Conversation with a new bike owner



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Tim S

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As I was leaving work at 6 this am, guy I know stops me (on his bike) "Hey Tim, what do you think
of my new bike then?" (el-cheapo halfords full sus job) "They've forgotten something!" "Uh?" "Where
are the lights?" "What do I need lights for?" I shake my head and watch him cycle off across the
dark carpark

Tim S
 
"Tim S" <tim@[email protected]> wrote:

> As I was leaving work at 6 this am, guy I know stops me (on his bike) "Hey Tim, what do you think
> of my new bike then?" (el-cheapo halfords full sus job) "They've forgotten something!" "Uh?"
> "Where are the lights?" "What do I need lights for?" I shake my head and watch him cycle off
> across the dark carpark

Worrying isn't it?

Even MacDonalds train their staff to try and get the customer to trade up, it can't be that much
harder to substitute "Do you want fries with that?" with "Would you like some lights fitted?"
 
Tim S <tim@[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> As I was leaving work at 6 this am, guy I know stops me (on his bike) "Hey Tim, what do you think
> of my new bike then?" (el-cheapo halfords full sus job) "They've forgotten something!" "Uh?"
> "Where are the lights?" "What do I need lights for?" I shake my head and watch him cycle off
> across the dark carpark
>
> Tim S
>
>

So he went with the majority then.

--
Mark
______________________________________

"Just ask yourself: What would Scooby Doo?"
 
Tim S wrote:

> As I was leaving work at 6 this am, guy I know stops me (on his bike) "Hey Tim, what do you think
> of my new bike then?" (el-cheapo halfords full sus job) "They've forgotten something!" "Uh?"
> "Where are the lights?" "What do I need lights for?" I shake my head and watch him cycle off
> across the dark carpark
>
> Tim S

What really bugs me about this sort of thing is that UK law demands that the bike retailer must sell
you a bike that has pedal and wheel reflectors on. Why don't they change the law to demand that you
are sold a bike that has lights on as well?
 
"Bart" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Tim S wrote:
>
> > As I was leaving work at 6 this am, guy I know stops me (on his bike) "Hey Tim, what do you
> > think of my new bike then?" (el-cheapo halfords
full
> > sus job) "They've forgotten something!" "Uh?" "Where are the lights?" "What do I need lights
> > for?" I shake my head and watch him cycle off across the dark carpark
> >
> > Tim S
>
> What really bugs me about this sort of thing is that UK law demands that
the
> bike retailer must sell you a bike that has pedal and wheel reflectors on. Why don't they change
> the law to demand that you are sold a bike that has lights on as well?

Why should they ? I'll bet less than 10% of bikes bought ever get ridden in the dark anyway. Last
two bikes I've bought had no pedal or wheel reflectors either although IIRC one of them did have a
rear reflector thingy in a plastic bag with the owners manual, probably still there.

Russ
 
Bart wrote:

> What really bugs me about this sort of thing is that UK law demands that the bike retailer must
> sell you a bike that has pedal and wheel reflectors on. Why don't they change the law to demand
> that you are sold a bike that has lights on as well?

The problem is that lights are the sort of thing you have one or two sets of, and swap them between
bikes. Also they are quite a personal thing, just like pedals, which is why bikes often come with
no pedals.

I don't know about anyone else, but I wouldn't want to pay for another set of lights if I
buy a bike.

For the people who buy a halfords special and ride it into the ground without ever touching it,
preinstalled lights would be good, yes.

--

-Alex

----------------------------------
[email protected]

http://alexpg.ath.cx:3353/cycling.php http://www.westerleycycling.org.uk
----------------------------------
 
"MSA" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Tim S <tim@[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > As I was leaving work at 6 this am, guy I know stops me (on his bike) "Hey Tim, what do you
> > think of my new bike then?" (el-cheapo halfords full sus job) "They've forgotten something!"
> > "Uh?" "Where are the lights?" "What do I need lights for?" I shake my head and watch him cycle
> > off across the dark carpark
> >
> > Tim S
> >
> >
>
> So he went with the majority then.

