New CPSC Regulations on 24" and smaller bikes
Some of you may have heard about these new regulations and thinking what are they, and what/who do they impact? There is stuff popping up all over biking websites about these new regulations, and people asking questions about it. I got a little inside info about it from the BMX coordinator at Norco Bikes.
Read on to find out more about these new regulations.Basically, CPSC is a new law/regulation that makes it so all toys have to get tested for lead in their paint. You are most likely thinking 'toys', bike are not toys. Well, the sad truth is that anything with the wheel diameter of 24" and under is certified a toy.
![photo]()
These rules are all not that bad though in the context they were made for. It's simply to prevent kids from getting levels of lead in their bodies if they lick or put toys in their mouth. Dumb, I know. You are now thinking, why not change the way a BMX bike or 24" MTB is certified so it's not a toy. It's harder then you think, and bike companies can not do it or else it would have been done by now.
![photo]()
These regulations are implemented by the USA, and all products being sold in the USA have to under go tests to make sure they have less then 600ppm of lead in the paint. You are saying just sort it out and choose frames and parts just for the USA. Companies have no idea which frame or part out of their line will reach the USA, so they have to test all batches of products. These new rules come into effect on February 10th, 2009. So, all companies that don't sell all their products that don't fall under these regulations by then, will have to destroy all their products as it will be illegal to sell in the USA.
The costs of the samples are insanely high, as they are $1500 a sample. Will this mean that prices of bikes and parts increase? We do not know that as of now. Some companies may have to increase their prices to adjust to the cost of each test. If the company raises costs, it won't effect just the products sold in the USA, but everywhere else too. Most of these companies are trying to not push their prices up, but instead decrease funding in certain areas to make up for it. Some are just going to suck it up, and not increase prices or decrease funding in any areas. The one thing you WILL notice is the decrease of different colors and less and less LTD colors. Expect more white and black parts in the future of BMX.
![photo]()
Some of you may also be thinking, will this see the end of some smaller companies? Most likely the ones already out there will stay, but expect less start up ones coming out. Also, will other countries follow these ideas? Who knows right now, but most likely there is a chance.
So, overall, when you go to buy new parts and you notice the price has increased or they no longer make the color you want, keep all this in the back of your head and realize that it's not BMX/MTB companies doing it. It's the new regulations.
-Dotca aka Ryan
Read on to find out more about these new regulations.Basically, CPSC is a new law/regulation that makes it so all toys have to get tested for lead in their paint. You are most likely thinking 'toys', bike are not toys. Well, the sad truth is that anything with the wheel diameter of 24" and under is certified a toy.
Haro BMX
These rules are all not that bad though in the context they were made for. It's simply to prevent kids from getting levels of lead in their bodies if they lick or put toys in their mouth. Dumb, I know. You are now thinking, why not change the way a BMX bike or 24" MTB is certified so it's not a toy. It's harder then you think, and bike companies can not do it or else it would have been done by now.
BMX Parts
These regulations are implemented by the USA, and all products being sold in the USA have to under go tests to make sure they have less then 600ppm of lead in the paint. You are saying just sort it out and choose frames and parts just for the USA. Companies have no idea which frame or part out of their line will reach the USA, so they have to test all batches of products. These new rules come into effect on February 10th, 2009. So, all companies that don't sell all their products that don't fall under these regulations by then, will have to destroy all their products as it will be illegal to sell in the USA.
The costs of the samples are insanely high, as they are $1500 a sample. Will this mean that prices of bikes and parts increase? We do not know that as of now. Some companies may have to increase their prices to adjust to the cost of each test. If the company raises costs, it won't effect just the products sold in the USA, but everywhere else too. Most of these companies are trying to not push their prices up, but instead decrease funding in certain areas to make up for it. Some are just going to suck it up, and not increase prices or decrease funding in any areas. The one thing you WILL notice is the decrease of different colors and less and less LTD colors. Expect more white and black parts in the future of BMX.
Stem
Some of you may also be thinking, will this see the end of some smaller companies? Most likely the ones already out there will stay, but expect less start up ones coming out. Also, will other countries follow these ideas? Who knows right now, but most likely there is a chance.
So, overall, when you go to buy new parts and you notice the price has increased or they no longer make the color you want, keep all this in the back of your head and realize that it's not BMX/MTB companies doing it. It's the new regulations.
-Dotca aka Ryan
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Member since Aug 30, 2005
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:S
they considerate it more like a sport :S
but, why not under 20''
Is this affecting Canada?
Could companies market their products as mountain bike and get away with it? (like stems, seats, posts, bars etc.)
because you can still run them on a 26"...
get creative, buy a raw frame and paint your own shiz... custom work dominates everything...
watch, theres going to be a lead-based powdercoating black market popping up... "hey kid, come lick my bike"
....holy crap, that sounded reeeally sketchy....
sucks about the price of tests though!
I work in the health and safety industry, and regularely do lead paint testing. The tests (not sure which ones they will use) usually cost around $50.00 to determine the lead content of paint, although they may be using a more expensive test criteria. This should not be a difficult regulation for the industry to follow.
For children, the primary route of entry for lead exposure is oral, by either putting a painted surface in their mouth or by touching it and putting their fingers in their mouth. This regulations is most likely aimed at younger children.
A similar regulation exists for household paints (under the US Housing and Urban Development program) because there is widespread developmental damage to children in the US from lead paint exposure, because younger kids are much more sensitive to the effects of lead exposure.
Hope that helps explain what seems like an arcane regulation.
I saw the petition for getting rid of this idea or what ever that was, I say why not restart a petition saying government should fund this testing??
