Bicycle manufacturer Trek recently announced a massive recall of nearly one million bicycles in the United States and Canada. The recall comes on the heels of three separate injuries, one of which left a cyclist paralyzed from the neck down.
The problem with the recalled Trek bicycles involves a quick release lever that is located on the front wheel. This lever allegedly interferes with the bike’s disc brakes, and may cause the wheel to stop turning or even separate altogether from the frame. The problem tends to occur whenever a skewer that attaches the front wheel to a fork isn’t latched properly, thereby causing it to become lodged in the brake’s rotor.
Quick release skewers such as those found on Trek bicycles are designed to allow cyclists to remove wheels quickly whenever they have a flat tire. Even so, when installed improperly, they can cause bicycles to make a sudden stop that could then cause the rider to be thrown from the seat.
Bikes in model years 2000 to 2015 are affected by this recall, and were first sold in the United States as early as 1999. In all, there are more than 900,000 bicycles in the United States and 98,000 bicycles in Canada that potentially have this lever problem.
Consumers may bring their Trek bicycles into an authorized repair facility to have the quick release lever replaced at no cost. Trek dealers will make an inspection to determine if a faulty lever exists so that repairs can be scheduled if need be. As a gesture of goodwill, Trek is also offering consumers affected by the recall a $20 coupon that can be used to purchase bike accessories made by Bontrager.
A number of bike shop owners are taking even greater precautions by inspecting the bicycles on their sales floor for defects. Owners of Trek bicycles who are concerned their vehicle may be defective should schedule an inspection as soon as possible.
This massive recall from Trek goes to show how defective products can adversely affect an individual’s life. If you or a loved one has been injured while riding a defective bicycle, please contact one of our personal injury attorneys for a free assessment of your case.
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