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Thanks for posting this. My Farley falls under this.

From this article, it sounds like this is more of an improper usage issue that Trek is paying to error proof.

Yeah. I never could figure out how to work those things. Good thing Trek has me covered.

Wow, that's sad. Seems like Trek is doing the right thing, but sad that this will be etched in the public perception as a "bike" safety issue, and Trek may take a hit on their reputation, instead of what it really is - people are effing stupid.

This definitely seems to be more operator error than design flaw, but good for Trek for trying to mitigate it. Of course the cynic in me sees this as an opportunity to just get the customers back into the store to sell them an even newer bike (with through axles!), or get them to buy $100 worth of stuff (400% markup) using their $20 voucher... But hey it's bike stuff!

Additional information: http://grit.cx/video/2015/04/qr-recall-affects-entire-bike-industry Basically this could affect any bike with disc brakes and that type of skewer. Trek is just taking the bite. So if you don't own a Trek, and you are at all concerned about this problem, the earth-shattering solution is (drum-roll) insert the skewer into the axle from the side opposite the brake disc. And I thought lawyer tabs on forks were stupid. Ha!

Outside of two free skewers, they are also throwing in a $20 coupon towards any Bontrager product.

No doubt operator error, but these days no one would ever take actual responsibility for their errors. They would prefer to call an attorney to collect on their stupid mistake. I will have to look on my bike to see if I have this so-called defect that could cause me harm.

This message board has the highest concentration of all seeing and all knowing people in the universe excluding me. I feel privileged every time I read the great wisdom spewed here. Thank you.

I'm actually concerned about this and will be checking all my bikes with QR skewers and disk brakes. I like to get rad off road sometimes, and there's always a chance that a stick or something will dislodge my front QR. Highly unlikely, but whatever, I don't like surprise OTB that is easily preventable. It's an easy enough fix to get a front skewer that doesn't open wide enough to get caught in your disc rotor. Alternatively, If you need a quick fix, I guess you could flip your skewer so the lever is on the non-disc side, then it's a moot point.

@gg In tech support, if somebody breaks something, I blame bad design, because an average person shouldn't be able to break software If somebody becomes a quadriplegic from a wrongly installed skewer (which somebody did), I'd question the design too

Yeah Pierce, i guess if I forget to tighten one of my skewers I should sue. Tis America after all. Why should I tighten that thing anyway? I bought some fenders and if a stick gets up in there and locks up my front wheel, maybe I could extract some cash out of the company that made the fenders. They need to think before making products. We do indeed have to idiot proof our country. It is certainly full of.... well you know.

Um, things sometimes dislodge QR skewers. I always have mine facing slightly backwards for that reason, but in any event the issue is if one somehow comes loose, the design of some clearly can cause a huge problem. It looks like a "system complexity" issue to me where the QR was fine with caliper breaks but coupled with disk the problem emerged. The exchange program seems totally sensible. Why the ranting? There has been an unusual degree of snarkiness and flaming on this board over the past few days. Everybody please dunk your head in some cold water for 10 seconds...

We do indeed have to idiot proof our country. It is certainly full of…. well you know. @ gg. Feel free to pack your bags and leave at any time. I'll even give you a ride. Maybe you would fare better hanging out with ISIS. Maybe with your insight you can turn those guys around too.

Um, let me try that again. Please let's try to be civil.

"Please let’s try to be civil" Oh I'm sorry. I forgot to say please.

"Um, things sometimes dislodge QR skewers. I always have mine facing slightly backwards for that reason, but in any event the issue is if one somehow comes loose, the design of some clearly can cause a huge problem. It looks like a “system complexity” issue to me where the QR was fine with caliper breaks but coupled with disk the problem emerged." What's so complicated about putting the QR so the lever is on the side opposite of the disc? Once that is done, there is literally zero chance of the QR lever interfering with the brake system. And since that choice is squarely controlled by the end user, this actually an operator stupidity problem and not actually a design flaw. Hence, ranting about the overly litigious society in which we live and a desire to change that culture into one where personal responsibility still exists.

Are all cyclists just supposed to somehow know not to position the lever like that? Kids too? And even if it says in the directions for the QR to avoid installing it in a certain way, is that sufficient? Suppose your toaster oven's instructions clearly say not to press the Toast button while the door's open, to avoid electrocution. Are they now off the hook, with any electrocutions an operator stupidity problem?

With all due respect, a bike owner should know to have the QR lever in the "closed" position, and if they're not sure how to work it, ask someone who does, or a shop. Or the internet.

