Injured!Advice needed

johndiamond

Hi everyone

Had my bike serviced 10 days ago by a bike shop (a 'full' service, paid for at full rate). rode it through the week for a total of about 50 miles. Cycling along yesterday with my young son in the park, doing around 4mph when suddenly the front wheel turns itself 90degrees (handlebars stayed in the correct position). I go straight over the front, crash down and break my collarbone, thumb, and crack a couple of ribs. The headset on the bike had worked itself loose. My bike service was supposed to include inspection of the headset, so presumably this should mean the nuts and bolts were checked for correct tightness?

In personally think the store is to blame for this, but I'm not sure how to prove to the store that at the very least, I should get a refund of the service charge if its not been done properly?

Any advice you can give me would be appreciated. Am i being out of order here? :?

desweller

It's not the headset, it's the stem clamp bolts.

Sounds like they've been loosened to me. They're not items that come loose by themselves.

In any case, if the service states that they should have been checked then they definitely should not be loose.

johndiamond

cheers Des, response much appreciated

jonny_trousers

Probably be a messy one to contest on your own. Might be an idea to speak to a firm of cycling friendly solicitors if you're after compensation.

gtvlusso

Firstly, I am sorry to hear about you incident and I hope the recovery is a quick one.

Playing devils advocate; you rode the bike for about 50 miles before the incident. I am assuming that you did not notice any play in the stem / steering during that mileage? I would also assume that you went at higher speeds during that mileage than the speed you were at in the park?

Again - just playing devils advocate; the shop are bound to say; 'if you have ridden the bike for x miles without issue, then they can not be responsible if the bolts work loose'. I must admit that it seems odd to me that the wheel just went at 90 deg when you were riding along? Were you cornering at the time, or riding in a straight line?

Sorry, it really sounds like I am not on your side at all here, but I do wish you the best. These are the sort of questions that you will need to answer.

**This is also why I do all my own servicing!

t4tomo

gtvlusso wrote:

. I must admit that it seems odd to me that the wheel just went at 90 deg when you were riding along? Were you cornering at the time, or riding in a straight line?

I can that as you going dead slow, where you tend to use handlebars more to turn, at speeds you just lean/ shift your bodyweight.

Sounds like they were loose and have worked looser in the miles since the service. Best of luck for recovery and your battle with cycle shop