Keiser exercise equipment

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. No one hurt

   Made Jan 17, 2018 · , sent to the company Apr 20, 2018 · , published by CPSC May 4, 2018

   The product, in the report: Keiser M3 Series Indoor Cycles

   During a indoor spin class, the seat unexpectedly dropped.

   Model

   M3 Indoor Cycle

   Where

   Syosset, New York: Place of Recreation or Sports

   Who was involved

   Age 30, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Client, Patient, Student, Etc. (professional relationship)

   As this report names them

   made or sold by Keiser Corporation

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

2. Seen by a doctor or nurse

   Made Jun 28, 2017 · , sent to the company Jul 7, 2017 · , published by CPSC Jul 28, 2017

   The product, in the report: Keiser M3 Indoor Cycle

   A number of instructors and users have reported incidents of the seat and handlebars dropping suddenly during an indoor cycling class. This is despite reminders at the beginning of classes to tighten the knobs which are supposed to hold the seat/handlebars in place. Although most incidents have not resulted in severe injuries, on at least two occasions, instructors fell due to the seat and handlebars suddenly dropping resulting in a torn quadricep (seat drop) and torn shoulder (handlebar drop). Only about half of the 22 Keiser M3 cycles are usable due to the inability to tighten the seat or handlebar posts enough to prevent slippage. A number of gym members refuse to use the Keiser M3 bikes. The Keiser M3 bikes are only a few years old. I am reporting this due to my belief that these bikes are dangerous for use by the consumer. Keiser has changed the design and has the ability to retrofit the Keiser M3 cycles so that the seat and handlebar posts are not prone to slippage. As with other indoor cycles, Keiser has added holes in the seat and handlebar posts and a peg to its friction system so when the tightening bolt loosens from the vibrations of use, the posts are locked in place. A recall should be required to ensure public safety.

   Model

   005505PBC

   Serial number

   121130-33714

   Where

   Syosset, New York: Place of Recreation or Sports

   Who was involved

   Age 30, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Client, Patient, Student, Etc. (professional relationship)

   As this report names them

   Brand Keiser, made or sold by Keiser Corporation

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Seen by Medical Professional

3. Hurt, care not known

   Made Apr 23, 2013 · , sent to the company Apr 30, 2013 · , published by CPSC May 14, 2013

   The product, in the report: Keiser M3 Indoor CycleTechnical Information: Height: 45” / 1143 mm Width: 26” / 660.4 mm Length: 49” / 1244.6 mm Weight: 85 lbs. / 38.56 kg Features Adjustable Shimano™ Combo Pedals | Easy Transport | Gravity Based Water Bottle Holder | Dual Placement Comfort Handles | Four-Way Adjustable Seat Position (Up, Down, Forward, and Backward) | Adjustable Handlebar Height | Anti-Slip Belt (Requiring No Adjustment) | Non Wear Magnetic Resistance | Easy to Install | Infinite Resistance Adjustment | Smooth Resistance Shifter | Comfortable Saddle | Optional Computer System | Virtually Maintenance Free | Unprecedented Warranty | Whisper Quiet | Computer (Optional) Computer Features RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) | Power Output Displays in Watts (currently generating) | Heart Rate (Polar compatible) | Pedaling Time | Gear (Resistance) (1 to 24 gears) | Odometer / Trip Distance

   I received an email from a friend who witnessed a seat dropping unexpectedly during a spin class at the local Fitness First gym in Gaithersburg, MD. She was the victim of an accident with these bikes on February 15, 2013, and was injured when her seat dropped while she was sitting in it. I reported it to the CPSC along with subsequent reports on repeated incidents. I will continue to file reports each time I learn of accidents where the seats or handlebars drop unexpectedly.

   Below is the text of her 4/21/13 (3:25 p.m.) email to me:

   How are you? Are you getting ready for Poland? I hope that you and [REDACTED] have a great trip. School is hectic at this time of year. I wanted to let you know that Saturday there was a sub for the 8:00 class. At the end her seat fell !! She was standing so she just got off and fixed it. One of these days someone is going to be seated when this happens. > From: [REDACTED] > Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:27:57 -0400 > To: [REDACTED]> > How’s it going? Long time, no hear. > > > [REDACTED]

   Additional comments regarding the safety of this bike and accidents either experienced or witness have been provided on the Consumer Reviews section of Amazon for this product at http://www.amazon.com/review/R3RDC97G64ZAZT/ref=cm_cr_pr_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0015WLM40&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=#wasThisHelpful.