Every member of Halfords staff is instructed to offer the customer the full package of accessories
required for safe and efficient cycling. But to give you an idea, my store had a hit rate of 46% for
selling accessories with bikes. The vast majority of customers just think bike, bugger the
accessories.

When I say my store, it was till I left at 8pm tonight. Bye
 
In article <[email protected]>, russell pinder
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Last two bikes I've bought had no pedal or wheel reflectors either although IIRC one of them did
> have a rear reflector thingy in a plastic bag with the owners manual, probably still there.

All of the bikes which I buy come with pedals with reflectors, front and rear reflectors and wheel
reflectors. I sell them with these items fitted.

If the customer chooses to remove them as soon as the bike is out of the shop I cannot interfere.
However it is in the interests of the cyclist who uses a bike with centre pull brakes to leave the
front and rear reflectors since the bracket which attaches them to the bike frame is also a safety
feature/necessity if the brake cable breaks.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton on the Bicycle Island In the Global Village http://www.sandymillport.fsnet.co.uk
 
Bart <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> What really bugs me about this sort of thing is that UK law demands that the bike retailer must
> sell you a bike that has pedal and wheel reflectors on. Why don't they change the law to demand
> that you are sold a bike that has lights on as well?

To quote the DfT

"In 1998, a consultation exercise was completed on proposals concerning the fitment of bells and
lights on pedal cycles. The responses indicated that a strong enough case existed to justify
introducing legislation to require the mandatory fitting of a bell on all new pedal cycles at the
point of sale.

The results of the consultation indicated that requiring all cycles in use to be fitted with a bell
was considered to be impractical and unenforceable. We are therefore not now considering this option

There was also found to be insufficient justification for mandatory fitment of lights to all cycles
as many are never used after dark and, if they are, they are already covered by existing
legislation."

Tony

--
http://www.raven-family.com

"I don't want any yes-men around me. I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them
their job."

Samuel Goldwyn
 
"Bart" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Tim S wrote:
>
> > As I was leaving work at 6 this am, guy I know stops me (on his bike) "Hey Tim, what do you
> > think of my new bike then?" (el-cheapo halfords
full
> > sus job) "They've forgotten something!" "Uh?" "Where are the lights?" "What do I need lights
> > for?" I shake my head and watch him cycle off across the dark carpark
> >
> > Tim S
>
> What really bugs me about this sort of thing is that UK law demands that
the
> bike retailer must sell you a bike that has pedal and wheel reflectors on. Why don't they change
> the law to demand that you are sold a bike that has lights on as well?

Wouldn't make any difference, the bloke in questions last bike had lights on it for a month. Turned
out that the batteries had gone flat, then leaked and fouled the contacts, rather than clean them he
just binned the lights. You can make a law to sell lights, but you can't make people use them
(alas). The above was 4 years ago, so I guess he's just lucky. I know if I was to try it I'd be
punted off inside of a month.

Tim S
 
"Sandy Morton" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, russell pinder
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Last two bikes I've bought had no pedal or wheel reflectors either although IIRC one of them did
> > have a rear reflector thingy in a plastic bag with the owners manual, probably still there.
>
> All of the bikes which I buy come with pedals with reflectors, front and rear reflectors and wheel
> reflectors. I sell them with these items
fitted.
>
> If the customer chooses to remove them as soon as the bike is out of the shop I cannot interfere.
> However it is in the interests of the cyclist who uses a bike with centre pull brakes to leave the
> front and rear reflectors since the bracket which attaches them to the bike frame is also a safety
> feature/necessity if the brake cable breaks.

Can you still buy bikes with canti (centre pull) brakes ? Even my 6 year olds cheapo raleigh 20"
wheel 5 speed bike came with V brakes. That did have (and still has) the requisite reflectors
though. I have an old pseudo mtb with canti's and on the very odd occasion I ride it it just feels
like there's no brakes there once you're used to hydraulic discs.

