One of the many accessories that you can get for your bike is a side stand. Many of these have a little metal curve displaying the company name or logo in the arc above the chainstay.These sometimes display the name of the bicycle company, but sometimes they display the name of the company that makes the side stand.
A good example is this KOBA stand. I don't know of any make of bike by that name, but some of these stands also include a secondary embellishment that says "Kobastand" backed with red plastic. This particular stand is reproduced in stainless.
Here is another example of an independently branded stand "SD" you can also see that the arc is backed with red plastic.
Most of the major bike brands also have an arc side stand. Phoenix for example, has one of the most beautiful logos of any bicycle brand and they put it to good use on their sides stand with a red and gold embellishment. I have seen this same stand in blue and gold.
Five Rams' stand is a little different. Instead of a bolted on sheet metal arc, theirs is one continuous piece of pressed and chromed steel.
Flying Pigeon, being one of the oldest brand, actually has several stands. None of which are readily available anymore. I saw one in Yarkand back in May, but not feeling like carrying a side stand all over Xinjiang province, I didn't buy it. I regret that now.
Anyway, there are three varieties that I know of. First there is the "FP" stand.
The meaning of "FP" is pretty self evident: Flying Pigeon. But then there is the "TP" version, which one might take as a mistake until you realize that Flying Pigeons are made in Tianjin, so, "Tianjin Pigeon".
Finally, there is this stand. The grand mac-daddy of them all. It says "Tianjin" in the arc, and "Feige Pai", or "Flying Pigeon Brand" in a cursive scrip on a piece that pivots with the stand. The script is a little easier to read on from this angle. This stand was attached to an old German bike at a shop. I offered to buy the stand on the spot. The shop keeper said I could have it if I bought the entire bike, at which point I walked away. This particular treatment is very similar to some old Raleigh stands I have seen, which are also being reproduced in stainless. This stand however, was original.
It should be noted that most of these stands will fit the chainstay tubing on traditional bikes with 28" wheels. On bikes with 26" wheels the chainstays are a smaller diameter so you will need to wrap a little inner tube rubber around before mounting. You'll also probably need a slightly shorter prop.
Hi, I have a simpler stainless steel side stand from Koba that the dealer fitted onto my Hercules. Good quality stuff. The trademark consists of four hands clasping each other just above the wrist, forming a square. Says Made in Japan.
Assuming there were no Japanese imports from WW2 till the 80s (when Koba sidestands had no more arcs, like mine), your sidestand may date back to WW2 or earlier?
Posted by: KW | December 27, 2008 at 10:12 PM
Correction- the trademark depicts two shaking hands.
Posted by: KW | December 28, 2008 at 03:58 PM
after reading your post on side stands, I decided to go to the local bicycle dealer and started asking around for 'Koba' brand side stand. What do you know? They have one! Grab it and skippy-do-da back home and luv it! Do check out my blog for pics. Luv your posting. They are a source of my inspiration to restore old bikes.
Posted by: 12inchtoyscollector | January 20, 2009 at 03:50 PM
12inch-
Nice KOBA! I will be posting more about sidestands in a few weeks, but now it is time for me to go check out the riding habits of our neighbors to the south...
.. in India.
Will put your site on my link list. Keep up the good work!
Posted by: "Hey Stracco" | January 20, 2009 at 07:16 PM
KW-
Thanks for the info. The internet is a wonderful thing!
Posted by: "Hey Stracco" | January 20, 2009 at 07:18 PM