Look, people do get on bikes with not fully tightened QRs. People do wipe out, have the QR pop, not realize it, and keep riding. They do graze obstacles and have the QR pull loose because they have it facing forward. Further, it is almost universal to have the QR lever on the non drive side of a bike. It surely does make sense as a work around to put the skewer in the other way, and it is surely best practice to carefully check that QRs are secure at the start of each ride and after any accident. I think it is extreme to conclude that people who did not do these reasonable things are either stupid or excessively litigious if as a consequence of that error their front wheel seized instantly; paralysis seems like an excessive penalty to pay for an error like that. I would rather not call people who make mistakes morons and I would rather not suggest that everybody who sues is a money grabbing lout who refuses to take responsibility for his or her own actions. Mostly I would like to be on boards where that conversation can occur somewhat below 451F.

You're absolutely right, all counts. But, there are sooo many things that could go wrong on a bike, or in any aspect of life for that matter, a fork could break, a brake cable could snap, things you could never even check for in advance. Closing a QR lever properly, checking it once in a while, is so easy and obvious, a totally preventable disaster. The question is, exactly how low are we willing to take the bar in protecting people from themselves? Trek is totally getting out in front of this and doing the right thing, hopefully they receive the karma from that. But come on, at some point are we going to have shoelace checkers, or possibly all slip-on shoes to make sure we don't hurt ourselves? I don't give any degree of slack to incompetent drivers who drive into the side of buildings, and I don't consider a wreck caused by "driver error" an accident. I find this to be somewhat along those lines. Sad things happen.

Go to any bike shop and look at bikes with disc brakes. Take a gander at what side of the fork the QR is located on. I think you would be suprised. I guess all those mechanics are "morons" too. You people need to stop arm chair quarterbacking the issues. Please get off your high and mighty throne and go for a long bike ride.

I've gotten down off the throne, I'm just talking now. Chill. Take your own advice.

Good call. I'm actually sitting on the throne. Have a great weekend everyone. Be sure to check those QR. Cheers.

The question is, exactly how low are we willing to take the bar in protecting people from themselves? But look at it from the other angle. How low are we willing to set the bar for manufacturers? If there are two equally inexpensive ways to build a bike, and one handles rider errors much better than the other, aren't we letting manufacturers off the hook if we say they can build it however they want, and they're blameless if some rider makes an error and gets injured? If there were multiple people who could have done things differently and prevented or lessened a crash, then they should share blame. In a crash caused by this issue, the rider who messed up using his QR would get most of the blame, but Trek would be in for some too.

"With all due respect, a bike owner should know to have the QR lever in the “closed” position, and if they’re not sure how to work it, ask someone who does, or a shop. Or the internet." Of course anyone getting on a bicycle should at least know how to secure a wheel. Goodness! People need to take a little responsibility for themselves. Soon we will be suing people if a tire doesn't have enough air and someone loses a seal and wipes out. Perhaps they put the seat on backwards and was wondering why they developed a blister. Sorry, this is 100% cyclist error. Tighten a wheel before riding your bike. If you don't know how, learn how, just like you learn how to eat, walk upright and even other more advanced things.

But look at it from the other angle. How low are we willing to set the bar for manufacturers? If there are two equally inexpensive ways to build a bike, and one handles rider errors much better than the other, aren’t we letting manufacturers off the hook if we say they can build it however they want, and they’re blameless if some rider makes an error and gets injured?

Problem is that there is no "two equally inexpensive ways" fool-proofing is expansive. After fact it could be obvious fix but finding solution before requires a lot of testing. And consumer does not want to pay extra $50 for "equal inexpensive bikes".

At some point in the discussion, someone stated front wheels usually have the QR on the non-drive side. Why? I keep mine on the other side, but does it really matter?

For all the begrudging of lawsuits, it's lawsuits that encourage corporations to proactively fix problems. My auto history memory is hazy, but didn't Ralph Nader help bring about things like seat belts and hold GM accountable for cars that were prone to flipping over? And wasn't GM recently entangled in a recall where heavy key chains were causing cars to turn off while driving, causing the steering wheels to lock up and air bags to not deploy? Corporations aren't just going to benevolently change things and they've shown continued willingness to let some customers die (300+ for GM's latest recall) if it can save them a few dollars (actually less than a dollar difference in cost for the faulty ignition switches)

Helen S, no, it doesn't matter in the least.

FWIW, I would also just check your skewers to see if it's even possible for them to go back like that. I have a wheelset built in June 2014 with Shimano skewers and they don't turn past 90 or 180 degrees, so it's impossible for them to get into the disc like the illustration shows. So it's not universal and maybe Shimano knew about that possibility earlier and updated their skewers accordingly. (Whereas maybe Trek just used cheaper skewers on their stock bikes.)

Brilliant and useful compilation of information from Harris Cyclery; http://sheldonbrown.com/qr-disk-brake.html