Quick Release Issue Prompts 17 Brands to Recall 1.3 Million Bikes

The country's major specialty bike vendors recalled about 1.3 million bicycles sold under 17 brands in the United States since 1998 after concluding they use quick releases that can become entangled in the bike's front disc brake rotor when improperly closed.

There have been three incidents reported in which an open quick release lever such as the one shown to the right came into contact with the bike's front disc brake assembly and caused the front wheel to come to a sudden stop or separate from the bicycle. In one incident, an adult male suffered a broken finger, a wrist injury, a shoulder injury and abrasions. No injuries were reported in the other two incidents.

The recall involves bicycles equipped with front disc brakes and a black or silver quick-release (QR) lever on the front wheel hub. When the front QR is fully opened, if there is less than 6 mm — or the width of a #2 pencil — between the QR and disk brake rotor on the wheel, the bicycle is included in this recall. The recalled bicycles include the following companies, brands and model years:

The bicycles were sold nationwide from about 1998 through 2015 for between $200 and $10,000.