   Model

   Keiser M3 Indoor Cycle

   Where

   Gaithersburg, Maryland: Place of Recreation or Sports

   Who was involved

   Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   No Relationship

   As this report names them

   Brand Keiser, made or sold by KEISER

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Level of care not known

4. No one hurt

   Made Mar 8, 2013 · , sent to the company Mar 19, 2013 · , published by CPSC Apr 2, 2013

   The product, in the report: M3 INDOOR CYCLE Summary: M3 Indoor Cycle - Keiser’s award-winning, third-generation, indoor cycle. The result of more than a decade of research and manufacturing experience, and developed with the collaboration and feedback of trainers and some of the largest clubs worldwide. Technical Information: Height: 45” / 1143 mm Width: 26” / 660.4 mm Length: 49” / 1244.6 mm Weight: 85 lbs. / 38.56 kg Features: Backlit M Series Display (optional) | Adjustable Shimano™ Combo Pedals | Easy Transport | Gravity Based Water Bottle Holder | Multi Placement Handles | Four-Way Adjustable Seat Position

   This report also relates to the following reports I’ve filed on incidents with the Keiser M3 Indoor Cycles.

   20130217-AE2FA-2147458707 (2/17/13) 20130221-98F1E-2147458582 (2/21/13) 20130224-70253-2147458504 (2/24/13) 20130306-F43E2-2147458134 (3/6/13)

   If I were able to edit my initial report to add these additional incidents, I would have. As it is, this seems to be the only way to file on-going incidents with this same product.

   I attended a 9:30 spin class at Rio Sport & Health (9811 Washingtonian Blvd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878) taught by [REDACTED] (I don’t know her last name), a certified cycling instructor. She also taught the class on Mar 1 that I included in my report number 20130306-F43E2-2147458134 (3/6/13).

   This gym uses Keiser M3 Indoor cycles. These bikes at this gym are about 3 years old, according to gym staff. There was a new person in the class, using bike #20. [REDACTED] helped set him up on his bike, adjusting the seat and handlebars. Fifteen minutes into the class, [REDACTED] got off her bike to fix his seat because it had suddenly dropped without the rider knowing it. The rider was in a standing position when this happened. I was just ahead of bike #20 and saw that the seat had dropped to its lowest position.

   Even when a trained instructor aware of this kind of problem with these bikes sets up the bike, problems can still occur.

   Model

   M3 Indoor Cycle

   Where

   Gaithersburg, Maryland: Place of Recreation or Sports

   Who was involved

   Age 35, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   No Relationship

   As this report names them

   Brand Keiser, made or sold by KEISER

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

5. No one hurt

   Made Mar 6, 2013 · , sent to the company Mar 19, 2013 · , published by CPSC Apr 2, 2013

   The product, in the report: Technical Information: Height: 45” / 1143 mm Width: 26” / 660.4 mm Length: 49” / 1244.6 mm Weight: 85 lbs. / 38.56 kg Features Adjustable Shimano™ Combo Pedals | Easy Transport | Gravity Based Water Bottle Holder | Dual Placement Comfort Handles | Four-Way Adjustable Seat Position (Up, Down, Forward, and Backward) | Adjustable Handlebar Height | Anti-Slip Belt (Requiring No Adjustment) | Non Wear Magnetic Resistance | Easy to Install | Infinite Resistance Adjustment | Smooth Resistance Shifter | Comfortable Saddle | Optional Computer System | Virtually Maintenance Free | Unprecedented Warranty | Whisper Quiet | Computer (Optional) Computer Features RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) | Power Output Displays in Watts (currently generating) | Heart Rate (Polar compatible) | Pedaling Time | Gear (Resistance) (1 to 24 gears) | Odometer / Trip Distance

   This is my 4th report providing additional information I have. Other reports are

   20130217-AE2FA-2147458707 (2/17/13)

   20130221-98F1E-2147458582 (2/21/13)

   20130224-70253-2147458504 (2/24/13)

   This plus the previous reports are all for the same product, the Keiser M3 bike which seems to have a history of seats (and handlebars) collapsing unexpectedly on the rider. The manufacturer maintains it is user error in not tightening the knobs sufficiently. Because of repeated incidents, now with this report seeming to go back about 3 years, I am concerned there is a design flaw that puts the rider at risk of injury.

