from Europe with skepticism. If they can even remotely compete on
price, it must be [censored].

Joseph

Jay said:

This is my second kickstand from these guys, and my patience is wearing
thin. Am I being unreasonable (which has happened)?!
http://tinyurl.com/2bcncy
Let me say at the outset; when this kickstand is new, it works perfectly,
and does exactly what it needs to do. It is a pleasure to use on my daily
commute, where a double-leg kickstand is essential to my feng shui.
The first one crapped out after 6 months. The retailer and manufacturer
(both) were prompt and helpful. They replaced the obviously defective
kickstand.
Nine months later, the replacement unit needs to be replaced. The kickstand
does not retract as it should. It nearly drags on the pavement. So I just
finesse it with my toe, and it then retracts to the midpoint. At least it is
not dragging on the ground. When the kickstand is new, it retracts fully. At
this point, the kickstand will not retract fully - this is why I tied it up,
for the purpose of this pic.
http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-drag.jpg
http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-midpoint.jpg
http://www.neiu.edu/~jbollyn/bike/kickstand-retracted.jpg
I suspect, this kickstand is actually being made in China, not Switzerland.
End of rant and out of breath,
America (and Northern Europeans) First J.

It's a genuine Swiss made ESGE stand. Lube it a few times per year to
avoid the corrosion you describe.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Jay said:

"landotter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:... On Dec 30 said:

Quoted message said:

Either their standards have dropped, or there's something unusual in
your riding conditions that is damaging the stand.

Quoted message said:

That's true. Chicago salt is pretty vicious.

Quoted message said:

Something that's got a stupid simple mechanism like this guy might be
the trick:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_info.php?products_id=11375

I respectfully ask, with that fully exposed spring, how could it possilbly
hold up to all conditions, year round, daily use in Chicago?!

The spring is easily replaceable when it rusts out. Check out the
small parts section at the North Ave. Home Depot. But, the deal is
that an exposed spring is easier to maintain and keep an eye on.

Quoted message said:

My problems have generally not been solved by throwing FEWER dollars at the
problem, although I do not rule it out.

But I agree, Chicago winter riding is not just about common road salt. Our
stuff is in fact a brakish abrasive slurry of grime, sand, grit, etc., all
dissolved into a witches brew, specifically designed to destroy bike
components.

I never had a problem with corrosion, but I always toweled off my
commuter at night and used full coverage fenders. Rode 360 days a year
or so. Beats trudging through the snow on the sidewalk.