By Yokota Fritz
BRaIN seems to have been correct about the New Jersey quick release ban: I read an earlier version of the bill, but the amendments passed by the New Jersey Assembly includes plenty of contradictory text. Weird stuff. Also, some of the amendments seem custom-written for Montague Bicycle's "Clix" quick release system. Check this out: 'Advances in quick release technology make it right and proper that the new mechanisms—which are less prone to assembler and user error—be used in place of the old2' and '“secondary retention device” means a device that retains the bicycle wheel in the bicycle fork when the primary retention device is disengaged.' This legislation is an infomercial for Montague!
By Yokota Fritz
I decided to do a little fact checking after reading this surprising report that "the bill was recently amended to include bikes with 20-inch or larger wheels." Here's the actual text of the bill as passed by the New Jersey Assembly.
"It shall be an unlawful practice 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 2, exclusive of specialty adult bicycles."
Folks who repeated the faulty BRaIN information include Joe Lindsey in his Boulder Report and our good friend Masiguy among others.
I'm glad Trek and others are on the ball with this and I'm hopeful this won't make it out of the state Senate commerce committee, where this bill currently sits. Jersey residents should still contact your state Senators and let them know what you think of this bill. Just please be factual.
By Yokota Fritz
The New Jersey state legislature passed a bill that will ban the sale of many bicycles equipped with quick-release skewers. The ban, introduced by Gloucester Assemblyman Paul Moriarty, passed the state Assembly 77-3.
The bill prohibits the sale of QR equipped bicycles with a wheel diameter of 20 inches or less. While intended to for children's bicycles, the law as written also affects many adults bicycles such as folding bicycles and recumbents.
The legislation has not received consideration from the state Senate yet so this is not state law. If you're in New Jersey, though, you want to keep on eye on what kind of legislation is proposed for your Senate.
New Jersey Quick Release Bill and Clix
We tested the Clix here and it was LESS safe than a standard skewer! We tried it several times too; the wheel just flopped right out and rolled across the floor!
Text of the New Jersey QR Bill
BRAIN get something wrong? Nah...
I guess I should be more surprised that they didn't release this info two weeks after it happened.
The problem is that the bill language is very, very ambiguous. In two locations it seems to exclude specialty adult bicycles and then in the ammended section it seems to add them back in. Nobody at the New Jersey assembly seemed to know what the answer was. One staffer at the office of one assembly person believed that the "lawyer tabs" on the fork would be sufficient as a "secondary retention device"... but that he was totally unsure and was also seeking clarification on the point, as he'd taken countless calls about the bill that morning.
What we have is a proposed bill that is vague and ambiguous at best. The language that gets me was the part about retention devices that are "not yet commercially available". WTF?
At first read, it would seem that the bill excludes adult specialty bikes, but the language is self-contradicting as you read further along. Suffice it to say, it makes sense to call and urge folks in New Jersey to oppose the bill.
Is there a more recent version than this one or is this what they passed? http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A3000/2686_R2.HTM
sorry. it cut off the url.
Read the bill again. It definitely affects adult bicycles.
Make sure you are looking at the 2nd Reprint that khal has posted.
c. (1) It shall be an 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 (regular size bicycles)
(b) it is a specialty adult bicycle with a front wheel diameter of 20 (recumbents, folders etc.) inches or less.
John Boyle Advocacy Director The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
I think John and Masiguy might be right -- I didn't have the final print of the Bill. But the final amended text makes the whole thing self-contradictory.
Did anybody notice the final amendments also describe a "secondary retention system" that seems to prefectly describe the Montague "Clix" quick release?
New Jersey passes quick-release ban
As if I didn't have enough reasons to hate living in New Jersey anyways...
I just heard (haven't confirmed yet tho) that the legislator introducing this law is the patent holder for the "readily available technology" Can anyone confirm this?
surely just a coincidence! NJ ain't corrupt...
-Sasquatch2
The inventors and patent holders of Montague's Clix quick release are Harry and David Montague.
Permalink: New Jersey Quick Release Bill and Clix
