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TECH NEWS
Trek logo 99Trek issues quick release skewer voluntary recall
Trek has issued a voluntary safety recall affecting almost 1.7 million bikes in North America and the EU. These are bikes with front disc brakes and the issue involves the quick release skewer. Non-Trek bikes are affected by the same safety issue although they are not subject to the recall.
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, the issue is that, “An open quick release lever on the bicycle’s front wheel hub can come into contact with the front disc brake assembly, causing the front wheel to come to a sudden stop or separate from the bicycle, posing a risk of injury to the rider.”
There’s no problem if the quick release mechanism is closed correctly, only if it is improperly adjusted or left open. In that situation the quick release lever can become caught in the front disc brake assembly because it opens past 180° (see Figure 1 and Figure 2 below).
Trek have reported three incidents resulting from this, all causing injuries. One incident resulted in quadriplegia, one resulted in facial injuries, and the third resulted in a fractured wrist.
“This recall involves all models of Trek bicycles from model years 2000 through 2015 equipped with front disc brakes and a black or silver quick release lever on the front wheel hub that opens far enough to contact the disc brake,” says the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Bicycles with front quick release levers that do not open a full 180 degrees from the closed position are not included in this recall.”
Trek say that the recall relates to about 900,000 bikes sold in the US, 98,000 sold in Canada, and as many as 692,000 bikes in the EU (that is the maximum number of bikes that could be affected, it could be lower).
Bikes involved range in price from US$480 to US$1,650, or the equivalent in non-US markets.
What should you do if you think your bike is one of those covered by the recall? You should take it to an authorised Trek dealer who will replace the front quick release free of charge. You will also receive a £15 voucher for use on Bontrager items, valid until 31 December 2015.
Here’s a Trek video that shows you how to use a quick release without washers correctly.
And here’s now to use a quick release with washers.
The quick release skewer involved is not exclusive to Trek so it could be that other brands issue a similar recall in the near future. The skewer is a bike industry standard referenced as QR11 across anyone who makes that design.
If your non-Trek bike has a front disc brake and the quick release lever can open more than 180°, the risk of the lever coming into contact with the disc brake mechanism is exactly the same as it is on a Trek. It's easy to swap that quick release for one with a lever that doesn't open more than 180°.
For more info go to www.trekbikes.com.
Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
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22 comments
I think the issue here may be that, judging by the seat clamp quick releases on the hire bikes I used over the weekend, a lot of people think that a quick release is a wing nut and just use the handle (in its open position) to tighten the clamp up. If you didn't know what a quick release is for that would probably seem pretty reasonable.
DT Swiss RTS skewers on all my bikes
on my Defy seen in photo above, the fork dropouts face forwards/down to counter high torque loads from the disc brake
This smacks of the american who used his cruise control in his winnebago then left the drivers seat to make a cup of coffee and then ran off the road. He said that it did not tell him in the instructions that he could not do this. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Darwins law always comes true. This is nature's way of making the gene pool stronger. Compensation r us. IDIOT'S nuff said
Think you'll find the Winnebago story is an urban myth, but agree with your sentiment.
However, despite my previous post, I agree with those stating that it's very good of trek to bring it to everyones attention and it's something that should definately be sorted.
put the bike back in its box, take it back to the shop ..... you are too
stupid to own a bike ... ffs !!!!!!!
I did cycle down the top half of a descent near Monsal Head with my front QR open once. Stopped & checked when my disc brakes were rubbing like crazy. Luckily the extra metal collar round the eyelet on the fork stopped the wheel falling out. As it was quite a rocky one I was picking my way down carefully rather than hooning or it could have been interesting.
Saved by the "lawyers lips" then.
Provided you don't hit any bumps, there's not really any way for a wheel to separate from the fork even without a skewer in place. Bit different to this recall scenario where the movable part of a functional piece of equipment can come into disastrous contact with the brake disc in its natural range of movement. I've seen a few of those shitty external cam skewers come loose on other peoples bikes, you can follow the instructions all you like but it won't stop you having rotten luck.
Not a bunny-hopper, then?
So if you don't close the QR lever your wheel may fall off?
HOLY FUCK BATMAN!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I RIDE WITH MY LEVERS OPEN ALL THE TIME ITS WHAT WE ALL DO ISNT IT!?!?!?!??!
Seriously though, what am I missing here?
No idea but the design makes the outcome worse, sometimes, if you make this qr error, so there's a recall. No big drama.
There are a massive number of people who have never been taught how to properly use a QR, or read their owners manual, unfortunately.
Also, even with expertise in how to properly operate a QR it's entirely possible that for whatever reason, someone forgets to do it.
We want people to be safe, no matter what their level of expertise. That's why we want people to be aware of the issue.
Ok fair play to you for coming on here and explaining calmly
Happy to do so. We would also urge everyone to check ANY disc brake QR bike that they have, regardless of the brand. The QR in question has been an industry standard for over a decade, and was not exclusively used by us.
Many people will recognise the design as the one that is usually used in a turbo trainer, if that helps.
Thanks Trek. This is so obvious it's embarrassing you had to come on here and point it out to a minority of smart-arses
A minor error in bike set-up be punished with potential quadriplegia
Trek UK do not have the safety recall on their site, you have to go to the US site to get it (see below)
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/support/safety_and_recalls/
Hi Manton,
The UK site will be updated with the relevant documentation soon.
So, let's get this straight. If you haven't done your front QR up properly, there is a chance you might have a huge accident. Who'd have thought?
The main reason not to do this is that, when reversed, any induced torque will tend to loosen the QR. Is this actually likely to happen? I reckon it's a pretty miniscule probablility...
Personally, I think manufacturers should seriously consider reverse-threaded QR skewers, if only because moving the QR lever to the other side, away from disc rotors, reduces the risk of a burn if undoing after a long descent...
On the basis that I have ALWAYS run the qr on the "wrong side" side on the mtb* when I have had discs, 10+ years, and have never had an issue, never known anyone else to have an issue, I would suggest it isn't an issue.
*would you want your knuckles anywhere near a potentially hot sharp disc rotor if you need to mend a puncture?
I was thinking the exact same thing Shay Cycles... whats the science behind stopping you just swapping round the side your QR lever is on?
Don't know about the science, but the legal position would be an invalid warranty and a defence to any product liability claim since it wasn't being used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Or maybe put the quick release in the non-traditional way round so that the lever is not on the same side of the hub as the disc?