Cut or bend Kick stand?

[wheelbender6]

I finally ditched the clamp-on kick stand from my Flighliner and mounted a proper one. Unfortunately, the kick stand is

too long.
Would it be easier to cut this stand or bend it using a propane torch?

 

[Wildcat]

You'll need the leverage, so I would bend it making sure the crank has clearance.

 

[clamdigger]

I am curious to know more about the replacement kickstand. I have not been able to find one. Are you modifying the leg from a clamp on kickstand ? They are not the same as the Schwinn ,

 

[wheelbender6]

Here is the condensed version.
I bought my 1961 Sears Flightliner as only a frame, rat trap fork, chain guard and crank set. I will admit that I thought it was a Spyder frame when I bought it.
-It came without a kick stand, so I clamped on an aftermarket center stand and completed the bike with a bunch of newer. Non-original parts.
- I found a Murray kick stand on EBay with spring and clip that looked like it would fit. My Flightliner was made by JC Higgins, but Murray acquired their plans when they began making bikes that were sold by Sears.
- The kick stand from EBay is too long. It fits my frame tube, however. It could be too long because it was made for a bike with 26" wheels, and my bike takes 24" wheels. I am currently running a 20" wheel on the front.
- I do not think my Murray kick stand would fit a Schwinn. Early schwinns had tires that would not fit non-schwinn bikes, so it makes sense that their kick stands wouldn,'t either.
-if you have a vintage schwinn, look for a schwinn kick stand on EBay or wherever you buy used parts.

 

[clamdigger]

Ah-Ha ! Thank you for the reply.

 

[wheelbender6]

By the way, you must remove the crank on the chain side to install this type of kick stand. I messed with it quite a while before I finally dug out my crank puller.

 

[AndyA]

Wheelbender:
I'm having trouble following the story. Did you weld that kickstand onto the bike? If not, just buy a Wald kickstand that fits. That's the type of kickstand that the bike would have sported back in the day (see pic of 1960 Flightliner). If you want a different look to go with your alloy 3-piece crank, buy a Greenfield alloy kickstand that you can easily cut to the exact length needed (2nd pic). They come unfinished or painted black.
Have fun, Andy

 

[amecks]

I just had a similar kickstand problem on a Schwinn Breeze. It was made for S7 rims but I built the bike with 26" x 1.75" wheels and tires. The stand was too long so I put it in a vise and bent the "foot". I used an oxy-acetylene torch. If you have a propane torch with a strong flame (which I think are rare nowadays) you should be able to bend it. After my stand was bent the original "foot" was pointing up. I simply cut off the stand so the newly bent "foot" looked like the original.

 

[wheelbender6]

My Flightliner came with no kick stand. The kick stand, spring and clip mount to the tube behind the bottom bracket.

 

[deorman]

If it were me, I'd first try increasing the existing bend 'til the foot was parallel with the ground when down.