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Trek to recall almost 1 million bikes, man paralyzed

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theBearJew
Posts: 10951 - Karma: 15,633
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2015/Trek-Recalls-Bicycles-Equipped-with-Front-Disc-Brakes-to-Replace-Quick-Release-Lever/#remedy


Seems like a freak but serious accident that can happen on almost any trek bike with a quick release lever and disc breaks. They are recalling 900,000 bikes in the US and 98,000 in Canada. If you ride a Trek, have a quick release and disc breaks you should get your bike fixed. They're offering a free installation of a new quick release on the front wheel. Trek will provide each owner who participates in the recall with a $20 coupon that is redeemable by December 31, 2015 toward any Bontrager merchandise.

This defect has left one person paralyzed and others with a wrist fractures and injuries to the face.

This issue may not be limited to just Trek bikes. Being that the problem is not with a Trek product but a QR lever that apparently most bikes use, you may see this issue with tons of bikes. My advice, if you have a QR lever and disc breaks, double check to make sure you are not riding a death trap.


Here is the PDF from Trek, http://www.trekbikes.com/pdf/recalls/20150421/15TK_QRRecall_WebNotice_USEN.pdf

This is the QR lever with the problem


Test of QR defect
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/767992/QR-11-Disc-brake-danger-demo
http://singletrackworld.com/2015/04/qrdisc-brake-recall-update/
Apr 23 2015 8:20AM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
man, that would suck so fucking bad....cruising along and all of a sudden, BAM, over the handle bars. going to have to check my bike tonight....not a trek, but just to be safe....
Apr 23 2015 8:56AM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,272
Damn that blows. The shop I work for during the summers is exclusively a Trek dealer so hopefully this doesn't hurt their business. Trek recalls stuff all the time but never on a scale like this and never because of a fatality
Apr 23 2015 9:36AM
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theBearJew
Posts: 10951 - Karma: 15,633
no_steezeDamn that blows. The shop I work for during the summers is exclusively a Trek dealer so hopefully this doesn't hurt their business. Trek recalls stuff all the time but never on a scale like this and never because of a fatality


I dont feel like it would hurt business. Maybe increase it, theyll get more traffic because people want to check the bikes. Sell more products after a tune up. From what I read, it doesnt sound like cost is coming from Trek dealers. Trek is footing the bill.

And nobody died.
Apr 23 2015 9:53AM
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JAHpow
Posts: 7282 - Karma: 17,175
That's not good. Glad they're taking charge to fix this unlike a lot of companies lately.

I would never buy a Trek anyways. They are way overpriced for the quality IMO.
Apr 23 2015 11:24AM
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pow_pow~
Posts: 1429 - Karma: 1,804
pretty easy to see for yourself if you have a defect...
Apr 23 2015 11:33AM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,272
theBearJewI dont feel like it would hurt business. Maybe increase it, theyll get more traffic because people want to check the bikes. Sell more products after a tune up. From what I read, it doesnt sound like cost is coming from Trek dealers. Trek is footing the bill.

And nobody died.


Oh I misread that, I thought somebody died. Recalls tend to hurt business because mechanics have to spend time fixing and replacing things that the shop doesn't make any money off. For a skewer it won't be an issue, but we had some recalls that took up repair slots that could've been filled with bikes that brought in a minimum of $60. Also people tend to blame the shop for the issue and try to return their bikes because customers are irrational
Apr 23 2015 12:02PM
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byubound
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 9,870
Dang, Twas hoping I could get a new one. The alignment in the rear of my ticket s is off like a centimeter.
Apr 23 2015 12:22PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
I guess I'm getting a new skewer for my Cobia, aha thanks OP.



I can see it being able to happen to any bike with a fork that has vertical dropouts and a disk. There are a lot of skewers for low end bikes out there that aren't a Bontrager product, that can flip past 180 degrees.
Apr 23 2015 1:28PM
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erica
Posts: 3450 - Karma: 24,083
Good lesson to check your bike before you ride!! Don't want to come off as a prick or anything, but totally preventable if you make sure that bugger is tightened down.

Huge bummer for the guy though. Thanks for the video defect OP as well. Thankfully mine's on the other side
Apr 23 2015 2:10PM
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Dobber
Posts: 1698 - Karma: 9,834
My uncle used to design Trek bikes... he told me that the lever has to be made "Idiot proof" and it isn't a mechanical problem. People couldn't figure out how to properly use it.

I bought my 520 Disc 4 DAYS AGO.
Apr 23 2015 2:42PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,272
DobberMy uncle used to design Trek bikes... he told me that the lever has to be made "Idiot proof" and it isn't a mechanical problem. People couldn't figure out how to properly use it.


