Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
Handlebars "fell off"? Hopefully your child escaped uninjured from such a catastrophic equipment failure. It is hard for me to understand that failure mode, particularly on a small bike. Handlebars so loose due to poor assembly allowing them to "fall off" on the first ride surely would have been noticed by any parent with ANY knowledge at all before handing the bike off to their child for the first time. Perhaps your husband can provide some details or a picture.
I know you are trying to be your usual sarcastic and thoughtful self, but indeed there are folks out there that couldn't tell a socket wrench from a Phillips screwdriver... much less a hex wrench from Posi-drive... and they have no idea that one bolt may be all that need be tightened to make sure a stem doesn't pop out of a steering tube, or that one pedal screws on one way and the other pedal screws on the other way. It always amazes me that such folks can manage to tie their shoes each day... but the reality is that we all don't have the same talents.
I am reminded of this daily by my artist wife... so this is not a lesson I forget. She hangs out with other artist types, so I often get to see that certain folks really can't use a screwdriver.
On the other hand, I work with engineers... who design and build complex communication systems... so I am reminded that there are folks that could also speak metric and know a thing or two about hardware. (I do my own wrenching... so I fit strongly into this category)
My point being that it is quite possible for someone to go into a store, purchase something like a bike, expect it to be built and ready, and then go out and discover that "the wheels fall off," and not understand why or what to do. And yes, this can happen through an LBS purchase as well as a Big Box Purchase.