Roxanne Berry of Charleston, W.Va., wants other parents to know what she knows about Wal-Mart bikes. She found out about them in April 2000, when her 10-year-old son Freddy suffered a broken nose and severe lacerations on his face and shoulders after the front wheel of his NEXT Ultra Shock bicycle disengaged from the fork of the bicycle.
The family later found out that this type of accident was not uncommon with the bike, which was sold only at Wal-Mart from May 1999 to December 2000 and was recalled in June 2002.
He had it for about one week when he was riding to a friend's house
and apparently the quick release jarred loose and the front tire came back against the frame Berry said.
She was not given any kind of owner's manual, nor was she informed about the function of the quick-release mechanism on her son's bicycle.
When her husband approached Wal-Mart for restitution for medical bills and the cost of the bike, he was directed to Carl Warren & Co., Wal-Mart's claim management company. The family was told that there were no other incidents with the bicycle, and they decided to settle out of court for only medical costs.
I was under the impression that my son's (accident) was an isolated incident
only to find out later on that other kids have (had accidents) too
Berry said. It's not a coincidence.
She joined a lawsuit against Wal-Mart with nine other families in nine different states to get the bikes off the market and get the word out. Berry stated in a press release Oct. 24, It scares me to think that Christmas is coming
and people might be buying similar bikes as presents for their kids.
Berry also belongs to SHOK, Stop Hurting Our Kids. The group aims to inform other parents of the danger of Wal-Mart's bikes and to make Wal-Mart accountable for the safety and quality of their products.
The quick release is a way for you to take the wheel on and off without using any tools
said Joey Boyle, an Athens Bicycle mechanic. Virtually every bike we sell here has one
and we have had no incidents.
Sean O'Malley, a long-time cyclist, adviser of the OU Mountain Biking Club and communications manager for OU Communication Network Services, describes the quick-release mechanism on most bikes as bomb-proof when properly adjusted. However, he does not recommend purchasing a bike from Wal-Mart.
From my experience and the experience of other cyclists
bikes from Wal-Mart and department stores in general are junk
O'Malley said. He contends the bikes are made from low-quality parts by inexperienced workers, which could certainly lead to an accident, he said.
We would never sell a product that is not safe
and that certainly applies in this case
