Improper Use of Quick Releases Leads to Trek Recall

This is very well worded Zach! As someone who works in shops, I have to agree with you.
The way this was worded from Trek too, it sounds like this isn’t just an issue with their bikes, but an issue with lower end skewers in the industry as a whole. I know that there will be the inevitable haters out there, but I like how Trek is stepping up here.

So if I pretend to not know how to use a QR, Trek will give me $20?

Why do mainstream bikes even use QR? They’re just like tubulars; niche products more likely to fail consumers than benefit them.

Almost everyone benefits from bolt-ons instead. They’re lighter, better looking, and you can’t make too many mistakes.

“Now let’s assuming a very, very low number of people actually go and get it replaced, say 100k people. That’s 1.5 million, up to 13.5 million dollars lost over this.”

I think your numbers are absurd. 100,000 riders of bikes with disc brakes are going to take this offer? Be serious.

@dersnap Arrow bars eh? Glad they are tri-ing to be arrow dynamic! Doomed indeed ;P

My kids brand new Rocky Mountain Vertex 24 came with squewers like this that had way too much throw in both directions. I had to dump them immediately. It throw was too short as well, or it could be the massive lawyer tabs, so getting it good and tight and not pushing it into the rotor or spokes is time consuming. I swear their was like 10 full turns to get the front wheel off with the qr open.

@Champs
Because I don’t need any tools to change a flat except an inflator.

Champs –
The problem isn’t quick releases, it is poorly designed ones. There is no reason to allow the handle to swing more than 180 deg.

If I came out with a pneumatic tire that blew up randomly at speeds above 25 mph, I wouldn’t say tires are bad, I’d say MY tire is bad.

Didn’t Trek just have a recall on a bunch of skewers for dropout failures?????? I wonder if this is related to that.

As Brendan mentioned above. Levers next to rotors is a bad idea.

Twenty bucks and a new skewer just for not understanding how to operate a standard quick release?! Thank you Mr. Trek, that is most generous.

You could just flip the skewer so the lever is on the opposite side of the brake rotor. Problem solved.

Really a testament to the growth of the cycling market. You’ve now got people out there who know nothing about their equipment. Trek showing great patience and foresight in highlighting this.

only in america. it is embarrassing. blame it on lawyers.

Someone was paralyzed because of this.

you guys are the most bitter and elitist group I’ve seen in a while. You’d think if you aren’t a trained bicycle mechanic you shouldn’t own a bicycle. Good on Trek for replacing this.

Exactly right….it’s the (deleted) lawyers…QR’s have never been a problem on my TREK w Discs but then again I am COMPLETELY COMPETENT rider and I have always run my QR release opposite side of the rotor…..and it takes quit some strength to release….who would’ve thunk it?

@Bayard Citation needed. But of course you actually made it up.

@MikeC. This IS an issue for other manufacturers. No one has stepped up to admit it. I was in a Trek shop this morning and saw the issue in person. And sure enough the Cannondale sitting next to it had the same skewer and the same potential problem. I have a feeling Treks recall is only scratching the surface of what’s to come.

OK. I always knew “biking is my life” types were snide and condescending…but really? We bought a Trex for my 9 year old last year. We need to have this manufacturing error fixed. I am not over-reacting. I am not angry with Trex. In fact, their response to this is why we bought a Trex. But you overly sanctimonious a**hats who think my 9 year old should know how to modify his bike to avoid serious injury need to take it down a notch. You want to know how “deeply” I want to understand the mechanics of my bike? I DON’T! And that doesn’t make me an idiot or any of the other names I see people calling folks like me….the *gasp* casual bike rider. We all have our interests and our strengths. If you want to feel superior over others because you understand bike riding more than the average person…you’re taking this WAY too seriously. There is a popular metaphor for a very simple (and supposedly safe) activity…it’s like riding a bike.

So why don’t we ride with the skewers tightened properly or even just reverse the skewer to the other side? We have done that with disc bikes before. This recall makes no sense.

JUST ONE MORE COMMENT AND I WILL SHUT UP – As a long time bike shop guy (since the mid-70’s) I am appalled and the number of recalls within this industry. I am curious what type of testing goes on with all bike manufacturers. I know many items are stress tested on machines but what about real-world testing with actual humans? I guess this is the price you have to pay from buying CHEAP CRAP FROM CHINA!

Kudos to Trek for keeping our safety in mind. Three accidents out of 1 million bikes is still 3 too many.

Just to put this into context, because we often say any accident is “one too many”. Here in the USA there is a 1 in 18,000 chance you’ll be murdered and a 1 in 18,500 chance you’ll die in a car accident. If you take those odds, and inflate them to the magnitude of the affected bicycles, that would be 50,000 people injured by this recall. Maybe that means we should all be riding more bikes and buying less cars and guns?