New Jersey Passes Bill Banning Quick Release Wheels

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
New Jersey Passes Bill Banning Quick Release Wheels

By Lynette Carpiet

JUNE 15, 2007 -- TRENTON, NJ (BRAIN)--The New Jersey bicycle business may be in serious trouble unless retailers and suppliers take immediate action. State legislators earlier this week approved a bill banning the sale of all bikes equipped with current quick release wheels and tabbed tips.

Under the bill, it would be illegal to sell bicycles with quick release wheels unless they met performance specifications that are not commercially available. Assembly bill A2686, which was introduced in February 2006, passed in the assembly with a vote of 77-3 and is now headed to the Senate Commerce Committee.

While originally drafted to ban quick release wheels on children’s bikes, the bill was recently amended to include bikes with 20-inch or larger wheels. It also stipulates that the secondary retention device on a wheel meet certain specifications, including that it activate automatically and always prevent wheel separation.

“It’s being promoted as a bill intended to protect children,” said Bob Burns, Trek’s legal counsel and spokesman for the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association. “But the language would make every bicycle with quick release currently for sale in New Jersey illegal. This bill is not intended just for children’s bikes.”

Furthermore, Burns said there’s currently no secondary retention device on the market that would comply with the bill. “No system always retains the wheel,” he said. “Even the bolted axle, if the bolts aren’t on right, the kid’s in trouble. As of right now, there’s nothing on the floor that meets this definition and nothing on the horizon that is commercially proven.”

For the past year, the BPSA had been working with Assemblyman Paul Moriarty, the bill’s sponsor, on alternate language that would not prohibit the use of quick releases. The BPSA is now encouraging all dealers to contact New Jersey state senators and voice their opposition to the bill.

While it’s likely that the bill as written would be pre-empted by federal regulations that currently define how a quick release should perform, the law would still be in effect until a successful legal challenge was mounted in the courts.

“Bicycles are regulated by the Feds. If you start getting state-by-state regulation of bicycles, it will make selling bicycles in the U.S. very burdensome and extremely expensive for manufacturers and retailers,” Burns said.

“We need to get the New Jersey Senate Commerce Committee to listen to us and get them to consider the impact the bill would have on the bicycle business in New Jersey,” he added.
 

lancerracer

Active Member
I copied this post by the Efingers guy from mtbr:

Hello All,

This morning, I called the offices of all of the listed sponsors of this bill. They are as follows, along with their phone numbers:

Assemblyman Bramnick – Phone # 908-232-3673 – I spoke with aid Scott Mersereau.
Assemblyman Gusciora - Phone # 609-292-0500 – I left a message on the voice mail of his aid Michael to please call me back.
Assemblywoman Voss – Phone # 201-346-6400 – I spoke with aid Reisetta Dunn.
Assemblyman Mayer – Phone # 856-227-5900 – I spoke with aid Ethan Hasbrouck.
Assemblyman Moriarty – Phone # 856-232-6700 – I left a message for aid Matt Weng. He called me back within 10 minutes.

Basically, I pointed out that there may have been a “typo” with the second reprint. In section 2 of the bill, they describe that ”It shall be unlawful for any person to sell a bicycle intended for use by children with a front wheel diameter of 20 inches or less which is equipped with a quick release wheel, exclusive of specialty adult bicycles”.

A paragraph later, they state that “ It shall be unlawful practice for any person to sell a bicycle which is equipped with a quick release wheel if:

(a) the front wheel diameter is greater than 20 inches: or
(b) it is a specialty adult bicycle with a front wheel diameter of 20 inches or less.”

