# Beware those stupid reflectors on new bike!



## stratos (May 20, 2006)

I picked up my new Trek 5200 today. I was in such a hurry to use it I didn't think to tell the LBS to remove the silly reflectors; I thought I'd do it later. Well, I did a circuit in Vancouver out near UBC which has a long steep hill. According to the computer I was at 65 kmh, and was all ready to REALLY open it up and shoot for 80+km/h when I hear a bizarre rythmic whistling whump-whump sound in rapid fire. It was the rear reflector that had somehow partially come loose! Needless to say I wrenched it off there and then and took it easy from there on out. My advice to anyone buying a bike with those reflectors is to have the LBS not even put them on.


----------



## edlubba (Apr 28, 2006)

if i understand it correctly, the SOP for bike shops is to install reflectors regardless whether you want them or not... i bought a madone and the first thing i asked them was to take off the reflectors, but they wouldnt because of liability issues... 3min for uninstalling them is not too much to ask...


----------



## WhiskeyNovember (May 31, 2003)

edlubba said:


> 3min for uninstalling them is not too much to ask...


It <i>is</i>, actually. By law, each and every new bicycle that rolls out of a bike shop must have a full set of reflectors mounted. Remove a customer's reflectors as they take delivery of the bike, and you're breaking the law. More importantly, you're opening yourself up to liability and possible litigation. In <i>this</i> lawsuit-happy country, doing so would be downright stupid.


----------



## jtown (Jun 8, 2006)

I took a Trek 2100 out on a test ride down a decent hill and heard a ping ping ping SNAP! The rear reflector got loose and then finally lodged itself against the framand spokes. The force of the wheel shattered it into a million pieces.


----------

