A kickstand is a device on a bicycle

Bicycle

A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....

 or motorcycle

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

 that allows the bike to be kept upright without leaning against another object or the aid of a person. A kickstand is usually a piece of metal

Metal

A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...

 that flips down from the frame and makes contact with the ground. It is generally located in the middle of the bike or towards the rear. Some touring bikes have two: one at the rear, and a second in the front.

Types

A side stand style kickstand is a single leg that simply flips out to one side, usually the non-drive side, and the bike then leans against it. Side stands can be mounted to the chain stays right behind the bottom bracket

Bottom bracket

The bottom bracket on a bicycle connects the crankset to the bicycle and allows the crankset to rotate freely. It contains a spindle that the crankset attaches to, and the bearings that allow the spindle and cranks to rotate. The chainrings and pedals attach to the cranks...

 or to a chain and seat stay near the rear hub. Side stands mounted right behind the bottom bracket can be bolted on, either clamping the chain stays, or to the bracket between them, or welded into place as an integral part of the frame.

A center stand kickstand is a pair of legs or a bracket that flips straight down and lifts the rear wheel off the ground when in use. Center stands can be mounted to the chain stays right behind the bottom bracket or to the rear dropouts

Dropout (bicycle part)

A bicycle dropout is a type of fork end that allows the rear wheel to be removed without first derailing the chain. The more inclusive term fork end refers to a slot in a frame or fork where the axle of the wheel is attached....

. Many motorcycles feature center stands in addition to side stands. The center stand is advantageous because it takes most of the motorcycle's weight off its tires for long-term parking, and it allows the user to perform maintenance such as chain adjustments without the need for an external stand. Center stands are found on most "standard" and "touring" motorcycles, but are omitted on most high-performance sportbikes to save weight and increase ground clearance.

While not strictly a kickstand, the Flickstand is a small bracket that flips down from the down tube and engages the front tire to prevent the front end from steering and tire from rotating, and thus enabling the bike to be safely leaned against an object without danger of the front end turning and the bike subsequently falling to the ground. These were made by Rhode Gear Company in the 1970s and 1980s. While the Flickstand is no longer made, a Velcro

Velcro

Velcro is the brand name of the first commercially marketed fabric hook-and-loop fastener, invented in 1948 by the Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral...

 strap can be employed for similar success by strapping a brake lever to lock the brake or strap the front wheel to the down tube.

Construction

Kickstands can be made of steel

Steel

Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...

 or cast aluminium

Aluminium

Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....

. There may be a rubber cap on the end.

Kickstands can lock in place, either up or down, by several means:

• A spring that is stretched when the kickstand is partway deployed and less stretched when it is stowed or all the way deployed.
• A detent
  Detent
  Detent is the term for a method, as well as the actual device, used to mechanically resist or arrest the rotation of a wheel, axle or spindle....
  
  mechanism, which usually also employs its own spring.