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Ikea makes global product recall on its award-winning bike

Furniture giant warns that belt drive can snap unexpectedly

Ikea has issued a worldwide product recall for its Sladda bikes due to a fault in the belt drive that can lead to it snapping, potentially causing the rider to fall off and sustain injury.

The aluminium unisex bikes, available in 26- and 28-inch versions, were launched two years ago amid much fanfare, and with Ikea claiming that the belt drive would be good for 15,000 kilometres of riding.

They were designed in partnership with Oskar Juhlin, Jan Puranen and Kristian Eke of Veryday design studio, and won Best of the Best in its category at the Red Dot design awards.

At the time of their launch, Ikea spokeswoman Annique van der Valk described the Sladda bike as being “like a tablet with apps: there’s the possibility to endlessly add accessories for enhancing the ease of use.”

In a product recall notice published on its UK website last week, with similar communications appearing on its websites in other countries, the company said:

Ikea has been informed and advised by a well-established component supplier to recall all Sladda bicycles, due to safety issues with the drive belt. The drive belt can suddenly snap, which in turn can lead to falls.

For this reason, Ikea is recalling all Sladda bicycles. Ikea has received 11 reports of such incidents, with two minor injuries consisting of bruises and scratches.

Customers that have a Sladda bicycle should stop using it and to return the bike to any Ikea store for a full refund. Accessories specifically designed to fit with Sladda will also be refunded. Proof of purchase/receipt is not required.

For more information, please contact our customer service team on 0203 645 0010.

Ikea apologise for any inconvenience and want to thank all customers for their understanding.

It’s perhaps telling that Ikea’s statement offers owners of Sladda bikes and accessories a full no-questions-asked refund, rather than giving them the option of a new (and non-faulty) belt drive.

One interpretation of that is that this could be terminal for the range.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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14 comments

Avatar
aegisdesign | 5 years ago
0 likes

They've not been available for a while now as SRAM stopped making the automatic 2 speed internal gear hub it used and then stopped making ALL internal gear hubs entirely.

 

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Sedis | 5 years ago
0 likes

Gate belt drive failures are normally because of the belt not being correctly tensioned. This can be checked with the Gates Krikit Gauge or their phone app.

I wonder if this is the case with the Ikea bikes

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hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
6 likes

Not their first rekäll either

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jollygoodvelo | 5 years ago
1 like

Liked the idea of what they were trying to do, but whenever I saw one in a shop it was broken - in the shop! Didn't suggest it was really built to last - and before anyone says I'm following the stereotype, my house is full of Ikea stuff and I love it.

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KiwiMike | 5 years ago
1 like

A full refund with no receipt? Isn’t this a. Thieve’s charter? <nips to eBay to scope for Sladdas>

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CygnusX1 replied to KiwiMike | 5 years ago
0 likes

KiwiMike wrote:

A full refund with no receipt? Isn’t this a. Thieve’s charter? <nips to eBay to scope for Sladdas>

Don't bother. I had a look this morning - only one ad for the bike selling "new" for £749 (26") or £799 (28").  A few Ikea branded Raleigh folding bikes going though.

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A440 | 5 years ago
2 likes

BELT drive? Hahahahahahaha!

This is what happens when hipsters attempt engineering.

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KoenM | 5 years ago
0 likes

They weren't available for a long time already!

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cyclisto | 5 years ago
0 likes

If I could afford a belt driven bicycle with a hub with more gears than my fingers I would totally go for it, even there was such a danger. Cleaning transmission sucks.

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Rich_cb replied to cyclisto | 5 years ago
2 likes
cyclisto wrote:

If I could afford a belt driven bicycle with a hub with more gears than my fingers I would totally go for it, even there was such a danger. Cleaning transmission sucks.

Keep an eye on eBay.

I got a 2 year old Focus Planet with belt drive and nexus hub gears for £113.

Best commuting bike I've ever owned.

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ktache | 5 years ago
2 likes

Don't chains go without warning sometimes?  I'm sure that I've had a few go.  Weakest link annd all that.

Does the Gates suffer from this at all?

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James Walker | 5 years ago
0 likes

Didn't even know Ikea did their own bike. Looks a bit ordinary for Ikea, would have expected something made with bamboo and hinges!

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50kcommute | 5 years ago
1 like

Great outcome if you bought one of these and it sat in your shed for a year!

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don simon fbpe | 5 years ago
7 likes

Fair play to IKEA for swift and decisive action.

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