Trek Bicycles Recall (Photo : REUTERS/Anthony Bolante)
Wisconsin-based Trek Bicycle Corporation has issued a safety recall notice for nearly one million of its bicycles sold in the US and Canada between 2000 and 2015 after a malfunction left one rider quadriplegic and others injured.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the affected bikes, which are equipped with disc brake and a front quick release lever that can open past 1800, include up to 900,000 Trek bicycles in the US and 98,000 in Canada.
In the notice, Trek stated that "If the quick release is improperly adjusted or left open on a bicycle which also has a front disc brake, the quick release lever can become caught in the front brake assembly. If this happens, the front wheel could separate or come to a sudden stop and the rider could lose control of the bicycle."
Thus far, three riders of Trek bicycles have reported various injuries from such accidents; these include facial cuts, a fractured wrist and paralysis in one rider, according to USA Today.
Trek has ordered all customers affected by the recall to take their bicycles to their local Trek retailer for a free replacement of the quick release. Also, the company is issuing affected customers a $20 coupon, which remains valid until the end of this year.
If you are unsure whether your Trek bicycle has a front quick lever that can open beyond 1800, visit your local Trek retailer or call 800.373.4594 for assistance.
Trek has publicly apologized for the malfunction."We value you as a customer and want you to safely enjoy cycling on your Trek bicycle," the company's statement said.
Reports indicate that in new Trek bikes, which are set to be released in 2016, the company will introduce upgraded full carbon forks to replace the quick release forks on the older models of its bicycles.
