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Cyclist suing Halfords £1million for sale of 'defective' bike

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

A cyclist is suing Halfords for £1 million after bike bought at the retailer snapped in two, causing severe facial injuries.

Halfords_logo

Joseph Love, then aged 19, suffered severe injuries to his face in the incident in Gravesend in February 2009 which he says have "wrecked" his life.

Gerald Martin QC, acting for Mr Love, told the High Court that the steerer tube of Mr Love's £250 Saracen Raw 2 bike had sustained a "sudden and catastrophic failure," with the cyclist hitting a crash barrier head-first.

Mr Love, who was 19 at the time of the accident, says Halfords assembled and inspected the bike. It was later put through a full service which did not show up any faults. Gerard Martin QC, for Mr Love, said: ‘We ask the court to bear in mind that marketing literature for the Saracen Raw 2 bicycle would lead an ordinary person to assume that fairly robust riding is to be expected - as it says, "give the trails a kicking".'

He argued the bike was ‘defective at the point of sale' and refuted Halfords' claims that Mr Love had damaged the model by adding lights and mudguards after purchasing it in May 2008.

James Medd, acting for Halfords, described expert evidence prepared on behalf of Mr Love as "deeply flawed."

The case continues, but in the meantime, will cases like this be enough to bring the importance of purchasing a bike from a qualified, experienced bike shop to the attention of consumers?

It is well documented that larger chain stores don't always have the best reputation, but for cost-conscious consumers, it may still take more than the risk of an accident to put them off buying cheaply, rather than go to a local IBD.

Subsequent to this incident the Saracen brand was purchased by Sportline, a division of the H Young Group and the brand is no longer distributed via Halfords and no models or factories or any products were carried over to Sportline. However, the responsibility of assembling and ensuring a bike is fit for purpose still rests with Halfords.

Consumers should be encouraged to purchase from a qualified retailer who are able to source quality products and deliver a quality and safe experience, fitting the bike to the customer's needs, supported by quality build and after sales service. Cytech qualified shops meet this requirement, and by using the Cycling Experts shop search, customers can find their local qualified retailer.

To build the Cytech brand and encourage customers to visit your shop, you should ensure that your listing is as comprehensive and up to date as possible by including information such as brands stocked, opening hours, company information or even staff photos. Search for your shop now to see what your listing looks like to consumers, or click here to add or edit your listing.

You could also add the Cytech logo to your website, marketing literature, advertising or company vehicle. To display the Cytech logo you must have at least one member of staff with a Cytech Technical Two qualification or higher. Email us to request the logo.

You should be promoting Cytech in store too. Many Cytech accredited stores either do not display certificates or hide them away where customers cannot see them. To get maximum benefit from your investment in Cytech, display certificates behind the sales counter or elsewhere on the shop floor. Customers can recognise that you have invested in people and service and you can refer to them when talking about the service you offer.If you need to order a new certificate, click here.

What next?

Find out more about becoming Cytech accredited or getting your business listed on the Cytech Retail directory

 

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