
Sports goods and outdoor equipment retailer Torpedo7 was fined $80,000 for selling bicycles without front brakes and some required information.
The Hamilton-based online retailer sold 53 Hang Ten Cruiser bikes with no front brakes which was a violation of safety standards and, according to Judge Allan Roberts, “an accident waiting to happen.”
Torpedo7 pleaded guilty and was sentenced at the Hamilton District Court to two representative charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act.
According to the Commerce Commission, not only did the Hang Ten Cruiser bicycles not have front brakes installed, they also did not comply with the standard because they were not marked with the manufacturer, importer or supplier’s details; the owner’s manual did not provide all required torque settings and advice on the use of a torque wrench; and the manual did not include warnings regarding increased braking distance in the wet, replacement of handle bar grips and the rake of any replacement fork.
Pedal bicycles are covered by a mandatory safety standard enforced by the Commerce Commission. The standard requires that certain bicycles must have front and rear brakes, and must be supplied along with specified safety information.
Torpedo7 recalled the bicycles after being contacted by the Commission.