   In my first report, I reported an accident I witnessed where the rider was injured. I also mentioned other instances where either I witnessed the seats dropping or others had but in those instances no one was injured.

   My other 2 follow-up reports provided information on additional incidents with these bikes that I was not aware of at the time I wrote the first report.

   With this report, I am adding even new information. Because after the accident I witnessed, I asked my gym management about the safety of the bikes as well as their own safety procedures, my membership in the gym was revoked after 18 years. I have been researching memberships in other gyms, particularly watching to see if these same Keiser bikes are used in the spin classes. I have opened a temporary 30-day members in Rio Sport & Health club in Gaithersburg, MD, a club that uses these Keiser bikes. I continue to take spin classes but am extra careful in tighten the knobs and am always concerned about the possibility of an accident during my ride. After my first class at 9:15 a.m. on Friday, March 1, I asked the instructor (I believe her name was [REDACTED]) if they ever had problems with these bikes. She said they had the bikes for about 3 years and early on the seats would drop unexpectedly, but not so much now. In the locker room later, I asked a participant in the class if she had seen the seats drop. She said it had happened to her. She was standing, no injury.

   Two days later at the 8:15 spin class on Sunday, March 4, I again asked several members in the locker room after the class if they had ever seen the seats drop. One said she was a certified instructor but was just attending, not teaching, the class that day said yes, she had seen it. The other, a member named [REDACTED], said it had happened to her. Again, she didn’t say she was injured. The woman who said she was an instructor said that it was the gym’s policy to tell new users to tighten the knobs before the ride began. I said although I was not a new user to the bike, I was new to the gym and that particular class and there was no announcement.

   Model

   M3 Indoor Cycle

   Where

   Gaithersburg, Maryland: Place of Recreation or Sports

   Who was involved

   Age 45, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Unspecified

   As this report names them

   Brand Keiser, made or sold by KEISER

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

6. Emergency room

   Made Feb 24, 2013 · , sent to the company Mar 8, 2013 · , published by CPSC Mar 22, 2013

   The product, in the report: Keiser M3 Indoor CycleTechnical Information: Height: 45” / 1143 mm Width: 26” / 660.4 mm Length: 49” / 1244.6 mm Weight: 85 lbs. / 38.56 kg Features Adjustable Shimano™ Combo Pedals | Easy Transport | Gravity Based Water Bottle Holder | Dual Placement Comfort Handles | Four-Way Adjustable Seat Position (Up, Down, Forward, and Backward) | Adjustable Handlebar Height | Anti-Slip Belt (Requiring No Adjustment) | Non Wear Magnetic Resistance | Easy to Install | Infinite Resistance Adjustment | Smooth Resistance Shifter | Comfortable Saddle | Optional Computer System | Virtually Maintenance Free | Unprecedented Warranty | Whisper Quiet | Computer (Optional) Computer Features RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) | Power Output Displays in Watts (currently generating) | Heart Rate (Polar compatible) | Pedaling Time | Gear (Resistance) (1 to 24 gears) | Odometer / Trip Distance

   I have submitted 2 reports on the Keiser M3 Indoor Cycles 20130217-AE2FA-2147458707 (2/17/13) 20130221-98F1E-2147458582 (2/21/13)

   In these, I reported on two of the multiple incidents where the seats of these Keiser M3 bikes suddenly and unexpectedly drop. In two instances, the riders were seated. In one of those instances the rider was injured and taken to the hospital.

   After witnessing several instances personally, especially the one where the rider was injured, I became concerned for my own safety and began to ask management about the safety of these bikes as well as the safety procedures in the gym. Management wasn’t too keen on these inquiries, and I was threatened with loss of my membership if I didn’t just “go with the flow.” My discussions were with management only, not members. I believe the gym fears liability issues so is attempting to keep the problems quiet. Notices have been posted advising users to tighter the bike knobs and instructors are supposed to reminder users prior to the start of class to do so. That puts all of the burden/blame on users where the problem may actually be a design flaw. In fact, as I noted in my second report, an instructor specifically advised her riders to tighten their knobs yet in the midst of class a seat dropped unexpectedly. Fortunately, the rider was standing.

