White Dalton’s expert motoring solicitor Andrew Prendergast guides readers through his legal trials and tribulations…
As upgrades go, carbon wheels are right up there. But what if they get it wrong?
Question: I’ve seen too many horror stories of shiny carbon fiber wheels disintegrating on impact. Are they really worth the money? If they go wrong, is there any legal recourse?
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Answer: You couldn’t have timed this question better. First of all, this is not a complaint about how bad carbon fiber wheels are. I think they are pretty amazing to look at and lose weight. I also know that companies like BMW offer these as standard on their tricked-out bikes.
However, I recently won a case involving a carbon fiber wheel that we allege failed. I am no expert on carbon fiber construction or manufacturing, which is why I called in an expert to examine this wheel and provide a report. Lesson one, keep your evidence safe! This may seem obvious, but if you’re unlucky enough to crash due to a worn out wheel, hold on to the wheel (and any parts that may have broken). This is needed to investigate, especially if the defendant alleges that you just caused the accident and it had nothing to do with the wheel.
The findings of the expert report were interesting! First, carbon fiber is made from layer upon layer of manufactured carbon sheets. It usually does not fit the circular shape of the wheel. Thus, you will find that the component parts are held together with resin/glue. This turned out to be the failure point of the carbon wheel case I am referring to, with experts commenting on the fact that this glue has to be repeatedly heated/cooled and can result in it failing. Also, carbon doesn’t always do as good a job of absorbing bumps as alloys do. Given the conditions of our roads, I would strongly suggest continued visual assessment of carbon fiber wheels. I know a lot of these wheels can be used on the track, which is much better with regard to the impact of potholes, but obviously much harder on the heat cycles.
When it comes to legal aid, it depends on who you purchased the wheels/bike from. If it is a business seller and you are an ordinary consumer, they may have liability to you. Buying privately is higher risk, as the seller does not have the same duties under the law as you do. It’s very much a case of ‘buyer beware’ which means you’ll need to do your own research thoroughly.
