Wal-Mart sued for improperly assembled bicycle

[[email protected]]

On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:57:58 -0700, SMS <[email protected]>
wrote:

>still just me wrote:
>
>> Walmart hires people to assemble bikes. They then sell them with the
>> reasonable expectation of them being properly assembled. Unless they
>> come with a disclaimer of "bike not properly assembled, recheck all
>> our work" then they are likely (and correctly) liable for this. The
>> bike was three days old, the injuries are substantial, they're going
>> to lose (or likely settle) for a substantial sum.
>
>My son's friend came over this morning, and I was putting his bicycle
>behind our gate so it wouldn't be stolen. With each revolution of the
>front wheel it rubbed the brake pad. I tried the brakes and they barely
>contacted the rims, either back or front, apparently they were adjusted
>so the out of true wheels wouldn't rub. Both pedals were broken. A fine
>$50 Huffy bicycle from Target, assembled by a mininum wage teenager.
>
>I should have left it out in front of the house so it could be stolen.
>His parents could well afford to buy him a decent bicycle, but of course
>the problem isn't really a lack of money, it's that they just don't know
>any better. It often doesn't cost much more money. If they had bought
>him a $200 bike shop bicycle it could be passed on to his brother, and
>then sold on craigslist for $75, they'd have been out only a bit more
>money. I bought my son a Jamis bicycle on sale at Sports Basement for
>$160, one of the only "tween" bicycles I could find anywhere. Once he's
>done with it I'm sure I can sell it for at least $80, maybe more because
>it's so hard to find this type of bicycle.
>
>Bicycle shops have to start doing some outreach programs at early ages,
>teaching parents and kids about bicycles. They could start with offering
>to do programs at groups like scouting groups, or offering to
>participate in enrichment days at schools (where local businesses often
>show up with programs to teach kids about the real world).

Dear Steven,

If both pedals were broken, the kid probably treated the bike the way
kids often treat them--and had fun doing it.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

 

[SMS]

[email protected] wrote:

> Dear Steven,
>
> If both pedals were broken, the kid probably treated the bike the way
> kids often treat them--and had fun doing it.

Perhaps. But the two block ride from his house to our house was a big
accomplishment on this bicycle. Thank goodness he didn't have to make
any quick stops. We couldn't really invite him to join us on some of our
longer rides, as riding 20 miles on that dreadfully heavy, poorly
assembled bicycle would be damn near impossible.

 

[[email protected]]

On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:34:05 -0700, SMS <[email protected]>
wrote:

>[email protected] wrote:
>
>> Dear Steven,
>>
>> If both pedals were broken, the kid probably treated the bike the way
>> kids often treat them--and had fun doing it.
>
>Perhaps. But the two block ride from his house to our house was a big
>accomplishment on this bicycle. Thank goodness he didn't have to make
>any quick stops. We couldn't really invite him to join us on some of our
>longer rides, as riding 20 miles on that dreadfully heavy, poorly
>assembled bicycle would be damn near impossible.

Dear Steven,

Many posters let their imaginations run wild when it comes to the
terrifying effects of bicycle weight, design, and assembly.

I had little trouble doing my usual 15 miles on a "dreadfully heavy,
poorly assembled bicycle" that weighed twice the UCI minimum:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.tech/msg/14fc674f2e1aef3e

In fact, the Fury Roadmaster worked just fine for ~300 4-mile time
trial rides. Stripped of reflectors and sidestands for maximum speed,
the Fury weighed a svelte 34.2 pounds:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.tech/msg/65493576a507f921

The Fury's lack of high-speed was mostly due to gigantic knobby tires
(wind drag in addition to rolling resistance), inadequate high gearing
(I simply spun out), and the MTB sit-up-and-beg position (terrible
aerodynamics).

Of course, I was a ~190 lb lad at the time, but smaller children do
just fine on bikes routinely scorned by RBT.

Years ago, I set out with several friends on a 25-mile ride along a
gravel rails-to-trails route near Seattle that ran over a gentle pass
and through a 2-mile abandoned railroad tunnel.

One friend's son came with us and had no trouble keeping up with our
leisurely group. He rode a battered single-speed kid's bike that would
have drawn disgusted comments in any RBT thread.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

 

[SMS]

[email protected] wrote:
> On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:34:05 -0700, SMS <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>
>>> Dear Steven,
>>>
>>> If both pedals were broken, the kid probably treated the bike the way
>>> kids often treat them--and had fun doing it.
>> Perhaps. But the two block ride from his house to our house was a big
>> accomplishment on this bicycle. Thank goodness he didn't have to make
>> any quick stops. We couldn't really invite him to join us on some of our
>> longer rides, as riding 20 miles on that dreadfully heavy, poorly
>> assembled bicycle would be damn near impossible.
>
> Dear Steven,
>
> Many posters let their imaginations run wild when it comes to the
> terrifying effects of bicycle weight, design, and assembly.
>
> I had little trouble doing my usual 15 miles on a "dreadfully heavy,
> poorly assembled bicycle" that weighed twice the UCI minimum:
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.tech/msg/14fc674f2e1aef3e
>
> In fact, the Fury Roadmaster worked just fine for ~300 4-mile time
> trial rides. Stripped of reflectors and sidestands for maximum speed,
> the Fury weighed a svelte 34.2 pounds:
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.tech/msg/65493576a507f921
>
> The Fury's lack of high-speed was mostly due to gigantic knobby tires
> (wind drag in addition to rolling resistance), inadequate high gearing
> (I simply spun out), and the MTB sit-up-and-beg position (terrible
> aerodynamics).
>
> Of course, I was a ~190 lb lad at the time, but smaller children do
> just fine on bikes routinely scorned by RBT.

Well I looked closer and saw why he was having so much trouble, a broken
spoke on the front wheel. It really is almost unrideable the way it is.