Buy frame as raw, paint it up yourself, or at the shop next door!
which is what most bmxes are made of... as well as street/jump frames that use 24" wheels...
that can infact anodize chains though
www.petitiononline.com/BMXCPSC
it was on the comeup a while ago but if you really want to help out bmx then please do...
and also just post it everywhere i know its spaming but at least its good spaming.
The cycling community may seem large to us simply because we are well informed, only due to the fact that it is our passion / hobby. I don't think it seems that large to an organization that is trying to keep children safe, from a potentially dangerous situation.
I see their point calling a BMX bike, a toy. A BMX was my first bike when I was 3. Plus, traffic laws state that it is illegal to ride a 26" wheel bike on a sidewalk because it is classified as a vehicle and must be ridden on the road. So 24" wheel and under bikes are considered toys because usually only kids ride them, on the sidewalks and not on the roadways. If they reclassified BMXs as vehicles then they would have to amend the law to state, all bikes with wheels sizes 20" and over should be ridden on the road, and not the sidewalks. The roads are not the safest place to be riding a bike whilst learning. Look what happened to Rachael Atherton, and she is a pro at riding bikes.
I agree it sucks, but it seems to be the trend these days. You gotta keep your consumers and their families safe, so they will spend more money down the road. Its what drives the economy, its what keeps the tax dollars rolling in.
It already reallyreally expensive for a bmx frame($700)
and now the price willl go up just so its lickable
Complete bullshit
They should classify 24inch wheels and under as bikes not toys
I know my bmx is not my toy...
but what can you do the american government doesnt give a shit
jus thinkin tho, surely the sample cost (1500) doesnt apply to every frame i.e. out of 1000 frames a small number will be sampled so divide the sample cost by the number of frames and ur talkin a really small price increase.
good that I normally ride 26". But you can just paint your part's somewhere else, it's not that expensive. We will see, what it will do to the small companys, but I don't think it will be that much.
what about hand made/home grown products that never go any where near china,i think they still need to be tested if they gonna be sold in the u.s
i can see the point in mass produce companys like haro or mongoose but not when it comes to companys like S&M or curtis for instance
p.s rules were made to BROKEN!
i'm just trying to say that big corparations that own companys like mongoose or haro can probably afford this
smaller home grown rider owned companys will suffer....because of some polititian in an office that has'nt got a clue about our sport
p.s sighn the petition
every one up untill now who has EVER ridden a bike with X amount of lead in the paint hasnt just droped dead or become critically ill have they?
its bollocksy health and safty, or the "Fun Police" just ruining it all.
i beleave its just some nazi way of making every oen conform to a certain code only known by the ones who make up this shit they call "regulations".
all this means now is spending MORE money one bits we want, then finding some way of spending money we probably dont have one making it the color we want, theres now going to be alot of shoddy paint work, and probably a whole new generation of amazing painter
.
in a way i welcom the thought of alot of "DIY paint jobs" its alot more individual. and some will be very good and nice to look at.
but on the other hand, in the next few years all were going to be allowed to own is RAWR metal products and bike, what about the chemicals in colored rubber tires?
lubes and greases?
the "Fun Police" have really started to take things to far in my opinion.
bring back the good old days of ASPESTOS and toxic waste laying around, no ones dumb enough to roll in it are they?
if we know the risks, we wont f*ck with them, but jsut give us the option, dont tell us what to do
peace, rant over xxx
iv never known a child under the age of...what 4? being able to ride a bike completely on its own and at free will. all bikes are a mode of transport, and a mechanical device, mass produced for work and pleasure, i think its rather offensive to us "die hard" riders who ride bmx and 24's to be generalized into the "Playing with our toys" category. it makes us sound like f*cking children.
again im sorry this has just really got to me.
rant is now really over
The government though cannot just pass legislation that says any bike from k-mart/wal-amrt must be subjected to lead paint testing. Simply they do a survey and find most kids 12 and under ride a bike that is under 24" wheels. Now i guarantee you that 90% of these kids are just riding bikes from k-mart, and its those who this regulations are targeting, but for the rest of the companies making bmx bikes, it will be a regulation they must do.
Just out of curiosity though, why cant these tests be done one step back at the source where the paint comes from?
Think positive, embrace the opportunity!
Here in russia due to the crisis we've already seen a 40% price increase in certain bikeshops without any new lame legislation(((
does this mean we will see some sick deals on new '09 bikes that need to be moved ASAP?
Damn i made a bad decision getting a 24" mtb
Lucky 26's....
the vintage bmx thread on the CPSC.
I had no idea how dangerous it was.
This is a real eye opener for all of the folk out there who "over love" their trusty steed....
Also anodizing is way stronger than paint and lighter because only a thin layer of material is applied compared to painting where you have at least 3 layers (base coat, actual paint, and clear coat(s)).
I don't even know where to start. who talked about stripping paint? Paint is heavier than anodizing PERIOD. I've tried to say they should start anodizing instead of painting because of the current problems with lead. Also you are saying that wallmart will make cheap coating, of course they will. Last I've checked wallmart was not selling bikes like the ones you see on this website.
Your arguments are stupid and unfounded, you assume thing that i did not remotely say. the only disadvantages of anodizing you should have tried should have been:
- anodizing is expensive when making a small batch,
- anodizing does not have metallic, pearl, or candy finish,
- anodizing does not have as much shine as paint because of the lack of clear coat.
In addition, you could have talked about powder coating, maybe it would have added a "layer" to your argument as we are talking about the lead content in paint and kids sucking on it.
Color sequence for stainless steel:brown-blue-yellow-redish or brown-purple-green.
Its not just the USA that it effects, all countries will be effected...
am i right?