A riders rear wheel was replaced by the bike mechanic but not properly in the drop outs even though it tight.

The rider didn't notice until we rode up hill and his rear freehub was slipping so we thought and the chain went straight into his spokes snapping 2 of them.

Checking his mech I pointed out his rear wheel was not in the dropouts properly as he fiddled with his mech. Quick release adjustment and bike was running fine again except for broken spokes-sorted by another LBS round the corner.

Talking to the pal today, he's miffed and blaming the mechanic who put a new quick release in for him but probably used a stand with the bike in the air.

I told him he should check his bike for safety before any ride which annoyed him (Sorry T!)

I reckon it was 10% mechanic and 90% bike user not checking bike before an epic 50 mile ride I organised!

Who's to blame?

(Ok I might be a bit harsh on him? but I check my bike the day before!)

rider

Rider's fault for needing a mechanic to fit a new QR (!)

he should check his bike for safety before any ride

+1

Riders fault.

Basic stuff.

never! the mechanics fault 100%!

the rider might have no idea about bikes, went in to fix a puncture and come out and the bikes has now broken after not installing a wheel properly.

if i had done that on someones car and put only 2 wheel bolts back in loosely, im pretty sure if you crashed or wheel fell off youd come running or limping back!

my dad had a puncture other day, walked the bike back home and took it to the lbs who sorted it for him. he hasnt got a clue about the bike mechanically so took it to someone who does. he pays them to fix it and give it back in a safe condition not just bash it back together cos hes late for corry!

thats piss poor im sorry

Lol

shop clearly at fault.

Hark at thee "I can fit my own qr, what a hero" idiots.

FFS

i'm with Nick…. Yes he/she should know about the bike but often they dont and take it to someone who does!

He has no mechanical knowledge and had a new wheel or QR put on under warranty!

But at least he saw it early.

I think he assumed the techy sorted but yes if it was a car you'd be suing the garage for causing a pile up.

But it was a QR badly put on.

You realy are a c*ck aren't you al.

Someone thinks different to you so their an idiot.
🙄

So we are 100% sure that no one touched the rear wheel/QR between the LBS and the hill – if so then I'm afraid I'd be having a chat with the Manager/Owner.

But TBH I'd have checked it before riding anyway – rode a demo at the weekend, and double checked the QR's along with bars/stem etc.

LOL at Al – rider goes on 50 mile epic with no mechanical knowledge – yeah right.

Classic.

@Hamish – thats why I was organising as I can fix most things that go bang and get the beginners home at least.

I do think ppl should still check their bike over before a ride.

Ok point taken some ppl don't have any mech knowledge.

I think Zaskar is on the money. It's mainly the mechanics mistake, but a check of your bike before a big ride is a must, and every new bike comes with a booklet telling you how to do that.

I'm surprised the brakes worked properly if it was that far out of the dropouts that the mech fecked up…

who organised the ride?
where there is blame there is a claim.

Assuming this epic ride was the first proper outing for the bike then the mechanic is to blame. Duty of care to either leave the bike in a safe, usable condition or inform the customer that the bike isn't safe.

I organised the ride…can't sue me for a mechanical but I do have CTC insurance…

The mechanic didn't do his job properly. End of.

Not getting into the issue of whether anyone can do or can't do their own bikes but if you took your car get a new tyre fitted and they put the wheel back on wrong and you had an accident – who's fault would that be??? It's exactly the same – just a different vehicle. I'd be having words with the shop – you paid them for a job to be done right and it wasn't.

The mechanic should have put the bike back together correctly. That is his duty and responsibility. However I trust no other mechanic so always would check it myself.

Rider should have checked/noticed IMO but that doesn't change the fact that it's the mechanic's error.

as a mechanic i would say its the mechanics fault. thats a school boy error. get back to that bike shop.

I strip my bikes down after every ride and check every component for cracks using an electron microscope, of course with all the practice I get I don't need a mechanic to blame for not putting it back together properly.

I stand corrected but still think y=he should have checked it quickly but we had riden 2 miles no probs but it showed up when he was riding up a hill.

One side of the wheel in ok and the other was way off. I'm suprised it didn't give him chain slip but only showed up under greater force.

The rest of the ride he was fine btw.

And I've been texted "told you I was right" lol

Call me whatever names you need to stu, but no way is the shop not to blame.

Do you check everything on your car after it's been in the garage?

Some folk (rightlyy in law, whether you agree or not) apply the same reasoning to bikes.

Can you fix/pre-empt every fault in everything you use?

Did he have a duty of care? Did his conduct fall short of that which you would expect from a trained mechanic? If the answer is yes to both these things and IMO it is then the mechanic is legally at fault.

Want to expand al? Duty of care and person professing to have that skill and so on?

Mechanics fault all the way ,he was paid to do a job and failed .The riders prowess at bike mending has nothing to do with this .Plenty of us drive cars and know nothing about them so what's the difference?

I called you a cock for the simple reason that you think anyone that dares to disagree with you is an idiot.

"BLAME!" That's such a BBC word 🙄

Clear breach of duty IMO. He didn't do his job properly.

Test is Hunter v Hanley 1955/6

it can be argued that the bloke should have checked it but what is he paying for?

Stu I answered the q from a legal perspective.

It seems to me plenty folk on here want to slag off the noob just because they have a modicum of skill that he lacks. That seems a bit pathetic to me so yes I call them idiots.

If the OP thought that he wasn't capable to fit a part and took it to a specialist bike repairer (LBS) then they should be responsible for there mistake.Thats why he took it to them in the first place.

I think it was cynic-al's fault and they're now trying to worm out of it. We need Fentons!

Rider may well be a numpty for not knowing his arse from his elbow but can't be held responsible for a ham-fisted grease monkey not putting his bike together properly.

Seems to me that you just like trying to play the big man calling people idiots on a fairly regular basis.

(Though you came across different when you mailed me with a question a while ago)

Guilty of doing that where something seems obvious to me. More tactful and scaredy in real life of course.

stu you idiot, don't you know that's how you need to be on the 'net. Now shud up you slag.

More tactful and scaredy in real life of course.

Just as i thought then. 😉

The mechanic should have put the bike back together correctly. That is his duty and responsibility.

Absolutely correct, if I had done that as a mechanic I would without hesitation put everything right at no charge. I wouldn't expect anything less from a shop. An apology should also be given.

However I trust no other mechanic so always would check it myself.

Why not?

Oh no I'm being picked on by the STW bullys now. 😉