Simple Stop

This post has nothing to do with brakes. Rather, it illustrates one of the simplest things you can do when locking up to make the bike more stable. Specifically, look at where the pedal is sitting - up against the pole that Buddy's getting locked to. Whether you use a solid U lock or the flimsy cable shown, what happens is that the pedal stabilizes the bike in combination with the lock and the saddle (which sits against the pole - avoiding any frame-to-pole contact) to avoid any inconvenient falling over. This technique helps whether you have a kickstand or not. It helps whether you have the drive side against the locking pole or the non-drive side. Simply rotate the pedal backwards until it locks the bike where you want it. If you have a coaster brake, the pedal will work in the position shown, but you obviously won't be able to rotate the crank backwards. You'll simply have to turn the crank until it is where it is needed.

Simplicity itself, but something a lot of people who've been riding for many years don't know. Once you discover this, you will never forget it. I use the exact same technique when I lock at the end of a "wheel bender" bike rack. It keeps my frame and brakes from getting marred by the rack.