It also states later in the paragraph that “The sale of a bicycle which meets the following conditions shall not be considered an unlawful practice under paragraph (1) of this subsection:

(a) The quick release wheel is equipped with both a primary and a secondary retention device: and
(b) The secondary retention device conforms to the following performance specification:
(i) The secondary retention device activates automatically when the wheel is placed in the fork dropouts;”

I explained to Mr. Weng that there are 2 main problems that basically make 95% of ALL bikes unsellable. First, most adult bicycles, which have wheels over 20” in size, have QR wheels front and rear. There are no “tabs” or secondary retention device on the rear of bicycles to speak of. Secondly, the front fork secondary retention devices do not “automatically” activate when the wheel is put into the fork. In fact, I explained that the technology does not readily exist for this.

I asked Mr. Weng if they were basically trying to follow federal guidelines, and he said yes, that was why they added the line about the “greater than 20 inches” for the wheels. In fact, this was no typo at all, they actually changed it to that so as to include all bikes with QR’s to have secondary retention devices. I also explained that the bill is unnecessarily vague and that they should simply refer to and include the federally mandated standards as the point of reference for this bill, which is already being followed by most bicycle manufacturers in the industry already. He noted my concerns, and will pass along the info to Assemblyman Moriarty. He stated that it still needs to go the Senate for hearings, and that is where any changes would need to be made at this point.

Please pass long the phone numbers to whomever you could think of and have them call the offices and reinforce our concerns.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can also contact your senate representative here:

Here are the municipalities and districts in case you are not sure of yours:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/distric...cipalities.asp

List of senators by district:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp

And finally since the bill is in committee contact the chairperson
of the "commerce committee":

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/committees/senate.asp
 
exactly how many children a year are mangled, disfigured, or dead as a result of quick release skewers on the wheels of their bikes?

I know, I know - preaching to the choir.

Really, though, all of this legislation that is put in the place "for the children"** does not seem to be well thought out. Somone posted a letter earlier that was written to one of the representatives and pointed out that efforts would be better spent on revising helmet laws or improving bike lanes and transportation infrastructure - but NO. They choose mandate that a technology that does not yet exist be in place before a bike can be sold.

Shop owners, I feel for you. I will be sure to contact the representatives behind this bike-ban bill and make my voice heard.

(**mandatory disclaimer - I love children and want them to be safe. I just feel this piece of legislation is, though well-intended, completely misguided in its scope and execution)
 

Spylab

New Member
I'm still not understanding exactly what type of mechanism they are looking to see on all bicycles.

Obviously until a UNIVERSALLY acceptable axle and locking mechnism is designed, developed and produced, the only option is a 15mm hex nut, which would be undeniably burdensome.

I need to find out all the p's and q's on this, and I'll as well be in touch with the aforementioned officials.
 

hardtale70

She's Gone From Suck to Blow
Shop Keep
The woman who got this going is just trying to prevent Walmart atrocities from hurting kids.I think along the way they made some changes not realizing the true effect on name brand adult bikes.I seems they got educated after the passing and everything should be back to normal in a few weeks. I wouldn't worry about it.................................
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
i agree with brett, but would like to add, don't worry about, but don't forget about it. send concerned, but not panicked letters.


and bolt on(6mm allen wrench) axles would be as acceptable as ones that are attatched with nuts. but if i read it correct, that statute would require a secondary retention mechanism in addition to even bolt or nut axles. these can be found on a bunch of older bikes. they had a washer that mounted on the inside of the fork end. the washer had an extension that attatched to either a peg or a screw on the inside of the fork blade. regardless, they aren't necessary in a bike shop, but should be mandatory in mass merchant stores. would have to be 150% moron-proof though.
 

Allamuchy Joe

Not White House Approved
JORBA.ORG
i agree with brett, but would like to add, don't worry about, but don't forget about it. send concerned, but not panicked letters.


and bolt on(6mm allen wrench) axles would be as acceptable as ones that are attatched with nuts. but if i read it correct, that statute would require a secondary retention mechanism in addition to even bolt or nut axles. these can be found on a bunch of older bikes. they had a washer that mounted on the inside of the fork end. the washer had an extension that attatched to either a peg or a screw on the inside of the fork blade. regardless, they aren't necessary in a bike shop, but should be mandatory in mass merchant stores. would have to be 150% moron-proof though.


