Bahe Cook Cantley & Nefzger PLC partner Will Nefzger is handling cases involving Mavic R-Sys bicycle wheel failures. The wheel spokes are made of carbon fiber composite. Carbon fiber composite can and does fatigue over a relatively short period of time. When the fatigue occurs, the spokes can and do fail. When the spokes fail, the integrity of the entire wheel is compromised and results in its failure. Obviously, a catastrophic wheel failure can lead to a crash and very serious injuries or death.
There are a couple of major problems with this. First, Mavic does not warn its consumers that the spokes fatigue to the point of failure in a relatively short amount of time or give any instructions regarding changing the spokes after a certain amount of time due to fatigue. Second, even though fatigued to the point of failure, the damage to the spokes often is undetectable. Thus, a purchaser of the wheel has no notice of the potential problem and most likely will never be able to detect it on its own anyway. Mavic markets and sells these wheels to casual riders, in addition to more serious riders and racers.
Will Nefzger is currently reviewing and accepting these cases from consumers that have been injured as a result of the failure of a Mavic R-Sys wheel. He is accepting cases on a nationwide basis.