27-Nov-2007
Bought a bike this Christmas? Check it NOW!!
I have just recieved a bike from Toys R Us which I ordered for my daughter's birthday, the order and delivery from Toys R Us not going without problems.
As is customary for delivered bicycles, the bike required some construction, having been packed (wedged!!) into a fairly flat box. The bike looked great in the shop demo version, but now appears to be a mass-produced import. The exact model was a 20" Sparkler Full Suspension Bike.
When we unpacked the components and looked to start to assemble the bike, we were horrified to find damage to both front brake cables - with one the plastic sleeving was stripped, leaving the cable exposed and liable to rusting. The second cable is in even worse condition, with the wire braiding of the cable frayed and like wire wool, with obvious risks that it could deteriorate and snap at any time.
I shall be returning this bike to store and will be asking for a full refund. I don't want a bike from a manufacturer that could care so little about the way the bike was packed and could recklessly endanger my children.
But the funny thing is that we were lucky....had we gone to a store that pre-built the bike for us, I doubt that we would have noticed these problems as we needed to give it a thorough going over to spot the defects.
So...whether you are putting the bike together yourself or getting a retailer to pre-build it for you, the moral is to check it and to keep on checking it over yourself for any damage or wear and tear that could pose a safety risk.
I truly believe that the brakes on this new bike could have failed quite quickly with disastrous results and I caution all parents to be vigilant this Christmas for any hidden dangers within the wrapping paper.
Have a happy, but safe Christmas,
David Cameron
As is customary for delivered bicycles, the bike required some construction, having been packed (wedged!!) into a fairly flat box. The bike looked great in the shop demo version, but now appears to be a mass-produced import. The exact model was a 20" Sparkler Full Suspension Bike.
When we unpacked the components and looked to start to assemble the bike, we were horrified to find damage to both front brake cables - with one the plastic sleeving was stripped, leaving the cable exposed and liable to rusting. The second cable is in even worse condition, with the wire braiding of the cable frayed and like wire wool, with obvious risks that it could deteriorate and snap at any time.
I shall be returning this bike to store and will be asking for a full refund. I don't want a bike from a manufacturer that could care so little about the way the bike was packed and could recklessly endanger my children.
But the funny thing is that we were lucky....had we gone to a store that pre-built the bike for us, I doubt that we would have noticed these problems as we needed to give it a thorough going over to spot the defects.
So...whether you are putting the bike together yourself or getting a retailer to pre-build it for you, the moral is to check it and to keep on checking it over yourself for any damage or wear and tear that could pose a safety risk.
I truly believe that the brakes on this new bike could have failed quite quickly with disastrous results and I caution all parents to be vigilant this Christmas for any hidden dangers within the wrapping paper.
Have a happy, but safe Christmas,
David Cameron
Labels: brakes, safety, sparkler, Toys R Us
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