From: josh@Happy-Man.com (Joshua_Putnam)
Subject: Re: Should lights be req. Std. Equipment?
Reply-To: Joshua_Putnam@happy-man.com
Organization: Happy Man Corp., Vashon Island, WA 98070-7399
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 17:32:19 GMT

In <68962@cup.portal.com> SteveSgt@cup.portal.com (Steven Eugene Sergeant) writes:

>Some countries, The Netherlands and West Germany for example, require
>that all new bicycles sold with a street license have a lighting system
>that conforms to a DIN standard (number 49848-T2 I think).  Should
>lighting be required standard equipment on street-legal bicycles in
>the U.S.A.?

I can't think of any standard lighting system that would not
be a burden on almost all cyclists.  The majority do not
ride in the dark, so the lighting is wasted money.  Those of
us who ride in the dark a lot would throw away whatever
cheap system was used to squeeze past the requirements and
install a real lighting system, e.g. two 20W halogen lamps
and a 12v, 6.5 Ah battery.  Racers looking for minimal
weight will pay for batteries commuters find too expensive.

It seems much more sensible to require the use of lighting
on bicycles operated in the dark, set a minimum standard for
the lighting, then leave the other choices up to the rider.

>I personally think it's a good idea, and I want to read your comments.
>Requiring lighting would mandate manufacturers to reinvest energy
>into producing bicycles that meet practical transportation needs,
>rather than concentrating on the style driven whims of the sport-
>riders.  

But sport and recreation riders are the majority of the
market.  Most hybrid, mountain, and touring bikes make a
good starting point for practical transportation bikes, but
again, why sell people equipment they don't want or need?

It's easy to get a good commuting bike if that's what you
want, but what if it's not?

>Why can't I buy a 6-speed bike with a chain guard, fenders,
>a sturdy rack, and lighting as standard equipment for commuting purposes?

I wouldn't want a 6-speed for commuting, but the rest is all
fairly common.  The question really is, which chain guard,
which fenders, which racks, and which lighting?  There are
so many options available that it makes much more sense to
make bikes with standard mounting points and then select
whatever attachments fit your needs.  That way you get a
bike that fits your body and only the accessories you need.

Fenders, for example, come in a variety of sizes and shapes
depending on what size of tires you run and how much
protection you really need.  It took me almost an hour
looking at various models to pick my commuting fenders, and
they weren't the most popular model, so they probably would
not have been standard equipment.  Should I have bought
standard fenders as part of the bike, then thrown them away
and put on the fenders I really wanted?  What a waste!

There's an even wider range of racks available, and the
variety of lighting systems is positively mind numbing.
Should standard racks include front low-riders, or not?
I like the Blackburn MTN Rack in front, but their standard
seat-stay rack in back.  Other people prefer racks with
spring-loaded holders, steel racks, or even wicker baskets.
The current system allows all of us to pick whichever racks
we want, or leave the racks off and use a backpack.

>Why are the extemely reliable and relatively maintanence-free 3 and
>5 speed hubs no longer available on bicycles of quality construction?

Probably because most people prefer other gearing systems.
I've never seen a 3 or 5 speed hub with the gear range I
want for commuting, since communting involves both fast,
unloaded riding and lugging heavy loads up hills.

Besides, I always had more trouble with my 3 speed hub than
I do now with 21 speeds.
-- 
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