Back when my wife first got the idea to join a big charity ride, she started training with more experienced cyclists. They quickly showed her the ropes, and introduced her to current equipment that she needed to upgrade to. For instance, her old styrofoam helmet had to go. And she was using clipless pedals before I had ever even heard of them. But there was one item that her friends could not convince her to shed: her kickstand.

Pat’s bike stands proudly, supported by its kickstand.

She never considered her kickstand as a problem. Its additional weight didn’t bother her, because she figured she was slow, anyway, and a few more ounces wouldn’t make a difference. Besides, it was convenient to stand the bike wherever, without having to look for a tree, or a wall, or something solid to lean the bike against.

Besides, since she rides a hybrid, she regards the stand as a necessary piece of equipment. It just looks appropriate there, even if it might not be on a road bike.

In our club, one member rides a budget Schwinn road bike, and it still has its kickstand. When he first started riding with us, it was the subject of much behind-the-back comment. Once he showed he was just as fast as most others (he’s a solid B+ rider), the comments stopped — although it still identifies him (“Oh, you mean the guy with the kickstand”).

The kickstand-equipped road bike.

Just how vital is it for a road biker to unload the kickstand? And why? Is it uncool? Or unnecessary? Or a weight burden? What would you tell someone new to road riding?