could this mean the end for BSOs?

A cyclist suffered appalling facial injuries after a mountain bike designed to ‘give the trails a kicking’ broke in two at high speed.

Joseph Love was left disfigured after the steering column of his £250 Saracen Raw 2 mountain bike split in half, causing him to smash into a crash barrier.

He is suing Halfords for £1million, claiming they sold him a ‘defective’ bike. Mr Love, 24, says the accident – five years ago – has ‘wrecked’ his life.

Injured cyclist suing Halfords for £1million after mountain bike split in half

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.

Are lights not a legal requirement?

I doubt it. interested to see how it will turn out. Noting there is forensic/expert evidence involved although the suggestion that mud guards and lights may have contributed appears to be twoddle. I suspect the fact he wasnt wearing hi vis will have contributed. I will keep the v pitch fork in the shed for now as I think this could go either way.

I also spotted this at the bottom of the article which was mildly more amusing.

subterranean-parking

Everyone know fitting mudguards and lights can cause catastrophic damage to the headtube…

Arguing that fitting mudguards or lights damaged the bike seems daft, unless you fitted them with a drill. So I’m kind of assuming that’s Excellent Metro Journalism to be honest.

It would be good if there was a clue as to what actually happened other than “steering column catastrophically failed”

+1 I dont even know what a steering column is!