Bike Kickstands That Actually Hold the Bike Up
Bolt-on side kickstands in two ranges: five fixed lengths for kids bikes with 12 to 20 inch wheels, and an adjustable aluminum stand for adult bikes from 20 to 29 inches. Pick your wheel size and it arrives at the right length.
1 Which bike is it for?
2 Wheel size of the bike
Measure the wheel, not the frame — the size is printed on the tire sidewall. Unsure? Read the size guide.
2 Wheel size of the bike
3 How does your frame mount a stand?
Look just behind the crank on the non-chain side and count the bolt holes. No holes there? Pick the center mount. How to check your frame.
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A kids bike has nowhere to lean
Watch what happens at the end of a ride. An adult swings a leg off and leans the bike on a fence, a car, a porch step. A six-year-old cannot reach any of those, so the bike goes down on the driveway with the derailleur or the brake lever taking the hit. Do it twice a day for a summer and you have scratched paint, a bent lever and a chain that keeps coming off.
The frustrating part is that most kids bikes ship without a stand even though the frame is drilled for one. Manufacturers leave it off to save weight and a couple of dollars per unit, and because a stand is genuinely a hazard while a child is still on training wheels and prone to catching a foot on it. That reasoning stops the day the training wheels come off, but nobody sends you a kickstand in the post to mark the occasion.
So parents improvise. They lean the bike on the garage wall, where it slides down and takes the neighboring bike with it. They lay it flat by the back door, where somebody trips over it. They buy a generic adult kickstand off a marketplace, discover it is four inches too long, and end up with a bike that balances on the stand with the rear wheel in the air, rolling off the moment anyone touches the handlebars.
The fix is not complicated. It is a stand cut to the right length for the wheel size, bolted to the chainstay, with a foot wide enough not to sink into a lawn. That is the entire product. The only thing that matters is getting the length right, which is why this site is organized around wheel size rather than around a catalogue.
Built around one job
Cut to the wheel size
Each length is made for one wheel size, from 7.3 in for a 12 inch bike up to 11.0 in for a 20 inch bike. You are not shimming a universal part into place, you are bolting on a stand that already sits at the right angle.
Length is the whole game with a kickstand. Too long and the stand lifts the rear wheel clear of the ground, so the bike pivots on the foot and rolls away. Too short and the bike leans over far enough to tip on any slope. The five lengths step up in roughly three-quarter-inch increments, which tracks the wheel-size ladder that kids bikes are built on.
One bolt, one wrench
The clamp plate wraps the rear chainstay and pulls tight with a single bolt. Fitting takes a few minutes with one open-end wrench, and nothing has to come off the bike first.
The plate is 3 mm steel with an oval slot 0.41 in (10.5 mm) across, so it takes a standard kickstand bolt and gives you a little fore-and-aft adjustment to clear a weld or a cable guide. The bolt it takes is a standard kickstand bolt of 0.31 to 0.39 in (8.0 to 10.0 mm), the same size used on most bikes.
A foot that works on grass
The molded rubber foot is angled and flared rather than pointed, so it spreads the load instead of sinking into a lawn or slipping on wet concrete.
This is where cheap stands fail in a garden. A narrow metal tip punches straight into soft ground and the bike goes over an hour later. The flared rubber tip also keeps the stand quiet against a hard floor, which matters more than you would think in a garage at seven in the morning.
We read all 34 written reviews before we sold one
Star averages tell you almost nothing about a $25 part. What tells you something is which sentences repeat. So instead of quoting the three nicest reviews, here is the full tally of every theme that came up more than once, and the two that came up only once.
| What buyers bring up | Written reviews mentioning it | Share of 34 |
|---|---|---|
| The build feels solid for the price | 12 | 35% |
| Straightforward to fit | 5 | 15% |
| Ordered the wrong length | 5 | 15% |
| No bolt in the box | 3 | 9% |
| Bike stands up as expected | 3 | 9% |
| Spring needs a nudge to retract | 2 | 6% |
| Rubber foot worked loose | 1 | 3% |
Two things jump out. The first is that build quality is the single most repeated positive, at 12 mentions out of 34, usually phrased as the metal being thicker than expected. The second is that the two real friction points are not about the stand failing. They are about ordering the wrong length, and about the box containing no bolt. Both are solvable before you buy, and both are addressed on this page rather than left for you to discover.