   I had posted inquiries on the Keiser Facebook page asking if they had heard of or experienced any of the problems I witnessed. Instead of replying, Keiser removed my postings immediately. These are not new problems with these bikes, as you will see from my attachments. So I believe Keiser has been aware of the problem. Their advice to my gym’s management was that it was user error; that users needed to tighten the seat and handlebar knobs.

   I have researched the web to see if anyone has noticed the problems with these bikes that I’ve witnessed. In fact, I found two such statements. They were in customer reviews for this product on the Amazon site. One was dated February 2012, and one was dated late January 2013, just weeks before the injury-causing accident in my gym.

   I do hope the CPSC will look into these bikes. They are used frequently and by many people, including people who may not have the strength to tighten the knobs as tightly as they may need. I am afraid the commercial side is more interested in liability than safety.

   Model

   M3

   Where

   Gaithersburg, Maryland: Place of Recreation or Sports

   Who was involved

   Age 55, Unspecified

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Friend / Neighbor / Co-worker

   As this report names them

   Brand Keiser, made or sold by KEISER

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received

7. Hurt, care not known

   Made Feb 21, 2013 · , sent to the company Mar 7, 2013 · , published by CPSC Mar 21, 2013

   The product, in the report: Keiser M3 Indoor Cycle. http://mseries.keiser.com/m3.html Technical Information: Height: 45” / 1143 mm Width: 26” / 660.4 mm Length: 49” / 1244.6 mm Weight: 85 lbs. / 38.56 kg Features Adjustable Shimano™ Combo Pedals | Easy Transport | Gravity Based Water Bottle Holder | Dual Placement Comfort Handles | Four-Way Adjustable Seat Position (Up, Down, Forward, and Backward) | Adjustable Handlebar Height | Anti-Slip Belt (Requiring No Adjustment) | Non Wear Magnetic Resistance | Easy to Install | Infinite Resistance Adjustment | Smooth Resistance Shifter | Comfortable Saddle | Optional Computer System | Virtually Maintenance Free | Unprecedented Warranty | Whisper Quiet | Computer (Optional) Computer Features RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) | Power Output Displays in Watts (currently generating) | Heart Rate (Polar compatible) | Pedaling Time | Gear (Resistance) (1 to 24 gears) | Odometer / Trip Distance

   This report is in addition to my report #20130217-AE2FA-2147458708, filed on February 17, 2013.

   An additional accident has occurred with the Keiser M3 Cycle bikes used in my gym’s spin classes.

   My previous report was of the seat collapsing while the rider was seated. That accident, on Friday, February 15, caused injury to the rider. I mentioned the accident to a spin instructor with this same company but one who works at a different facility. She herself had never heard of the multiple incidents of seats dropping on these bikes and she had never seen such an incident.

   She was scheduled to teach a spin class on Saturday, February 16, 2013, the day after the accident. Because of what she heard, she specifically asked the attendees in her Saturday class to make sure they tighten the seat screws. Despite that, she told me in the middle of her class a seat dropped while the rider was in the standing position. No injury. The instructor got off her bike and reset the seat on the rider’s bike.

   Because I’ve been actively working on the safety of these bikes, now I’ve been threatened with having my gym membership revoked. Still, I feel these bikes seem to have a serious design flaw that increases the risk of accident and/or injury to riders.

   Because I don’t have details about the rider in this incident, I will provide information in the Victim section of this report about the instructor who witnessed the incident. I only know the rider was a female; I know nothing more about her.

   One more noteworthy item...these bikes are all quite new in our gyms. They are probably about 3-6 months old.

