Author Topic: Bike Check?  (Read 15152 times)

Bike Check?
« on: 04 July, 2019, 10:17:05 am »
What do they actually check?

Edd

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #1 on: 04 July, 2019, 10:42:25 am »
From the dossier
Quote
- The controller will check that your bike is in good condition and that all required (front & rear lighting) and optional (mudguards, bags, pump ...) accessories are securely fixed to the bike

So if using battery lights, make sure they are attached to the bike before the check!

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
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Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #2 on: 04 July, 2019, 10:56:16 am »
Roughly, quoting from notes from 2015:

"There were three or four inspectors in the tent, where they checked lights, brakes, and that nothing will fall off (the bounce test).  You'll be issued with a sticker for the frame, and a ticket to take to registration."

My tester was Eduard, who looked about 90, but had a twinkle in his eye and was thoroughly enjoying himself.  He was a bit bemused at the specific bike I presented, tho  ;D
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

S2L

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #3 on: 04 July, 2019, 11:00:42 am »
Surely they'll be looking for old tricks as well as new tricks... so NO nails hidden in the handlebar and no electric motor hidden in the seat tube

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #4 on: 04 July, 2019, 11:14:03 am »
I suspect that they will also be checking on tri-bar protrusion this time.

simonp

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #5 on: 04 July, 2019, 11:15:40 am »
They liked my fixie last couple of times - not doing that this time.

rob

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #6 on: 04 July, 2019, 11:17:01 am »
They liked my fixie last couple of times - not doing that this time.

boo

bairn again

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #7 on: 04 July, 2019, 11:23:15 am »
- Lights
- Brakes
- Anything that might appear loose

Speaking in French to the inspector would appear to quicken the process.   


wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #8 on: 04 July, 2019, 11:34:34 am »
They liked my fixie last couple of times - not doing that this time.

It would be interesting to know how many unbroken bikes turn up.  Unfortunately there isn't a box for it on the back of the PBP brevet — I checked  ;)

Not that the data from the back of AUK brevets is collated, either  ::-)
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #9 on: 04 July, 2019, 11:49:01 am »
I wonder how they will check that the tri bars conform?  Will they have a horizontal board above the wheel height so when they move your bike they want to make sure the brake levers hit the board before the tri bars.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #10 on: 04 July, 2019, 12:06:05 pm »
I presume you will have the opportunity to make good any deficiencies, and not just be sent away with a Gallic shrug and a "NON!"?

Phil W

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #11 on: 04 July, 2019, 12:22:39 pm »
They liked my fixie last couple of times - not doing that this time.

It would be interesting to know how many unbroken bikes turn up. 

Broken bikes is a real problem for some flying over, that's if their bike turns up in the first place....

Phil W

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #12 on: 04 July, 2019, 06:42:22 pm »
As long as you don't hear the following, I think you will be alright with bar extensions.

Tu te fiches de ma gueule ?


Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #13 on: 04 July, 2019, 09:56:52 pm »
They liked my fixie last couple of times - not doing that this time.

It would be interesting to know how many unbroken bikes turn up. 

Broken bikes is a real problem for some flying over, that's if their bike turns up in the first place....

Last time, the Things' tandem wasn't broken, but it was in Ireland somewhere.  They managed to get through the bike check without it (French pragmatism is wonderful).  After phone calls and an anxious wait it turned up in a small van.  There was just enough time to assemble it and get some sleep.

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #14 on: 05 July, 2019, 11:47:18 am »
They liked my fixie last couple of times - not doing that this time.

It would be interesting to know how many unbroken bikes turn up. 

Broken bikes is a real problem for some flying over, that's if their bike turns up in the first place....

Last time, the Things' tandem wasn't broken, but it was in Ireland somewhere.  They managed to get through the bike check without it (French pragmatism is wonderful).  After phone calls and an anxious wait it turned up in a small van.  There was just enough time to assemble it and get some sleep.

None of the three bikes from their flight from San Francisco had been loaded. Their's turned up around midnight on Saturday, with some others in the van. They'd done their registration on Saturday, and returned for the bike check on Sunday. Heather met them at their chalet when she was picking up Julian Dyson's van, which we used as a mobile filming base. These stories have a tendency to mutate over the years, so it's interesting to return to the source documents.


