BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Of the more than 600 articles posted on this site this year, one about a lawsuit against an e-bike brand garnered the most views.
The story, posted March 25, was about a lawsuit filed by an Arizona woman against San Diego's Phantom Bikes and Costco Wholesale for $6 million. Carol Penkert's suit claims her bike came set up so the right brake lever operated the front brake, which caused her to flip over the handlebar and sustain serious injuries. The Consumer Product Safety Commission mandates that bikes sold in the U.S. be set up so that the right brake lever activates the rear brake.
In May the case was remanded from a U.S. District Court back to the Superior Court of California in San Diego, where it was originally filed. In November Penkert's attorney filed a provisional notice of settlement of the entire case; the case is set to be dismissed on Jan. 4 if conditions are met. Terms of the settlement have not been released.
Several of the most-read stories this year were of a similar theme: e-bike safety and consumer-direct sales. Here are the top stories of the year:
- Injured rider sues Costco and e-bike brand over right-front brake lever, March 25
- E-bike regulation an 'eye-opener' for industry, May 20
- Specialized to add consumer-direct sales on Feb. 1, Jan. 27
- Trek and Bell Sports sue over containers lost at sea, Nov. 7
- Rad Power Bikes and Giro face wrongful death suit, Aug. 2
- No longer at Trek, Gary Fisher having fun being Gary Fisher, July 17
- E-bike conversion market quietly revs up, June 13
- Major German retailer switches from Specialized to Giant, May 27
- Saris Cycling Group restructures for sale, June 29
- REI makes changes to its membership benefits, March 2