   Model

   M3 Indoor Cycle

   Where

   Germantown, Maryland: Place of Recreation or Sports

   Who was involved

   Unspecified

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Unspecified

   As this report names them

   Brand Keiser, made or sold by KEISER

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Level of care not known

8. Emergency room

   Made Feb 17, 2013 · , sent to the company Mar 1, 2013 · , published by CPSC Mar 18, 2013

   The product, in the report: Keiser M3 Indoor Cycling Bike Technical Information: Height: 45” / 1143 mm Width: 26” / 660.4 mm Length: 49” / 1244.6 mm Weight: 85 lbs. / 38.56 kg Features Adjustable Shimano™ Combo Pedals | Easy Transport | Gravity Based Water Bottle Holder | Dual Placement Comfort Handles | Four-Way Adjustable Seat Position (Up, Down, Forward, and Backward) | Adjustable Handlebar Height | Anti-Slip Belt (Requiring No Adjustment) | Non Wear Magnetic Resistance | Easy to Install | Infinite Resistance Adjustment | Smooth Resistance Shifter | Comfortable Saddle | Optional Computer System | Virtually Maintenance Free | Unprecedented Warranty | Whisper Quiet | Computer (Optional) Computer Features RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) | Power Output Displays in Watts (currently generating) | Heart Rate (Polar compatible) | Pedaling Time | Gear (Resistance) (1 to 24 gears) | Odometer / Trip Distance

   On Friday, Feb 15, 2013, in a spin class at the Fitness First gym’s Airpark location in Gaithersburg, MD,(http://www.fitnessfirstclubs.com/locations/gaithersburg), the seat of a Keiser M3 Indoor Spin Bike (http://mseries.keiser.com/m3.html) collapsed while the rider was seated. The rider fell backwards becoming wedged between a wall and the bike. Her leg was twisted and because her feet were clipped into the pedals, she was unable to extricate herself. She was screaming both in pain and in terror. Others in the class rushed to her assistance. She had had knee replacement a couple of years earlier on the leg that was twisted. I took her to the hospital where she said her pain was at a 7 level.

   This rider is a very experienced spin rider and knows how to set the bike and tighten the screws.

   A week earlier, I witnessed the seat of another rider collapse, fortunately while he was in a standing position. He too was a very experienced rider and knew how to proper set his bike.

   On yet another occasion a few months ago, the instructor of the 2/15/2013 class told of her own bike’s (the instructor’s bike) seat collapse while she was teaching. Again, fortunately she was in a standing position so she did not fall. Afterwards, she often advised people in her class to tighten the seat screws. Despite these warning, the seats continue to collapse.

   The problem of the seats collapsing on these bikes is quite well known to members of this gym. It has been happening for several months at two of the gym’s locations. These bikes are fairly new. The ones at the Airpark location were first used in October 2012. The bikes at the Olney location, the other place where there a multiple reports of the seats falling, are also new.

   Until this accident on 2/15/2013, all reports were of the seats collapsing when the riders were standing. No one had been hurt.

   While taking the victim of the 2/15/2013 accident to the hospital, she told me that just days before this accident the seat collapsed on the bike of the person next to her. He was seated, but he is shorter than she is thus his seat was much lower than hers. The drop wasn’t as dramatic. That was the first instance where I heard of another person being seated when the seat drops.

   This style of bike does not have pins to hold the seats in position. The rider must tighten a screw which puts pressure on the seat shaft to hold it in place. That same concept is used for the handlebars, tightening a screw to put pressure on a shaft. Several of us have noticed that the handlebars loosen during the course of a ride, this despite tightening the screw as much as possible. It is fairly easy to ascertain when your handlebars have loosen and it is fairly easy to reach the screw to tighten it. Clearly, the seats also loosen during the course of the ride as well. But that isn’t easy (or maybe possible) to ascertain. And/or when the rider returns to the seat, the full pressure of the rider’s body weight could exacerbate the situation, loosening the screw even more.

   Riders of these or any bikes should be able to know with certainty that their seats are in place and will not drop during the course of the ride. This is a situation where a serious accident is just waiting to happen.

   The two locations where problems with this bike have occurred are:

   Fitness First 18810 Woodfield Road Gaithersburg, MD. 20879 301-330-1800

   Fitness First 18330 Village Center Dr Olney, MD. 20832 301-570-1800

   Model

   M3

   Where

   Gaithersburg, Maryland: Place of Recreation or Sports

   Who was involved

   Age 58, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Friend / Neighbor / Co-worker

   As this report names them

   Brand Keiser, made or sold by KEISER

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources