ACCC ruins Surly Steamroller: Fixed gear no longer hip
I love my gears on a bicycle. Despite wearing the chain out faster and requiring a bit more maintenance, the ability to switch gears based on how I want to ride and the terrain I’m riding on far outweighs the weight saving gained by going fixed gear.
Despite my objections though I can’t deny the recent rise of the single speed bicycle. You can make one out of any old frame, they weigh nothing, maintenance costs are low and if you live in an area that’s relatively flat they do make a certain degree of sense.
Well, that is until you apply the ridiculously outdated Australian pedal bicycle standards to them.
For those of you that have no idea what a fixed gear bike is (also referred to as a single speed) they’re those road bicycles you see around with no gears.
Usually the type of guy riding a single speed has 3/4 cargo pants or skinny jeans on and a bright tshirt with a messenger bag strapped around his shoulders and some dunlop volleys on. He also probably isn’t wearing a helmet because it ruins his hair.
Needless to say couriers and fashion whores love to ride them.
In some parts of Melbourne fixed gear bicycles have become so prevalent it’s actually illegal to sell their geared counterparts. Brunswick, Fitzroy, Prahran and St. Kilda I’m looking directly at you.
Last week the ACCC came to a resolution with Dirt Works (a distributor) over Surly Steamrollers (my Long Haul Truckers’ evil tre euro cool cousin) that were sold to retailers back in 2007.
The ACCC weren’t happy that the Steamrollers supplied by Dirt Works “did not have a back brake and also, in some instances, did not have reflectors and a bell”.
Now a rear brake I can sort of understand, I’ve never ridden a single speed but I imagine braking is made easier with two brakes. Mind you having said that it’s not like having two brakes is going to make stopping at 30-40km/h any easier, you’re still going to crash into whatever it is you were trying to avoid.
What I do find hilarious though is the suggestion that these (or any) bikes need reflectors and a bell. If you’ve seen the kind of guys that buy fixed speeds this is made all the more hilarious given we’re talking about fixed speed bikes.
Reflectors have long since been useless on a bicycle and a bell? Seriously…? You’re cruising a long and some car is about to slam into you and what, a bicycle bell is going to pierce the latest gangsta rap blaring from their stereo?
By the time you’ve dinged your bell you’re already sitting in the gutter, or dead.
As for pedestrians, bells are also well known pedestrian magnets. Ding your bell as you approach a pedestrian from behind and you can be guaranteed a pedestrian will walk into you.
Personally when dealing with pedestrians on a track I’ll call out passing as a voice seems to be a lot more directional then a bell, and for the road I won’t be caught dead without my 115db AirZound air horn.
Within a few weeks this investment paid for and continues to pay for itself.
Couple that with the whole idea of a fixed speed is to be minimalistic and I can tell you now nobody is walking out of a bicycle shop with a Surly Steamroller fitted with reflectors and a bell.
Forget about single speeds for a second though, walk into ANY bike store in the country and see just how many bicycles have a bell or reflectors on them. Mine certainly never have.
I have no idea why the ACCC decided to single out (no pun intended) Dirt Works supplying Surly Steamrollers but clearly this particular part of the Trade Practices Act is wildly outdated and needs to be looked at.
It’s not practical, doesn’t save lives and most people remove these ‘safety’ devices the second they get home – if they were even supplied to begin with.
Some other examples that are widely ignored from the Australian pedal bicycle standards (scroll down about halfway) are;
- The requirement that the upper part of the front chainwheel be guarded (one of those dorky heavy covers).
- A protective guard having been fitted to the rear deralliur (the clear plastic disc)
“Suppliers need to be aware that where fixed-gear bicycles are not designed, promoted and supplied primarily for use in competition, as was the case with the Surly Steamroller bicycles supplied by Dirt Works, they must comply with the mandatory standard for bicycles.”
The Australian Consumer Safety Standard for pedal bicycles was last looked at back in August 1999.
October 11th, 2009 at 11:40 am James(Quote)
That’s just strange!
