A number of serious accidents resulting in injuries have been caused by bicycles recalled by Bridgestone Cycle Co. and Yamaha Motor Co. Handlebars have locked up while the bikes are being ridden, and because of that defect more than 3 million bicycles are subject to recall. However, the progress has been slow due to insufficient efforts to publicize the recall by the manufacturers.
In June, Saitama Prefecture-based Bridgestone and Shizuoka Prefecture-based Yamaha Motor filed a recall notice for certain bicycle models with the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry.
The list of 49 models includes the Albelt, which Bridgestone manufactured and sold from September 2003 to May 2015, and 16 models of battery-assisted bikes including the PAS series, which Bridgestone manufactured and Yamaha Motor sold.
The number of bicycles subject to the recall amounts to about 3.16 million for Bridgestone and about 270,000 for Yamaha Motor.
The bikes are equipped with a device that automatically locks the handlebars when a user locks the rear wheel. By locking two places at the same time, theft prevention is improved. However, if the cover over the device at the base of the handlebars is damaged, it causes the device to malfunction, resulting in some cases in which the handlebars lock while the bike is in motion.
Both companies have said the device will not malfunction unless the cover is damaged. However, it can be damaged by a strong impact such as the bike falling over.
Bicycles subject to the recall have a black label on the cover, while bicycles not subject to the recall have a white label. Both companies will inspect bicycles with black labels free of charge and replace the handlebar lock and key for the rear-wheel lock.
Falls, broken bones
If a company's product causes a serious incident, the company is required under the Consumer Product Safety Law to report it to the Consumer Affairs Agency. According to the agency, with regard to the bicycles in question, a total of three accidents that might have been caused by the defect were reported in fiscal 2017 and 2018. Since the beginning of fiscal 2019, when the companies filed a recall notice with the ministry, 13 such accidents had been reported as of Aug. 27.
Of these accidents, there were cases in which users had severe injuries that took more than one month to heal completely, including damage to ligaments or broken bones. In Tokyo on June 30, the handlebars of a battery-assisted bicycle subject to the recall locked during use, and the rider fell off and suffered a severe injury to their right wrist.
Both companies said several other accidents have also been reported since the recall.
Used bicycles sold online
Insufficient efforts to publicize the recall are behind the series of accidents.
"I didn't know that this bike has such a risk," a Myanmar man, 42, who works at a restaurant in Toshima Ward, Tokyo, said in late August after learning from this reporter that his bike was subject to the recall.
The man purchased it secondhand at a nearby bicycle shop several years ago. He uses the bike for commuting and other daily tasks and his child rides in the rear seat. "I will inquire with the manufacturer soon," he said.
The two companies are trying to raise awareness through websites, posters and other means. As of Aug. 21, they had received a total of 36,873 inquiries about the recalled products, but a total of only 3,162 units had been repaired.
While many of these bicycles appear to have been disposed of, several are for sale online via flea market apps and other sites, with one priced at 25,450 yen.
Masao Mukaidono, a professor emeritus at Meiji University who specializes in safety science and is familiar with consumer-related incidents, said, "Given the accident risk, the manufacturers should consider using data from stores to directly contact people who bought these products."
For inquiries about the recalled bicycles, call Bridgestone on (0120) 502-092 and Yamaha Motor on (0120) 801-309.
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