Oct 14, 2008
Running on unleaded.
Bike Commuters recently posted that due to California law, our dealers can’t get Xtracycle products because of lead content.
The lead in our product was found in the little plastic plugs that you pull out and throw away after unboxing the Free Radical frame. Right now, our distributer is removing those by hand so they can continue to ship to shops buying from them.
We are thankful that these regulations have forced our suppliers to disclose that there was any lead anywhere in the product we ship, despite the slight inconvenience it has caused everyone.
We will be in full compliance with the regulations by January 1, 2009.
In the meantime, please don’t eat the plugs, and if you’re uncertain about how to dispose of them safely, please contact your local municipal waste center
You’re supposed to throw those bits away? Why not keep them? I did, and only take them out when I want to use my wideloaders and just tuck them into the little mesh zip-up pockets in the freeloaders.
Business transparency, environmental responsibility. The world of manufacturing is not remotely perfect, but identifying the problem, formulating a plan and keeping the public informed is always the proper way to handle it. Thank you.
Yikes! I was going to call and ask you guys to send a few more. I lost mine, but like to keep them in so the rain can’t get inside the X frame.
Gosh….now I’m going to lose sleep over finding those little pluggers. Hope they aren’t in the bottom of a grocery bag or cooler. In my son’s backpack? They probably just fell out of the freeloader and found there way into the street grates that drain into Boulder Creek….. (cue the enviro-guilt)
Argggggh. :-)
MaryBeth, Unless you have a full set of 4 Whatchamacollars and all the other holes sealed on the FreeRadical, it is probably better to leave those holes unplugged. I say this because water is going to get in even with those holes plugged and because of this, it is better to have the FreeRadical more open to allow evaporation of the water that got in from many ways.
Jason @ Xtracycle