CrazyEnglishTriathlete

  • Miles eaten don't satisfy hunger
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Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #15 on: 05 July, 2019, 11:53:54 am »
2007 bike check - it was wet - quick look - OK to go.
2011 bike check - they didn't like my brakes (which were fine), my lights (which were fine), and something else, so had stressful time getting fine things fixed (so they weren't as fine) and left a couple of hours later, stressed.
2015 bike check - turned up on old Roberts with rack and mudguards - quick look - smile - OK to go

Gallic shrugs

Eddington Numbers 130 (imperial), 182 (metric) 571 (furlongs)  114 (nautical miles)

Salvatore

  • Джон Спунър
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Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #16 on: 05 July, 2019, 06:50:20 pm »
Drew Buck told me (2011 I think) that a scrutineer wanted to fail his bike because the brakes were ineffective (sounds perfectly reasonable to me) whereupon a fellow scrutineer intervened and explained it was Drew Buck and he couldn't possibly be prevented from riding, whatever the state of his machine.

Jack Eason said one official saw the rubber-bulbed horn on his handlebars and had a go on it before summoning a colleague who also had a go before giving him a green sticker and waving him though with a 'bon courage!'. No brakes or lights tested.
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #17 on: 05 July, 2019, 07:14:00 pm »
Drew Buck told me (2011 I think) that a scrutineer wanted to fail his bike because the brakes were ineffective (sounds perfectly reasonable to me) whereupon a fellow scrutineer intervened and explained it was Drew Buck and he couldn't possibly be prevented from riding, whatever the state of his machine onions.
;)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #18 on: 07 July, 2019, 08:04:10 pm »
So most of my rear lights are typical battery powered LED's with steady + flashing modes. I completely accept that use in flashing mode is banned and I need to use steady mode at all times. However will they pass the bike check? Logically to me they should, perhaps with a stern gallic warning to use in steady mode :-)  Does anyone know / remember from 2015?

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #19 on: 07 July, 2019, 08:10:12 pm »
Usually they ask you to switch your light on to show that it actually works and then bounce the bike to make sure that they stay attached. I reckon most riders will have led lights with a blink mode .
Never had a problem on two previous editions.
If you use them in blinky mode on the road it’s picked up by the motorbike marshalls or by other riders.

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #20 on: 07 July, 2019, 08:19:27 pm »
Usually they ask you to switch your light on to show that it actually works and then bounce the bike to make sure that they stay attached. I reckon most riders will have led lights with a blink mode .
Never had a problem on two previous editions.
If you use them in blinky mode on the road it’s picked up by the motorbike marshalls or by other riders.
Thanks madcow, good to know & sounds reasonable.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #21 on: 07 July, 2019, 08:23:15 pm »
Here's my question, not doing pbp but what's to stop you riding 50m down the road after l'inspection, sticking your TT bars on, and removing them a km before the arrivée?
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quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #22 on: 07 July, 2019, 08:30:38 pm »
Here's my question, not doing pbp but what's to stop you riding 50m down the road after l'inspection, sticking your TT bars on, and removing them a km before the arrivée?

Moto marshalls...

tho I doubt they would check for the poking over the end of the brakes...

J
--
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http://b.42q.eu/

bairn again

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #23 on: 10 July, 2019, 08:55:10 am »
Something specific I remembered last night when moving a rear light bracket from right stay to left stay.....

I've seen folk (rightly) getting pulled up at the bike check for having stay fitted rear lights  where the angle of the light is 90 degrees to the stay i.e. the light has been fitted parallel to the stay and is therefore shining almost as much upwards as backwards. 

I noticed an increasing number of these on my qualifiers this year and I <think> its due to an increasing number of rear lights on the market only having a rubber band type fixing and not an adjustable bracket.  Ive not bought a rear light for a few years. 

Presumably such lights are designed for use chiefly on seat posts, which isnt really that common among audax riders.  Beware you might get asked to change / remove.   

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #24 on: 10 July, 2019, 09:19:10 am »
The riders who will have issues at the bike check will mainly those who simply bodged lights etc. on their thorough bred racer. Riders appearing with a classic audax bike usually are through the controls in a matter of seconds.