We see a lot of people who come in having tightened the nut on the other side using vice grips or pliers but didn't know they needed to clamp down the actual QR. As they ride it loosens and flaps and inevitably gets caught in the disc. Idiots
Apr 23 2015 3:07PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
ericaThankfully mine's on the other side


Actually you may want to check that out. Because of the normal rotational direction of your wheel there is a proper side for the skewer to be on, if there are any weird torque forces simply riding could cause it to work loose. It's like how you have left and right hand threads on your pedals, if those were opposite you could definitely unthread your pedals by riding.
Apr 23 2015 4:15PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
The bottom link in the op, check it, then scroll down to see their updates. It's not solely me dreaming shit up on swapping sides of your QR lever.
Apr 23 2015 4:26PM
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IKEA
Posts: 622 - Karma: 3,111
ericaGood lesson to check your bike before you ride!! Don't want to come off as a prick or anything, but totally preventable if you make sure that bugger is tightened down.

Huge bummer for the guy though. Thanks for the video defect OP as well. Thankfully mine's on the other side


Who has the time and energy to check your bike everytime you go out ridin?
Apr 23 2015 4:53PM
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YoungJ
Posts: 447 - Karma: 883
Seeing as there were only three accidents(one major and two minor), im surprised they actually called for a recall. Car companies usually wait for quite a few serious accidents and deaths before theyll even research if its there fault. I just wonder if the guy who got seriously injured properly maintained and rode the bike.
Apr 23 2015 6:36PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
YoungJSeeing as there were only three accidents(one major and two minor), im surprised they actually called for a recall. Car companies usually wait for quite a few serious accidents and deaths before theyll even research if its there fault. I just wonder if the guy who got seriously injured properly maintained and rode the bike.


Well if you do up the quick release properly there is no real risk. But Trek has commented in some areas on the scenario and they're admitting that sometimes people screw up, rush out with their bikes, and then all of a sudden this simple issue could be seriously dangerous. I think it's good of them to do that, and good of them to inform people for their own safety.
Apr 23 2015 6:50PM
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Anathema
Posts: 21048 - Karma: 5,061
Now there's an engineer that wasn't thinking. So the thing is fine when it's closed, if it only closes to 180degrees, however if the thing happens to OPEN, to beyond 180 degrees, you could be in trouble.

In that sense, the video wasn't entirely accurate. He was describing the situation where the system actually CLOSES beyond the 180degree mark. The PDF by Trek was suggesting that even though it may close just fine, if it happens to open, and open to beyond 180degrees, then you could also have some trouble.

So I guess they were thinking "well if people close the quick release, all is fine! No way of having contact with the disc". However, they weren't thinking that if it was closed improperly and happened to open, it could open and jam.
Apr 23 2015 7:25PM
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Anathema
Posts: 21048 - Karma: 5,061
Actually I just watched the video again, and he does mention that in the "open" position it could jam, so I take that back. The video was accurate. But the point stands. Closed = safe, therefore all is well! But what if it does open by mistake. That's bad news...
Apr 23 2015 7:27PM
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theBearJew
Posts: 10951 - Karma: 15,633
ericaGood lesson to check your bike before you ride!! Don't want to come off as a prick or anything, but totally preventable if you make sure that bugger is tightened down.

Huge bummer for the guy though. Thanks for the video defect OP as well. Thankfully mine's on the other side


From what I read it may get lose by itself if the ride is bumpy. Not sure tho.
Apr 23 2015 8:32PM
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safety.third
Posts: 217 - Karma: 459
haha im pretty sure if your quick release is loose enough to open while riding, youre screwed even if it doesnt get caught in your brake rotor
Apr 24 2015 10:36PM
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fresh_prince
Posts: 993 - Karma: 11,910
Trek? more like Drek
Apr 24 2015 11:24PM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,313
Just checked all the bikes (non-Trek) in the basement here, from those that have Quick releases 90% opened beyond 180 degrees.

But if you properly do up the quick release it shouldn't be a problem. I really can't see how you would forget the fundamental action of slamming that thing close.
Apr 25 2015 7:45AM
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daannnnieel
Posts: 5163 - Karma: 4,293
Now is one of the many times I'm thankful I ride a transition with a fox qr setup in the front end so I don't have to deal with janky bullshit ever. I just have to deal with fox which sucks pretty bad too.
Apr 25 2015 1:14PM
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Big_Mtn
Posts: 551 - Karma: 1,647
So instead of the lever getting stuck in the disc, the wheel will just (eventually) fall off?
Apr 25 2015 3:00PM
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-WZ-
Posts: 3600 - Karma: 6,582
This wouldnt be a problem if people weren't fucking idiots and knew how to close a quick release THATS SUPPOSED TO BE CLOSED??? just cuz you tighten it doesnt mean its safe it you dont clamp it shut... I suppose this is a warning for other companies, we'll probably be seeing a lot of recalls like this soon.
Apr 26 2015 2:28AM
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