Defective Bike Part Prompts Bicycle and Frameset Recall
Defective bicycle forks have prompted a bicycle recall by Seattle Bike Supply of Kent, Washington, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
The 2010 Redline Conquest Cyclocross Bikes and Framesets have forks that can develop a crack in the crown, causing the legs to separate. If this happens the rider could suddenly lose control, therefore increasing the risk of a bike accident injury. Seattle Bike Supply has received five reports of cracked forks.
Redline Conquest Cyclocross Bike Recall: Product Detail
The recalled bikes and framesets are yellow and black and have aluminum frames, forks and steering tubes. The word “Redline” is printed on the bike frame and the bikes come with 700C wheels and have frame sizes between 44-60cm. They were sold at bicycle specialty shops nationwide between July 2009 and May 2010.
Owners should NOT ride these bikes and contact their local Redline dealer for a free fork replacement.
Campus Cruiser Bike Recall Over Defective Fork
A bike recall has been announced due to a defective fork and bike accident hazard, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Boulder, Colorado-based Campus Cruisers is issuing the recall after four reports of cracks in the bikes’ aluminum front forks. Cracked forks can break, causing sudden loss of steering control to the cyclist and increasing the risk of a bike accident.
Campus Cruisers Bike Recall: Product Description
- Name: Eastside Fix Bicycle Aluminum Forks
- Sold as part of Campus Cruiser Eastside fixed gear bikes
- Color: Royal blue with white leather seats
- Sold at: Independent bike shops nationwide from March – May 2010
Owner should not ride the bikes with potentially defective forks; they may contact Campus Cruisers dealers for free repairs.
Felt Bicycle Recall due to Defects and Injuries
A bike recall has been issued by Felt Bicycles of Irvine, California, due to defects and reports of minor injuries, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced.
The company has received seven reports of fork steer tubes breaking, one of which involved minor bumps and bruises to the rider when the rider lost control after the bike broke and fell. The company is recalling more than 2,000 model year 2009 road bikes in the following models:
- B12 gloss sliver and carbon bikes with carbon fiber frames and forks with aluminum steer tubes
- B16 matte black and red bikes with carbon fiber frames and forks with aluminum steer tubes
- S32 gloss white and red bikes with aluminum frames, carbon fiber forks and aluminum steer tubes
Manufactured from Oct. 2008 to May 2010, the potentially defective bikes were sold at specialty bike retail stores nationwide. Due to the bike accident injury hazard posed by this defect, consumers should stop riding the bikes and take them to a Felt bicycle dealer for inspection and repair.
Bicycle Accident Lawsuit Seeks Compensation for Permanent Spinal Cord Injuries
In a lawsuit filed in King County Court, the plaintiff claims he suffered permanent spinal cord injuries when his REI bicycle “broke apart underneath him” as he rode it. According to the plaintiff, the 2006 Novara Team Trionfo triple-butted aluminum frame broke in three places1.
The complaint alleges that the design of the bike is defective because it should have been made with stronger materials.
In a case unrelated to this one, our lawyers have been contacted by a bicyclist who sustained injuries when his handles fell off. In both of these cases, there has not yet been a bicycle recall.
For obvious reasons, bicycle accidents often result in spinal cord injuries (SCI). Read about bicycle accident spinal cord injuries (SCI) and cervical fractures, including:
- C1, C2 and C3 Spinal Cord Injury: These spinal cord injuries result in quadriplegia and 24-hour-a-day care is needed;
- C4 Spinal Cord Injury: Victims are generally permanent quadriplegics;
- C5 Spinal Cord Injury: Arms have some sensory responses, but there is paralysis of the trunk and legs, and the wrists may be paralyzed;
- C6 Spinal Cord Injury: Victims are often permanent paraplegics with some loss of sensory response in the arms;
- C7-C8 Spinal Cord Injury: Chest muscles, at least some, are generally paralyzed, and there is still loss of bowel and bladder control.
Source: 1. http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/15/28074.htm
$2.4 Million Settlement in Wrongful Death Lawsuit over Fatal Bicycle Accident
A $2.4 million dollar settlement has been reached in a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Menlo Park1:
Deborah Johnson, 54, was riding her bike with a friend on Sand Hill Road on a Sunday afternoon in July 2007 when she fell and struck her head. She was taken to Stanford University Medical Center, and pronounced dead two days later.
Her husband, John Gerrity, told The Daily News that Johnson’s friend saw her fall from her bike after hitting an object in the bike lane — the flat black octagonal rubber base of a “candlestick” delineator that had become separated from its plastic orange pole. The lane divider should never have been there in the first place, he said.
Mr. Gerrity is now advocating for safer bike lanes and strict adherence to state and federal regulations:
According to the federal Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, used by road managers nationwide, “posts or raised pavement markers should not be used to separate bicycle lanes from adjacent travel lanes.” The same notation is made in the state’s adaptation of the manual.
The underlying problem with this and hundreds of other accidents is inadequate and poorly enforced safety regulations for construction zones, particularly temporary work zones.
1. http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_15280180?nclick_check=1
Steps to Take before You Ride Your Bike
- Wear a helmet that fits properly. For more information, go to “Easy Steps to Properly Fit a Bicycle Helmet.”
- Make sure the bicycle is in good working order. Check all parts to make sure they are secure and work as they should. Check the tire pressure and the brakes.
- Adjust the bicycle to fit you. Stand over the bicycle. There should be 1 to 2 inches between you and the top tube (bar) if using a road bike and 3 to 4 inches if a mountain bicycle. The seat should be level front to back. The seat height should be adjusted to allow a slight bend at the knee when the leg is fully extended. The handlebar height should be at the same level with the seat.
- Wear neon, fluorescent, or other bright colors when riding day or night. Also wear something that reflects light, such as reflective tape or markings, or flashing lights. Good colors for your clothing are bright yellow or bright lime green. Red appears black in fading light, so it should not be worn once the sun starts going down.
For more information, please see our bicycle safety booklet.
Jeep-Bicycle Accident Injures Minnesota Bicyclist
A bicyclist from Afton, Minnesota was hit and injured by a Jeep Wrangler in Star Prairie, Wisconsin on Saturday. The bicyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was hospitalized.
Head injury is the most common serious injury in bicycle crashes with motor vehicles. Head injuries cause traumatic brain injury (TBI), a type of injury in which the victim does not always recover. Using a helmet while biking can prevent serious TBI; however, we have had clients that suffered serious TBI even though they were wearing a helmet.
Minnesota law does not require bicyclists to wear a helmet, but helmets can prevent serious injury and death. Your bicycle helmet should fit properly and be worn the correct way. For more information on fitting a helmet, go to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute or State Bicycle Advisory Committee website.