Cycling UK Forum

These are the two images I have that show the each side of the break. The steerer tube appears to have been bonded into the shinier metal sleeve (that is in turn bonded to the fork crown) with a plug or join of mouldable alloy of some sort, this is what fractured.



No, I don't think the headset had been overtightened - my friend isn't the type to get spanners out for fun, and the bike shop that sold and serviced it are a very reputable East London independent, so I doubt they would have done so. It was bought new.

I'm pretty certain it has never been crashed into anything, it's just a commuting bike, used at most for 8 miles a day on London roads.

Thanks for the advice on how to proceed - we've photographed the bike and kept everything related to its purchase. Getting legal advice next week.

Thanks for all the responses and links - all really appreciated.

Hi, I'm new to this forum and looking for advice. I'm a keen lifetime cyclist and I'm trying to help my friend who had a severe accident when the fork steerer tube snapped on his hybrid bike (made by a very large bike company, that I don't really want to name). He lost consciousness and arrived in hospital having lost a tooth, fractured his cheekbone and cut his face and arm badly. It now also looks as if he will lose two other front teeth.

There was no one else involved in the accident, the forks broke (on a two year old bike) whilst cycling at a moderate speed on a flat road in East London. It's always been serviced by the shop it was bought from, has been kept indoors and has never been cycled more than 10miles from his home in London.

Too see what happened to the fork - see attached image, quite scary.



We have been in touch with the bike company who have offered to replace the bike. As the injuries would seem to be as a direct result of the failure of their product, whilst used in a very restrained manner, it seems reasonable to also request some compensation to help with the dental surgery that my friend will now require. They have said this is a matter for legal action, and they would not offer anything in this regard.

So, can anyone offer any advice on lawyers who might be able to help in this situation?

Any advice very gratefully received