/defective fly wheel made by [REDACTED] for Computrainer exercise equipment

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. Hospital admission

   Made Mar 14, 2012 · , sent to the company Apr 19, 2012 · , published by CPSC May 10, 2012

   The product, in the report: Bicycle Stand/trainer “CompuTrainer Plus” model 8002 with the number “20451HB” inscribed on it.

   The consumer says he sat on the bicycle and started riding on it. He says he kicked up a shift while spinning over 30 mph. He heard an explosion. there was a terrible pain in his groin and started bleeding immediately. They called 911. He got a large hole in the back of his leg. The consumer had x-rays taken and a 4 inch piece of metal into the back of his leg. [REDACTED] The consumer is suing the manufacturer’s. He met with there attorney. He says metal fragments embedded in the wall.

   [UPDATE] I have included a summary of the events of my accident which occurred on November 22, 2011. This accident happened while I was spinning on my bicycle which was securely attached to a Computrainer, located at Lucky’s Bicycle Works, Inc. in Ft Lauderdale.

   I arrived at Lucky’s around 11:00 AM that day; the bike looked great as always after [REDACTED] the owner of the shop works on it. [REDACTED] effectively fixed the head set and put the cleats on my shoes. He pointed out how he used my sole imprints plus my measurements to ensure the cleats were on correctly. I told him I wanted to take a ride, he told me to just go out on the street since he had ridden my bicycle and it felt great. Since I didn’t bring my helmet I suggested we put it on the trainer to ensure it fit properly; he agreed.

   [REDACTED] attached my bicycle to the trainer, I mounted it and it felt great, I spun slowly then changed my front gear to the 50 chain ring and the back to the 11 sprocket then picked it up to what [REDACTED] guessed to be 35 plus mph. While accelerating there was loud explosion, [REDACTED] thought I was shot, I felt a terrible pain in my groin and blood was spurting everywhere, simultaneously my right foot was decleated off the pedal and my foot thrust upward. Trying not to panic, I carefully lifted my right leg over the seat and dismounted, took a few steps towards the door and fell to the ground. I told [REDACTED] this was it, I thought I was going to die, and to call 911. He called 911 while comforting me, he told me there was a large hole in the back of my right leg and that he could feel my heart beat every time blood spurted out of it. [REDACTED] ripped his shirt sleeve off to use it as a makeshift tourniquet to my leg but the 911 operator told him not to and asked him if he had clean paper towels, he said he did, he got them and applied them to my leg and the blood clotted. I had so much pain in my groin, it was unbearable!

   The paramedics arrived in minutes, the 911 operator never got off the phone until they arrived. They asked me if I wanted to be taken to Broward General or Broward West, I chose Broward General. I was in so much pain before they drove away from Lucky’s they gave me a morphine drip to minimize the pain. I was then driven to the hospital and processed, due to the pain in my groin they x -rayed and cat scanned me and immediately decided to operate since I had something inside me that wasn’t supposed to be there.

   The next morning the surgeon entered my room and told me they had to remove 6 inches of my lower intestine, he then showed me a picture of a piece of metal removed from my groin, quite frankly I had no idea what it was! As we determined later it was a piece of the flywheel from the Computrainer.

   It’s important to note that the flywheel exploded with such velocity there were pieces imbedded in the wall which was a few feet behind my bicycle. Since [REDACTED] was crouched behind my right leg when this occurred, it is only through the grace of God that he wasn’t hit, this could have been a total disaster!

   Since my attorney is currently in contact with both [REDACTED] and Computrainer over this matter I didn’t want to file a claim until I received permission from him.

   I have included pictures which to help illustrate the potential danger that is out there for others who still have this product.

   Model

   CompuTrainer Plus model 8002

   Bought from

   Compu Trainer

   Bought

   Jan 1, 1994

   Where

   Ft. Lauderdale, Florida: Unspecified

   Who was involved

   Age 58, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand /defective fly wheel made by [REDACTED] for Computrainer, made or sold by Racer-mate, Inc.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Hospital Admission

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources