# What's the name of this bicycle accessory? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 2, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799 "2015-08-02T13:39:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/1 "2015-08-02T13:39:16Z")
I remember seeing this gizmo advertised many years ago: it’s a little wire thing that mounts to the frame closest to the front tire. It’s hinged, and when it’s flipped down it stabilizes the front wheel, turning the bike into a rigid panel and allowing to be leaned against things without it wanting to roll. I thought it was pretty clever at the time, and having just bought a bike thought I’d look into it. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/2 "2015-08-02T14:06:24Z")
It was called a Flickstand by Rhode Gear, but a quick search didn’t show it still for sale. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/3 "2015-08-02T14:37:59Z")
This is somewhat similar: [Handle bar holder](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QSXPL2/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001F2W726&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0MW83KJ59MNSCC2ZQMB6) ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/4 "2015-08-02T14:50:47Z")
I found one on eBay. Search for flick stand as two words. I had one on my bike for years and it was handy. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/5 "2015-08-02T14:58:58Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > This is somewhat similar: > [Handle bar holder](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QSXPL2/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001F2W726&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0MW83KJ59MNSCC2ZQMB6) Not really similar. This thing is used for servicing. The Flickstand (thanks, Telemark) is used in lieu of a kickstand. [Flickstand.](http://gearinches.com/images/misc/flickstand2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/6 "2015-08-02T15:31:25Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Not really similar. Yes, I see what you mean, sorry. I misunderstood ‘stabilizes the front wheel’ to mean ‘prevents the bars from flopping around.’ The Flick Stand does that as well as disables the rolling. Years ago, frame tubing and geometry were much more uniform across brands and models for a given type (road, MTB, BMX). I wouldn’t want to try to design a contemporary Flick Stand which could work with a majority of bicycles today. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/7 "2015-08-02T16:10:43Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I wouldn’t want to try to design a contemporary Flick Stand which could work with a majority of bicycles today. I saw this same sentiment expressed at different bike forums. So…we can send a man to the moon, but a Flickstand can’t be designed that would accommodate different tube diameters? It’s not a nuclear reactor, dammit 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/8 "2015-08-02T18:33:45Z")
I hope you keep your kickstand for places where you have nothing to lean it against. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/9 "2015-08-02T18:51:31Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > I hope you keep your kickstand for places where you have nothing to lean it against. What kickstand? It’s a cheap barebones used Specialized. I’m not a weight fanatic, but even so, I’d (carefully) lay it on the ground before I added a kick stand. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-bicycle-accessory/726799/10 "2015-08-02T19:24:21Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > What kickstand? It’s a cheap barebones used Specialized. I’m not a weight fanatic, but even so, I’d (carefully) lay it on the ground before I added a kick stand. Adding a kickstand can be bad for some bikes - can cause frame damage.