The data behind those claims
of the 456 buyer ratings on our supplier listing are five stars
— Kickaroo buyer feedback analysis, 2026
written reviews describe ordering the wrong length, the single most common complaint
— Kickaroo buyer feedback analysis, 2026
is the most-bought wheel size, ahead of 18 in and 12 in
— Kickaroo buyer feedback analysis, 2026
These come from counting the reviews on the listing we source from, not from a survey. The full corpus, including the one-star ratings we exclude from the review page, is what the table above is built on.
How it stacks up against the alternatives
| Option | Fits a 12-20 in bike | Holds on grass | Typical outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickaroo, length matched to the wheel | Yes, five lengths | Flared rubber foot | Bike parks itself, child can do it alone |
| Adult kickstand cut down | Only if you shorten it | Usually a narrow tip | Rear wheel lifted, bike rolls off the stand |
| Universal one-size stand | Rarely, at either end of the range | Varies | Right for one bike in the house, wrong for the others |
| No stand at all | Not applicable | Not applicable | Bike goes down on the drive after every ride |
The comparison that matters is not against a rival brand, it is against the two things parents actually do instead, which are buying an adult stand and buying nothing. Our own numbers make the point: 5 of the 34 written reviews are about a length mismatch, and that is on a listing that already sells five sizes. On a one-size stand the mismatch rate is structurally higher, because four of the five wheel sizes are wrong by definition.
The length is the only thing that matters on a kids kickstand, and it is the only thing most people get wrong. If the rear wheel comes off the ground when the stand is down, the bike is not parked, it is balanced.— Dana Whitfield, kids bike mechanic and founder of Kickaroo
Everything else worth knowing
How to pick and fit the right kickstand
Start at the tire, not the frame. Kids bikes are sold by wheel diameter, and that number is molded into the sidewall of the tire next to the pressure rating. A bike described as a 16 inch bike has 16 inch wheels regardless of how tall the frame looks. Read the tire, then pick the matching length from the selector at the top of this page.
If you fall between two sizes, go shorter. This comes up on bikes with unusually low bottom brackets or fat tires. A slightly short stand leans the bike a little further over than intended, which is stable. A slightly long one lifts the rear wheel and turns the whole bike into a pivot. One buyer deliberately fitted the 10.0 in stand to a 20 inch bike for exactly this reason and reported it worked fine.
Check the chainstay before you order. The plate needs a flat spot with a bolt hole on the non-chain side, just behind the crank. Look for a flat plate or an existing hole there, which is where the stand was meant to go from the factory.
Have a bolt ready. The stand ships without one. Most bikes already have a kickstand bolt in the frame plate, often holding a plastic blanking cover, and that is the bolt you reuse. If yours does not, the slot in the clamp plate is 0.41 in (10.5 mm) across and takes a standard kickstand bolt from any bike shop.
Fit it, then load it. Bolt the plate flat against the stay, snug it up, put the bike on the stand and lean on the saddle. If the plate rotates, tighten it further. One buyer found the bolt worked loose over a few weeks and fixed it with thread lock, which is a reasonable precaution on a bike that gets ridden hard.
If a weld is in the way, go inside. Some frames have a brake mount or a proud weld on the outer face of the stay. Fitting the plate on the inner face instead is an accepted workaround and one of our buyers did exactly that on a 20 inch bike.
The full walkthrough with each step in order is in the installation guide, and the sizing detail lives in the size guide.
Specifications
| Wheel size | Stand length | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 12 in | 7.3 in (18.5 cm) | 4.9 oz (139 g) |
| 14 in | 8.1 in (20.5 cm) | 5.1 oz (144 g) |
| 16 in | 8.9 in (22.5 cm) | 5.2 oz (146 g) |
| 18 in | 10.0 in (25.5 cm) | 5.5 oz (155 g) |
| 20 in | 11.0 in (28 cm) | 5.6 oz (159 g) |
| Clamp plate | 0.98 x 1.65 in (2.5 x 4.2 cm), 3 mm thick |
| Mounting slot | 0.41 in (10.5 mm) |
| Takes a bolt of | 0.31-0.39 in (8.0-10.0 mm) bolt |
| Mounting position | Side mount, rear chainstay |
| Materials | Painted steel body, molded rubber foot |
| In the box | One kickstand. No bolt is supplied. |
Lengths and weights are the manufacturer's measured figures for each size. We do not publish a load rating because we have not measured one, and neither has the manufacturer.
