Why Have So Many E-Bikes and E-Bike Parts Been Recalled?

Electric bikes (e-bikes) are fast, easy, and offer a combination of exercise and convenience. Unfortunately, we have been seeing a lot of e-bikes and their parts being recalled, and when that happens, it’s important to look at the cause. With recalls affecting various brands, you may want to reconsider if getting (or keeping) an e-bike is worth it, especially if it’s possible that you’ll end up with a serious injury.

Since January 5th of 2023, there have been at around twenty separate recalls on defective e-bikes and/or their parts, as reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. While there doesn’t seem to be an overarching reason for these recalls, the amount of recalls for the various reasons does cause us to doubt the overall reliability of e-bikes and their manufacturers.

Some of the recent e-bike and e-bike parts recalls include:

• February 01, 2024: Flat River Group recalls NextGen Children’s Bicycles
  • Reason: The bicycles do not meet U.S. safety standards for bicycles, posing crash and injury hazards to children. The 10-inch, 12-inch, and 16-inch bicycles are equipped with hand brakes but no foot brakes. The 20-inch bicycles are not equipped with a chain guard and the pedals do not come with reflectors. Federal regulations require bicycles with seat heights that measure at or below 25 inches to be equipped with foot brakes and require a full coverage chain guard, intended to prevent entrapment of clothing or body parts.
• January 25, 2024: Pacific Cycle Recalls Ascend Cabrillo and Minaret Electric Bike
  • Reason: “The wiring harness that manages the charging of the lithium-ion battery was not properly assembled, creating a risk of overheating and fire while charging.”
• January 04, 2024: Ride Aventon Recalls Class 2 Sinch.2 Folding E-Bicycles
  • Reason: “The recalled e-bikes can accelerate unexpectedly, resulting in loss of control, posing crash and injury hazards.”
• November 02, 2023: Murf Electric Bikes Recalls Electric Bicycles
  • Reason: “The bicycles do not meet the U.S. safety standard, posing fall and injury hazards to the rider.”
• September 28, 2023: Trek Recalls Allant+ 7 Bicycles with Tektro brakes
  • Reason: “The rear brake hose can kink and break when turning the handlebars causing the rider to lose control of the bike, posing a crash hazard.”

These recalls either require that repairs are made on the product (free by the dealer, usually), or that the product should not be used again, in exchange for a refund.

As you can see, the reasons for these recalls are varied, but all involve the potential of injury to the rider or anyone near the bike (in the event of a fire).

How common are e-bike injuries?

The CPSC released a report in October last year that revealed a concerning rise in injuries associated with micromobility devices such as e-scooters, hoverboards, and e-bikes. The report reveals that injuries related to these devices increased by nearly 21% in 2022 compared to 2021. Since 2017, micromobility-related injuries have been on an upward trend, growing by an estimated average of 23% annually. E-scooter injuries saw a 22% increase in 2022 from the previous year, while nearly half of all estimated e-bike injuries from 2017 to 2022 occurred in 2022 alone.

The report also notes that children aged 14 and younger accounted for about 36% of micromobility injuries from 2017 to 2022. Additionally, the CPSC is aware of 233 deaths associated with micromobility devices from 2017 through 2022, with fires being a significant hazard. The CPSC has called on manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers to review their product lines and ensure compliance with safety standards to reduce the risk of dangerous fires or face possible enforcement action.

The CPSC also reports that “Fractures, followed by contusions/abrasions, are the two most common injuries. The most frequently injured body areas are the upper and lower limbs, as well as the head and neck.”

Tips for staying safe when it comes to e-bikes

We’ve given some advice on staying safe in Phoenix while riding an e-bike. The CPSC also has some advice along with their report for keeping safe when both riding and housing e-bikes.

To prevent fires with micromobility devices, consumers are advised to:

• Use only products designed, manufactured, and certified for compliance with applicable safety standards.
• Be present when charging devices, avoid charging while sleeping, and use the provided charger.
• Use approved replacement battery packs and follow manufacturer instructions for charging.
• Avoid using devices with modified or reworked battery packs.
• Dispose of lithium batteries responsibly at local battery recyclers or at hazardous waste collection centers.

To address collision and control hazards, consumers should:

• Always wear a helmet for head protection.
• Before riding, inspect the bike for damage, including handlebars, brakes, throttle, lights, and frame.
• Enhance visibility by being aware of surroundings, using the bell/horn, and operate the vehicle defensively.
• Exercise caution, avoid abrupt movements, and follow safety guidelines for shared spaces with vehicles and pedestrians.

While these tips are helpful, you may still find yourself injured due to a malfunctioning or defective e-bike. Injuries such as broken bones, severe burns, and traumatic brain injuries are only a few of the injuries you could receive should your e-bike accelerate without warning, if your brakes fail, or if the lithium battery catches fire. Hospital bills can pile up and you may miss work. This is where an experienced Phoenix products liability attorney can help.

At Plattner Verderame PC, our team of experienced Phoenix attorneys understand how dangerous e-bikes can be. Despite their convenience, they have presented consumers with countless defects, and injured thousands of individuals, even leading to deaths. When you’ve been injured due to a malfunctioning e-bike, you will likely be saddled with hospital bills and other treatment costs. It was someone else’s mistake that caused your injury; therefore, you shouldn’t have to pay up. If you’ve been injured due to a defective e-bike, schedule a free consultation with us to discuss your options. Call us at our Phoenix or Tempe offices, or use our contact page to begin the process of getting you fair and just compensation.