If you look at a bike that has a kickstand on its side, then you will notice that all bikes’ kickstands are on the left side of the bike. Have you ever wondered why this is? Why are bike kickstands on the left? Well, that is what we will talk about in this article. Let me answer the question first so that you know why bike kickstands are on the left.
Why are bike kickstands on the left? The reason why bike kickstands are on the left is because of our ancestors. Before, mounting horses was usually on the left. This act has been brought until today. That is why bike kickstands are on the left. Even the first motorcycle’s stand was on the left.
We already get used to riding in a vehicle coming from the left. That is why the inventors of bicycles made it that way. Let us check the history of mounting so that you can know better why bike kickstands are on the left. Let us move on!
History Of Mounting
For you to understand why bike kickstands are on the left, you actually have to look to a time before bicycles were invented by wise inventors. Centuries before, to be honest.
You must think back to a time when our ancestors were still riding horses when going to another location or to fight in a bloody war. This is the time where war always happens and every man should know how to ride horses and fight in a war.
Most people are right-handed. It means that as they were mounting the horse, their sword would be mounted on the left side of their body. This would make these brave warriors easily drawn with the right hand. I know that you haven’t touched a sword before, but if you have, you will notice that swords are very heavy.
You really want to do is to have a leg with a massive sword attached to it as your leading leg. This causes too much hassle. You are spending more energy than you need before you head into the war.
That is why from that point, even if you don’t have a sword on your left side, you would always mount a horse from the left. Since most people in the world are right-handed, it was really a subconscious decision for people to start mounting on their horses from the left. This act was brought up today. That is why you see most people ride on their vehicle from the left.
The History Of Kickstands Of Bikes
Bikes were invented by wise inventors in 1817. While the first kickstand was invented back in 1869. Is this important to know why bike kickstands are on the left side? To be honest, yes!
Anyone who is left-handed was said to have the devil living inside of them. It means that they are bad. This means that kickstands and bikes could never be designed for those who were left-handed because anybody that was left-handed kept it hidden.
These left-handed people don’t want to deal with the anger and wrath of the people that surround them. The manufacturers of the bike also probably don’t want to design something to be ridden by Satan. However, the times have moved on. Lucky for those who are left-handed today.
Today, left-handed people are now happy to state that they are left-handed. However, the population of right-handed people is still more than the population of left-handed people. Right-handed people sit somewhere around the 70% mark. Of course, as a businessman, you have to design your products for the majority.
If you are one of the right-handed people, I suggest you try and get on your bike approaching from the right side at some point. You may execute it properly, but it will be a lot more difficult than with your right leg. The reason why is because your left leg is a bit weaker. This means that you have to expend lots of energy to get your leg over the bike.
Myths About The Mounting Of Sidestands On Bikes
Lots of cyclists and non-cyclists said that the reason why kickstands are on the left side of the bike is that the bike leans naturally left. However, this is not the case.
If your bike leans naturally left, then this is probably because when you are dismounting, you are knocking the bike slightly to the left. Thankfully, some kickstands will stop it from falling over.
This is the way that bikes have been designed since manufacturers know that kickstands are probably going to be on the left side of the bike. However, it does not mean that I advocate that you knock your bike over to test this theory.
I assure you that your bike will be unlikely to lean naturally left and if it does, it probably means that you are doing something on your bike or there may be something wrong with your bike.
Is It Possible To Put The Kickstand On The Right Side Of Your Bike?
Now that you know the reason why bike kickstands are on the left, you may be wondering if it is possible to move your bike kickstand from the left onto the right side of your bike. This would be a better idea for left-handed cyclists. Right? Well, to be honest with you, probably not.
You have to remember that bikes were built to accommodate kickstands on the left-hand side of the bike. This means that lots of bits and pieces have been put on the right-hand side. If you put a side stand on that side of the bike, then the kickstand would interfere with a few of these mechanisms. Your bike will simply not work.
However, it does not mean that you can never put kickstands to the right side of your bike. You can. But it will be unlikely with the vast majority of bicycles.
Does Having A Kickstand Weaken The Bike Frame?
There are lots of people that believe that having kickstands installed on their bike will weaken their bike frame. This is a theory that could make sense since you are putting a bolt or a weld onto the bike frame.
However, there is no evidence recorded yet that attaching kickstands on your bike is bad for your bike frame. The only issue you might face if you have a bike stand is an increase in wind resistance, which will slow you down by a small amount.
However, this is not a problem that most people will be fussed about. Since many people are cycling that are not fussed about getting an extra 0.25mph out of their biking.
Does Having A Kickstand Make The Bike Heavy?
Now you are asking if your kickstand will make your bike heavy. Well, let me answer this theory again.
I know that you want your bike to have a lighter weight because we all know that the lighter the bike is, the easier and faster you can pedal your bike. Well, you don’t have to worry about your kickstands. Your bike will never be heavy because of kickstands. The weight of kickstands is not very heavy. It is lightweight only.
Can You Remove Your Bike Kickstand?
I know many cyclists that don’t have a bike kickstand on their bike. To answer this question, I will say yes! You can remove your bike kickstand. However, when you go for a stop to rest, you need to find a wall to lean your bike on. It might be dangerous for your bike because your bike might fall if you don’t lean it correctly. It has happened to me lots of times already. So be careful.
Final Verdict
To conclude this article, kickstands are on the left side of the bike because of things that happened centuries and centuries ago. They remain this way because the majority of the people find it easier to approach the bike from the left-hand side.
