CEN Cycle Standards

What does CEN mean for me?

The Cycle Academy was recently invited to a meeting at the Bicycle Association, with other key organisations in the cycle industry, to discuss recommendations how to implement the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) cycle standards in the UK. It was attended by major distributors and manufacturers as well as the Association of Cycle Traders to represent the retailers.

Philip Darnton explained how the updated Pedal Cycle (Safety) Regulations will set out the UK specific details, such as UK sided brake levers, what reflectors should be fitted and whether a bell is needed. The regulations will also state that anything sold should comply with the General Product Safety Regulations instead of BS6102:1.

These are very general but ensure the safety of anything sold by stating what standards apply. In the case of cycles this is the specific CEN standard.

There are standards for accessories, mountain bikes, racing cycles, city and trekking cycles and soon one for BMX bikes. They specify the testing for components and frames is carried out, to be safe for that purpose, how they are marked to ensure traceability and what instructions need to be included.

The recommendations were made to make as few changes as possible, as most retailers already sell a safe product.

The agreement was to recommend that anything marked BS and that had been ‘placed on the market’ up to six months after the new Pedal Cycle (Safety) Regulations come into force will still comply with the regulations and be could sold with no additional action required.

One of the key implications for retailers is that they should be careful not to miss-sell bikes and they should be set up properly. For example, advertising a leisure bike as a mountain bike could leave you in trouble when the rider breaks a collar bone on a Welsh trail. If the customer is expecting a bike to comply with BSEN 14766 for mountain bikes and use it as such, the retailer will be as liable as the manufacturer.

The retailer will need a competent, qualified mechanic to prepare the cycle to the manufacturer’s specifications. As a minimum standard we would recommend that shop floor staff are qualified to Cytech One Practical and that workshop staff are working towards or qualified to Cytech Technical Two .

Our training and accreditation demonstrates the mechanic has been given relevant information on Health and Safety, safe working practices and legislation for the peace of mind for the customer and retailer.