When I first started cycling (as opposed to having a bike and using it very infrequently) it was with my SO, then boyfriend. I remember him being very gung ho about the *weight* of a bike, I'd always laugh (ok, sneer) at that, and figure he was just being overly obsessive, as how much could the weight of something with wheels on matter anyway??

13 years down the line - I'm the one obsessing about the weight of my bike. I finally caved and attached a luggage rack last autumn since I was sick of lugging climbing gear around in a backpack. But I sure enjoyed taking that rack off again, and feeling the back end of my bike get lighter again...

Long story short - I don't want a kickstand because of the added weight. But it took me 13 years of biking to get that obsessed, and if I ever had trouble finding things to prop my bike against I'd probably rethink and capitulate. To each their own.

It freaks me out when I see someone wheeling down a busy road with the kickstand DOWN though!

PS. Oh - and to my mind; "real cyclists decide what THEY want on their OWN bikes". ;-)