Editorial Policy & How We Research
BikeSize publishes bike-sizing tools, fit guides, and bicycle-law summaries. This page explains how we research, write, review, and update that content - and where AI fits into that process. We’d rather be transparent about our workflow than pretend to be something we’re not.
Who writes BikeSize
BikeSize is a small independent project. Articles and guides are credited to BikeSize Editorial rather than to a single named author - that label covers the small team and the tooling we use to research and draft content. We don’t employ licensed attorneys, professional bike fitters, or any other credentialed expert on staff.
How we use AI
We use modern large-language-model assistants throughout the editorial workflow:
- Drafting: AI assistants help us draft article outlines and prose from primary-source material we’ve collected (statute text, agency publications, manufacturer geometry tables, peer-reviewed studies).
- Summarising statutes: For our bike-laws hub, AI summarises long statutory text into the rule, conditions, and penalty fields we display. A human editor checks the summary against the cited statute before publication.
- Reviewing: AI also performs the “last reviewed” pass on each article - re-reading the live page against the cited sources and flagging anything that no longer matches. The reviewer name on each page is BikeSize Editorial because that review is performed by our AI tooling rather than a named human attorney or expert.
We think this is a fair and useful workflow for the kind of reference content BikeSize publishes - sizing math, gear comparisons, and statute summaries that are well-suited to systematic primary-source research. It is not a substitute for professional advice, which is why every legal page carries a prominent “not legal advice” disclaimer and every fit guide tells you to confirm sizing with the manufacturer or a local bike shop.
What sources we trust
For bike-laws content, every claim must trace to a primary source:
- State vehicle codes and traffic codes (the actual statute text)
- CPSC, NHTSA, FHWA, and DOT publications
- State DOT cycling guidance and bicycle-program materials
- Municipal codes accessed through Municode or American Legal
- Court opinions (statewide appellate or higher) when a statute requires interpretation
We cite each source inline using a footnote-style [^id] reference and link to the source URL in a “Sources” section at the bottom of every article. We do not cite content sites, law-firm blogs, Wikipedia, or AI summaries as authority.
For sizing and fit content, we anchor recommendations to manufacturer geometry data, published bike-fit research, and well-established cycling-industry conventions (Lemond’s method, the 109% saddle-height rule, AAP recommendations on child helmet use, etc).
How often we review
Every bike-laws page carries a Last reviewed date. We aim to re-review each page at least once every twelve months, and sooner whenever a state passes new cycling legislation or a notable court decision lands. Pages past their review window flag themselves to the editorial dashboard so we don’t miss them.
Sizing and fit articles are reviewed when manufacturer geometry changes (new model years), when new fit research is published, or at minimum every twelve months.
Corrections
If you spot an error - a mis-cited statute, an out-of-date penalty, a manufacturer size chart we got wrong - please open an issue on our public GitHub repository. We track every reported issue publicly. We don’t accept corrections by email at this time so that the process stays in the open and other readers can see what’s been flagged.
Affiliate disclosure
BikeSize earns affiliate commissions when readers buy products through Amazon links on our pages. Every affiliate link is marked with a small Sponsored badge and uses rel="sponsored" per FTC guidance. Affiliate revenue does not influence which products we recommend or which statutes we summarise - we don’t accept payment for editorial coverage.
What we’re not
- Not a law firm. Nothing on BikeSize is legal advice. If you’ve been cited or injured, talk to a licensed cycling attorney in your jurisdiction. See our full legal disclaimer.
- Not a fit studio. Our calculators give a sensible starting point. A professional bike-fit session with a Retul- or BikeFit-certified fitter will always beat a web-form estimate.
- Not a manufacturer. We don’t sell bikes or accessories. Always confirm sizing and stock with the brand or your local shop before buying.