By John Marsh, former Editor & Publisher
HOT!
- Super easy to install
- Lightweight
- Comes with 2 tabs, for 2 bikes
- Strong, durable material
- Works for multiple bike parking, storage needs
NOT!
-
No ideal solution for carrying on rides
Easy-to-Use Bike Stand Ably Serves its Purpos
I’m a sucker for bike gear that is novel and works well in serving a purpose unmet by existing gear. In other words, not just another variation on a theme.
So when an RBR reader emailed me a few months ago to alert me to a new product he had seen, suggesting I check it out, I took a look at the Upstand. It’s a simple, ingenious stand that solves a typical problem for road bikes: how to keep them upright
when not riding.
“Not a kickstand!” are the first words on the product description page on the company
website. But the Upstand works much like one in “standing up” your bike. It includes two pieces: a 15g tab that you affix to your bike over the rear skewer (which takes all of a minute to install; clear instructions come in the package, and there’s a
video on the website); and the 25g stand itself, made of carbon-fiber tubing in two halves, held together by a shock cord, with an axial magnet on one end that holds it to the tab, and a rubber foot on the other, to keep it from skidding on the ground.
Park or Store Your Bike Using the Stand
The Upstand holds your bike firmly upright, with a slight lean to the left. Ever since I got the Upstand to test, I’ve used it not just when out on rides, but also to park my bike in my office, where I keep it between rides.
When you’re ready to ride, you simply reach down and pull the Upstand off the tab. It folds in half and clips together using a simple plastic clip. You can easily carry it with you in a jersey pocket, or attach it to your gear bag. On a ride, when you
stop and need to park your bike, you simply unfold the stand and reattach it to the tab. It’s that simple.
Carrying the Upstand on rides is the only issue I have with the product. I just don’t like the feeling of it in my jersey pocket, and my seat bag is too small to store it inside, or to attach it to the outside. Garrett Blake, inventor
of the Upstand, tells me he’s working on a couple of possible solutions for attaching it to the bike when not in use. (UPDATE, June 2013: Garrett tells us the Upstand will soon come with a velcro fastener to hold it together when folded.
The fastener is also long enough to attach the upstand to your frame in various spots. Problem solved.)
Garrett said necessity was the mother of his invention. He didn’t want to ever again face the wrath of his wife, he noted, “for leaning my beloved road bike against the curtains and getting grease on them.” Or “watching in horror as my bike once again
slid down the side of my car as I was getting my kit together.”
Bottom Line
Sure, you can lean your bike against a wall or park it in a rack — when there’s a wall or rack available. But even then, your bike may not be firmly held in place, may roll or slide down, and may get scraped. The Upstand overcomes all those issues in
a simple, easy-to-use, durable solution. Not a kickstand. Better than a kickstand.
November 2012
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