Quick Releases Banned in NJ.

So looks like that bill to ban them on kids bikes got upgraded to all bikes:

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/bicycleretailer/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003599447

New Jersey Passes Bill Banning Quick Release Wheels

By Lynette Carpiet

JUNE 15, 2007 -- TRENTON, NJ (BRAIN)--The New Jersey bicycle business may be in serious trouble unless retailers and suppliers take immediate action. State legislators earlier this week approved a bill banning the sale of all bikes equipped with current quick release wheels and tabbed tips.

Under the bill, it would be illegal to sell bicycles with quick release wheels unless they met performance specifications that are not commercially available. Assembly bill A2686, which was introduced in February 2006, passed in the assembly with a vote of 77-3 and is now headed to the Senate Commerce Committee.

While originally drafted to ban quick release wheels on children’s bikes, the bill was recently amended to include bikes with 20-inch or larger wheels. It also stipulates that the secondary retention device on a wheel meet certain specifications, including that it activate automatically and always prevent wheel separation.

“It’s being promoted as a bill intended to protect children,” said Bob Burns, Trek’s legal counsel and spokesman for the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association. “But the language would make every bicycle with quick release currently for sale in New Jersey illegal. This bill is not intended just for children’s bikes.”

Furthermore, Burns said there’s currently no secondary retention device on the market that would comply with the bill. “No system always retains the wheel,” he said. “Even the bolted axle, if the bolts aren’t on right, the kid’s in trouble. As of right now, there’s nothing on the floor that meets this definition and nothing on the horizon that is commercially proven.”

For the past year, the BPSA had been working with Assemblyman Paul Moriarty, the bill’s sponsor, on alternate language that would not prohibit the use of quick releases. The BPSA is now encouraging all dealers to contact New Jersey state senators and voice their opposition to the bill.

While it’s likely that the bill as written would be pre-empted by federal regulations that currently define how a quick release should perform, the law would still be in effect until a successful legal challenge was mounted in the courts.

“Bicycles are regulated by the Feds. If you start getting state-by-state regulation of bicycles, it will make selling bicycles in the U.S. very burdensome and extremely expensive for manufacturers and retailers,” Burns said.

“We need to get the New Jersey Senate Commerce Committee to listen to us and get them to consider the impact the bill would have on the bicycle business in New Jersey,” he added.

Yeah i know about that thread....but considering the fact that the bill has now been updates to include bikes with wheels over 20" I thought it might be a little more important for people to know it might be time to start contacting some legislators

zedro said:

even tho it seems a little much, it's kinda funny that bikes really don't follow standard machine design, like having secondary retention devices. It's not complicated to solve really, a castellated nut with cotter pin (look at Moto axles) would do this, as well as a similar retention on the QR (you just have to secure the lever, not add a redundant fastener). I don't know how many times i've had shock bolts back out, but in any other machine design, fasteners subject to rotations always have a pin or clip or wire to keep them for spinning out; i have never seen this done on any bike design (loctite is not enough). Its actually kinda sensible and not complicated to fix.

Click to expand...

actually shimano brake caliper mount bolts come with wire to stop them backing out (yet i dont know anyone that actually uses them)