The problem is that the quality fork manufacturers do not make these fork retention systems, nor would they likely make them for one state's law. Even if they did, they would be more expensive because there would be a lot less of them out there.

Also, even if they decided to make the forks, the poor bike shops in NJ would be at a major disadvantage trying to get the correct bikes in stock for their stores. It would be much easier to drive over the border to buy a regular quick release bike.

Does anyone know if this applies to rear wheels as well?

It would make a lot more sense to regulate the box stores -- make them have a certified bike mechanic assemble those pieces of crap they call bikes.
 
It would make a lot more sense to regulate the box stores -- make them have a certified bike mechanic assemble those pieces of crap they call bikes.

Hey, my first bike was one of those pieces of crap from K-Mart and I loved every second I spent on that bike. It was an Easter present when I was 6...maybe my dad did a much better job of putting it together than the current Wal-Mart employee can.

And the wheels never, ever came off (though I did manage to rip the cuffs off the right leg of every pair of pants I owned with the bike chain).
 

Allamuchy Joe

Not White House Approved
JORBA.ORG
Hey, my first bike was one of those pieces of crap from K-Mart and I loved every second I spent on that bike. It was an Easter present when I was 6...maybe my dad did a much better job of putting it together than the current Wal-Mart employee can.

And the wheels never, ever came off (though I did manage to rip the cuffs off the right leg of every pair of pants I owned with the bike chain).

I had an old Huffy 10 speed I loved as a kid. However, it didn't come with quick releases back then. The Huffy weighed 35 pounds! That was light-weight compared to my brother's Sears Freespirit bike which weighed 45 pounds!!!!
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
Suppliers, Retailers Rally in Opposition to New Jersey Bill

JUNE 22, 2007 -- The Bicycle Product Suppliers Association is leading an industry effort to defeat a bill banning the sales of all bikes with quick release wheels in New Jersey. The bill, which passed the state assembly last week, is now in the state senate, where it awaits to be heard by the commerce committee.

John Nedeau, BPSA’s president, said the group may hire a lobbyist to learn about the prospects of the bill and work locally on behalf of the bicycle industry.

The BPSA also is communicating with Senate Commerce Committee Chair Nia Gill and Senate Bill Sponsor Loretta Weinberg, and getting advocacy groups including Bikes Belong and The League of American Bicyclists involved, as well as New Jersey retailers, including mass-market chain Toys R Us, which is headquartered in New Jersey.

“We want to stay concerted and assertive,” Nedeau said. “I’m pleased the BPSA is able to facilitate again on an issue that can be damaging to a lot of its members.”

According to a spokesperson from Sen. Weinberg’s office, the state senate most likely will not meet on the bill until fall as it’s tied up with budgetary legislation and will soon break for summer recess.

The office of Assemblyman Paul Moriarty, who drafted and introduced the bill in February 2006, has received many phone calls from members of the bicycle industry, according to Matt Weng, Moriarty’s legislative assistant.

Weng said that they recognize the bill has “poor language” but can’t amend the bill because it has moved out of the house. “I’m going to reach out to the Senate Sponsor, Sen. Weinburg,” he said. “It needs to be amended by her in the Senate.”

As currently drafted, the bill makes it illegal to sell bicycles in New Jersey with quick releases unless the secondary retention device activate automatically and always prevent wheel separation—performance specifications not commercially available. The bill applies to bikes with 20-inch wheels or larger, including adult bikes.

“This would really hurt dealers in New Jersey,” said Fred Clements, executive director of the National Bicycle Dealers Association. “If customers can’t get the high-end quick-release bikes they’re used to, they’ll go to neighboring states to buy them. It’s a dealer issue if one state makes an onerous law that will drive consumers out of their shops.”

Clements, who put out a notice among NBDA members, said the NBDA is working with the BPSA on lobbying efforts
 
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