Guess you just don't sell the sort of bikes I'd buy (for myself).

Russ
 
"Tim S" <tim@[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Wouldn't make any difference, the bloke in questions last bike had lights
on
> it for a month. Turned out that the batteries had gone flat, then leaked
and
> fouled the contacts, rather than clean them he just binned the lights. You can make a law to sell
> lights, but you can't make people use them (alas). The above was 4 years ago, so I guess he's just
> lucky. I know if I was to try it I'd be punted off inside of a month.

He's just a knob-head.

Pete
 
"Tim S" <tim@[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> As I was leaving work at 6 this am, guy I know stops me (on his bike) "Hey Tim, what do you think
> of my new bike then?" (el-cheapo halfords full sus job) "They've forgotten something!" "Uh?"
> "Where are the lights?" "What do I need lights for?" I shake my head and watch him cycle off
> across the dark carpark
>

I think wearing reflective clothing/fluorescent jacket is more important than wearing lights in a
city or town.
 
"Frank" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I think wearing reflective clothing/fluorescent jacket is more important than wearing lights in a
> city or town.

Probably true -- but lights are a legal requirement and not having them

1. gives cagers an excuse to moan
2. may reduce any compensation/insurance pay out if injured
3. is pretty stupid given how small & convenient modern lights are.

T
 
Frank <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I think wearing reflective clothing/fluorescent jacket is more important than wearing lights in a
> city or town.

They are only any use if you are in the headlights of a car. If you are approaching from the side
(car pulling out from side road) or behind (overtaking queued or parked cars) they provide no
visibility. Lights do.

Tony

--
http://www.raven-family.com

"I don't want any yes-men around me. I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them
their job."

Samuel Goldwyn
 
[email protected] schreef ...

> Even MacDonalds train their staff to try and get the customer to trade up, it can't be that much
> harder to substitute "Do you want fries with that?" with "Would you like some lights fitted?"

"Even" McDonalds? They about *invented* this trick :)

--
Regards, Marten
 
"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Frank <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > I think wearing reflective clothing/fluorescent jacket is more important than wearing lights in
> > a city or town.
>
> They are only any use if you are in the headlights of a car. If you are approaching from the side
> (car pulling out from side road) or behind (overtaking queued or parked cars) they provide no
> visibility. Lights do.
>
> Tony
>

I'm not even sure that is true, streets are lit and a good jacket does provide good visibility where
as a light can be confused with a number of light sources in the city. A jacket is less hard to
mistake, I remember one person suggesting shining a light back onto a jacket would be a good idea.

I do have lights but the difference between wearing a fluorescent yellow top and not is huge.
 
Frank <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I'm not even sure that is true, streets are lit and a good jacket does provide good visibility
> where as a light can be confused with a number of light sources in the city. A jacket is less
> hard to mistake, I remember one person suggesting shining a light back onto a jacket would be a
> good idea.
>

I've seen it done but its only really any use on unlit roads and then it has to have a very good
beam cut off not to shine in your eyes.

Tony

--
http://www.raven-family.com

"I don't want any yes-men around me. I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them
their job."

Samuel Goldwyn
 
Frank <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'm not even sure that is true, streets are lit and a good jacket does provide good visibility
> where as a light can be confused with a number of light sources in the city. A jacket is less
> hard to mistake, I remember one person suggesting shining a light back onto a jacket would be a
> good idea.

Not really much use, because they jackets are not "reflective" but retro-reflective, they reflect
light back at the angle that it arrives, so unless the driver was on the same plane as the lamp he
woudn't see the reflective bit.
>
> I do have lights but the difference between wearing a fluorescent yellow top and not is huge.

Bollox, there isn't enough UV in car lights,streets lights, or bike lamps to make the fluorescent
yellow top fluoresce ,you would have the same effect with a simple non-fluorescent yellow top. That
is if there is any effect whatsoever that isn't a placebo.
 
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