Review on BV Adjustable Bicycle Kickstand: Concealed Spring-Latch for 24-29 Inch Bike – Ultimate Stability and Convenience! by Dylan Goins

This product would be good if it did not have a Critical Design Defect that makes it unsuitable for use in a non-mounting plate configuration. But first: the good guys. The production numbers of this stand seem to be quite high. I was very impressed with the variable length locking mechanism. I was afraid he might be clumsy or flimsy. That's definitely not true. It's well-designed, simple, and doesn't seem to easily break or get muddled, even when its length is adjusted many times. It's so simple, you can adjust it in seconds to get your bike up an incline or uneven surface. I was concerned about the plastic, but it's very high quality and I really can't say enough good things about this part of the footboard. Now. problems. There are two. one is fairly easy to overcome and the other seems insurmountable without a fairly extensive modification that voids the warranty, which I didn't want to do. Problem #1: As mentioned in other reviews, the long screw that came with it is *not* as pictured. Like the short bolt, this is an internal, not external, hex bolt, and you'll need an impressively massive hex wrench to install it. I have a fairly extensive tool kit that I've accumulated over decades of owning homes and cars, but I definitely didn't have anything suitable. Be prepared to spend some money for such a large specialty allen key. The only other way to tighten it is with vise pliers, which won't be able to get the desired tightness (more on that in a moment) without removing the grooves on the outside. Also, good luck squeezing your vise into the tight space you have to work with for this mount. Not impossible, but not easy either. Luckily, I happened to have a hex head screw on hand that fitted perfectly, so I was able to fix the problem. The thread size is standard for a machine screw and you should be able to do the same. Problem #2: I bought this set refurbished and the first thing I noticed when I took it out of the box was that the small metal tabs on the contact side of the kickstand were a little worn in a couple of places . I attributed it to a previous installation and thought nothing of it. I should have taken that as a warning sign. Someone had the same issue I was about to encounter and brought it back for the same reason. When I mounted the kickstand to the bracket and tightened the bolt, I noticed that the tabs weren't aligned with the chainstays, causing the footpeg to line up exactly with them. It was ok because it was still far enough inboard from the tire to be worked on. So, with the stand in that position, I continued tightening (1st photo). After installation, I continued testing and found that while the stand worked well, it shifted slightly clockwise each time I lowered the stand to the desired position. The fat men didn't do their job. After only a few hits, the footpeg was far enough out to be in the path of the pedal (2nd photo). I untied it and put it back in place, this time tightening it tighter. Same problem. I've tried every conceivable configuration: the supplied screw, my screw, with lock washer, no lock washer. At one point I tightened it so much that I messed up the included split ring lock washer. all for free. The density has little influence. The footrest moves forward in the path of the pedal after only six strokes of the footrest. I believe the main issue is the malleability and the tiny size of the metal protrusions. You just won't be able to stop the machine from moving clockwise relative to your pins (3rd image). They need to be bigger, or (better) there needs to be some other mechanism or shape to hold the plate in the correct position relative to the chainstays. If you started out with fresh lugs they might last a month or two with moderate use before they start shifting, but with a heavy spring load on the footpeg it will eventually push against those lugs and wear them down until they shift. I guarantee it. If I couldn't get it back I think I could get it working by using a metal file or dremel to carve grooves in the plate to match the alignment of my chainstays. But I won't because I'm not sure if it will work and to be honest. I should not have done that. I want to give this stand at least three stars. The length-adjustable mechanism deserves five stars. It's all for free, so I have to give one star. It will probably work great on a bike with a built-in mounting plate, especially if that mounting plate is recessed under the chainstay in the first place and provides mechanical resistance to the spring-loaded clockwise rack torque.