The idea that a bell is some how supposed to make cyclists, pedestrians and drivers safer is just ridiculous.
BUT, why can’t the retailers just put a little bell and reflectors on just to satisfy the ACCC? They’re pretty cheap and can easily be removed if the buyer wants to do so.
Most road bikes and mountain bikes aren’t even sold with bells so I can’t understand why it matters that a single speed is sold with a bell. It shouldn’t matter whether or not a bike is used in competition, because almost all would be used for training and/or commuting on the roads anyway.
I’d much rather use my voice to alert a pedestrian to my presence than a silly little bell which is nowhere near as loud. And I think saying “excuse me” is more polite than dinging a bell, and it doesn’t shock people and make them more dangerous to you like a bell does.
October 11th, 2009 at 4:04 pm ozsoapbox(Quote)
The thing is the standards are supposed to apply to all bikes sold here but for some reason the ACCC have specifically gone after the Surly and the Steamroller.
I think part of the problem is all these bikes are imported from Taiwan and the same bicycle is shipped all around the world. Most places don’ thave the archaic standards we have and manufacturers can’t be arsed putting bells and reflectors because we’re a relatively tiny market.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:10 am James(Quote)
Yeah I realise that the manufacturers aren’t going to care much about little old Australia, but surely the local distributor or the retailers could chuck the extras on fairly easily with minimal cost to satisfy the ACCC morons – I guess that would be far too logical for a government department to allow it to happen.
They should just market them as track bikes (single speed with no ‘safety’ bits) on the sly to satisfy the red tape.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:29 pm castro(Quote)
To me, bells are good. just for letting someone know you’re overtaking etc. a courtesy… not saying they should be compulsory… but I like em. We all had me in Holland. Don’t like having to wear a helmet though. i wear a hat. skin cancer is more of a danger. i mean there’s more head injuries from falling down stairs. i love australia but it’s seriously over regulated. Treat us like infants
January 3rd, 2010 at 2:52 pm Pete(Quote)
Rear brakes are also useless. I’m pretty sure there’s a Sheldon Brown article on this too, but it’s to do with weight transfer moving forward onto the front wheel while braking. Maximum braking is achieved when the rear wheel is about to lift (making the rear brake redundant).
January 4th, 2010 at 12:08 am ozsoapbox(Quote)
Rear brakes come in handy as additional braking power is always welcome.
In an emergency situation I’ll usually jump out and hover just above the seat to shift my weight to the rear as much as possible to keep the wheel down. Whilst the front certainly does most of the work it’s noticeable if the rear isn’t used.
I find that if you just rely on the front there’s more chance of a over the handlebars stack in an emergency situation. If you can control the rear wheel from locking up and sliding out then it’s definitely better then no rear brake
.
June 24th, 2010 at 1:32 am Michael Baxter(Quote)
I’ve ridden the inner burbs of Brisbane regularly, and find the bell is really useful and practical. I always swap that little bell with the exterior clapper for the older style, slightly larger one with the spinning interior widget thingee.
I’ve had cyclists on paths ring them just behind me and its difficult to get out of their road in time.
SOOOOO, as a rider I simply ring mine 5-10 metres back. Even older/slower pedestians just shift to the side and on I ride with rarely a bit of impediment to my journey. Everyone seems to instantly know what the bell means, and I just give a small appreciative ‘ta’ as I ride past.
What part of that bell use is “useless”? It’s just a bell – it doesn’t need a flipping degree to work out how to make it effective.
Michael B.
P.S. I would like a single speed as a bit of simple, disciplined difference from my regular geared bike. Probably not as my daily riding hack, but for variety. Does considering owning a second bike attract derision in this community? I did find your gross generalisation about what sort of clothes the fans of such bikes always wear, but seriously, I will ride a single speed with the same clobber I as I ride any bike and in which I sometimes drive my car.
P.P.S. Am also happy with rear brakes. Have used both front and rear when really needing to pull it up in short order, and without a problem.