PBP Bike Inspection

PBP Bike Inspection
By Jeff Bauer
July 15, 2007

Bike inspection at PBP can be both serious and absurd.

My recommendation is to request the earliest inspection time possible. As the day drags on, the lines can get backed up and you spend more time waiting for inspection. Also, if you have any problems during your bike inspection you'll have time to remedy the situation if you start early.

There will be two lines. One for the French riders and one (literally) for "Strangers". In 2003 I was directed to the French line to speed up the process. My lack of the French vocabulary and the inspector's lack of English made for a somewhat comical situation.

Here are some recommendations to pass through your inspection quickly.

-Bring your brevet card, laminated bike number attached to the bike, and bike inspection form (titled: Accuse D'Inscription).

-Mounted taillight(s): demonstrate steady, non-blinking operation.

-Mounted headlights: demonstrate working condition. I had to explain how the Schmidt dynohub worked to my inspector in 2003.

-Brakes: I don't suppose fixed-gear riders will have to argue about the absence of a rear brake.

-Misc: Depending on the zealotry of the inspector and the time of day, they may also check out your stem, headset, bolt adjustments, etc.

-Spare batteries: Even if you use a Schmidt dynohub, it will save you time to carry a sack of AA batteries. In 2003, I borrowed some from another Tennessee Randonneur.

-Spare bulbs: 3 bulbs - no less(***) I don't know why the magic number is three. You can argue that two LED lights are more effective than one non-LED system with three bulbs. Good luck. It will save you time if you just borrow 3 bulbs from another rider to pass inspection (even if they don't fit your light) than to argue with a French bureaucrat.

-Reflective vest/legs: The inspector will mark your vest so you can't loan it to someone else and subvert the inspection process. Interestingly, my reflective vest was pinched at Loudeac on the inbound leg. Fortunately, I never got busted for it's absence, since I wore a reflective-appearing yellow rain jacket.

-Be sure your brevet card is stamped at the completion of bike inspection.

Hope you find this useful.

*** "Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it."
-Monty Python and the Holy Grail