Shipping, returns and what happens after you order
Orders are processed in 1-2 business days and arrive in 8-10 business days in total. Shipping is free to all 18 countries we deliver to, listed in the shipping policy. You get a Stripe confirmation email immediately and a tracking number by email once the parcel is moving.
Returns run 30 days from delivery, including if you simply picked the wrong length. Return postage is on us. The full terms are on the refund policy page.
Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 416 verified buyer ratings
Three of the reviews, with the photos their buyers submitted. The reviews page carries the rest along with the full star distribution.
"Quick delivery and really good item. Recommended"
— Sarah H., verified buyer · 16 in
"Fits perfectly for the Btwin 14” bike."
— Sean S., verified buyer · 14 in
"Product matches and is easy to assemble. Thank you!"
— Megan C., verified buyer · 18 in
Verified reviews. Photos are unedited and submitted by verified buyers.
Questions people actually ask
What size kickstand does my kid’s bike need?
Match the kickstand to the wheel size, not the frame. A 12 inch wheel takes the 7.3 in stand, 14 inch takes 8.1 in, 16 inch takes 8.9 in, 18 inch takes 10.0 in and 20 inch takes 11.0 in. The wheel size is almost always printed on the sidewall of the tire, next to the pressure rating. If your bike sits between two sizes, take the shorter one: a stand that is slightly short leans the bike a little further over, while a stand that is too long lifts the wheel and the bike rolls off it.
Does the kickstand come with a bolt?
No. The stand ships on its own, and two separate buyers on our supplier listing flagged that before we started selling it, so we say it up front rather than let you find out. The mounting slot in the clamp plate is 0.41 in (10.5 mm) across, which takes a standard kickstand bolt. Most kids bikes already have that bolt sitting in the frame plate behind the bottom bracket, holding a plastic cover or an old stand.
Where does it mount on the bike?
On the rear chainstay, just behind the crank, on the non-chain side. The plate bolts flat against the frame through its 0.41 in (10.5 mm) hole, which takes a standard kickstand bolt of 0.31 to 0.39 in (8.0 to 10.0 mm). If a weld or a brake mount is in the way on the outside of the stay, one buyer solved it by fitting the plate on the inner face of the stay instead, which works just as well.
Will it fit a balance bike?
It fits any balance bike whose rear frame has a kickstand bolt hole behind the crank, which covers most of them. One buyer fitted the 14 in length to a balance bike so it could be left standing at the bike park instead of lying in the dirt. Measure the wheel first, then pick the matching length.
Is this strong enough for an adult mountain bike?
No, and we would rather say so. This stand is built for bikes with 12 to 20 inch wheels, which puts it in the kids and junior range. An adult mountain bike is both heavier and taller, so the stand would be too short to reach the ground at the right angle even if the clamp fitted the stay.
What is it made of?
A painted steel body with a molded rubber foot. The clamp plate is 3 mm thick. Buyer photos show the paint holding up on bikes that live outdoors, and the most common single comment across the written reviews is that the material feels thicker than expected for the price.
Can I cut it shorter?
One buyer did exactly that. They ordered the shortest length for a 12 inch bike, found it a touch long for their frame, and shortened the lower tube. We do not recommend it as a first move because you lose the factory end and the rubber foot has to be refitted, but it is possible on the plain lower section.
How long does delivery take?
Orders are processed in 1-2 business days and arrive in 8-10 business days in total. Shipping is free, and you get a tracking number by email once the parcel moves. If it does not turn up, the 30-day money-back guarantee covers you.
What if I order the wrong length?
Send it back within 30 days and we refund it, return shipping included. Ordering the wrong length is the single most common complaint in the reviews we read, which is why the size guide is linked from every page on this site rather than buried.
Can I order two different sizes in one go?
Yes. Choose the 2-Pack and you get two separate size selectors, one for each stand, so a household with a 16 inch bike and a 20 inch bike can order both lengths in a single order at $39.99 instead of $69.98.
Pick up where it matters for your bike
16-inch bike kickstand
The most-bought length in the range, and the size where the training wheels usually come off.
20-inch bike kickstand
The longest stand at 11.0 in, plus what to check before fitting one to a BMX.
Which size do I need?
How to read the wheel size off the tire, and what to do when your bike sits between two sizes.
Park the bike instead of dropping it
Five lengths, $24.99 each, free shipping and 30 days to change your mind.
Choose your size →🚨 Only a few left in stock