Jan 19th, 2008
New European Standards Loom for American Cycling Manufacturers Selling on the Continent
BPSA crafts new Bicycle Owner’s Manual language to help its members meet the new standards
SAN DIEGO — January 19, 2008 — Cycling manufacturers are about to be regulated by an entire set of European-crafted standards, whether such companies know about or agree with those standards. In response, the BPSA has crafted a new Bicycle Owner’s Manual that meets these new standards and can be licensed by any member of the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association.
This was one of the key issues raised during the Friday afternoon session of the 11th annual Bicycle Leadership Conference being held this weekend in this sun-drenched southern California coastal city.
According to Bob Margevicius, head of the Safety Committee for the BPSA (presenters of the BLC event), the BPSA-led effort took the better part of 2008 to craft the language, look and feel for the new manual, an effort he feels will meet all aspects of the implementation date for the looming standards.
At the heart of this issue is CEN, the European Committee for Standardization (or as it’s written in French — the Comite Europeen de Normalisation). CEN has crafted and adopted new standards (specifically Nos. 14764, 14766 and 14781) that will apply to any manufacturer selling products into the European Union or the European Free Trade Area.
These new standards are set to become effective in France beginning April 4, 2008, explained Margevicius (vice president of Research and Development for Specialized). Retailers selling products that do not meet the new standards will be fined $10,000 per instance per product on the store floor. Hence, 10 bikes out of compliance at one retailer equals a $100,000 fine. Ouch!
The new owner’s manual represents the 9th edition prepared by the BPSA, and according to the association Website, the manual represents a major rewrite.
When asked for additional details about the new edition, Margevicius described the process as “a huge undertaking.”
The new manual focuses on actual product usage, riding and includes a lot of “how to,” he said. It also takes owners through topics such as “What happens if” and cautions about such critical bike components and/or issues as
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Suspension,
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Disc brakes,
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Materials,
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Torque, and
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Overall maintenance,
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among others.
Margevicius also described the new owner’s manual as upgradeable, something a manufacturer to adapt to its own needs
The new manual is available immediately for licensing by BPSA members at $1,500 per year and is available in English and French, with versions in 10 additional languages coming later in 2008.
