cracked rims on Trek bike
 

About 20 some years ago, I recall a Trek bike with Matrix rims, in which the back wheel rim in all bikes that were ridden a moderate amount - all cracked. Trek didn't issue any kind of recall; some bike shops ate the cost for their customers and installed a new wheel at no cost.
Now I am on Ragbrai (Iowa bike ride) and I noticed a late model Trek in which the back wheel was cracked (nipples torn out of the rim).
I've never had a Trek, but I am wondering how a bike company can be so irresponsible as to not issue recalls for such dangerous catastrophic failure.
Just proves that the bike business, (actually just a toy business) is a gravy train moneymaker to relieve the rich yuppies willing to spend thousands on their toys - that don't hold up.

I rode a Trek 1000 from 1988 until 2005 with the original Matirix rims on it. The rims were beginning to fail at the eyeleted spoke holes, but only after almost 20 years of riding. And early on in the ownership, I had a slow speed crash and knocked off one of the thermally bonded shifter mounts. Trek warrantied the frame for me. Every now and then a bad part or design slips into the supply chain, but in my experience these are few and far between.

I had a trek mountain bike a few years ago that had a few axles that got bent under heavy loading, and they bike shop replaced the rear hub both time free of charge. They claimed that they could send them to Shimano and get a refund. I asked the same question you asked and the shop mechanic claimed that because Trek didn't make the hubs, they wouldn't issue a recall on the axles.

If you don't like these toys, find some others to play with.

Bringing up an issue from 20 years ago, isn't an issue now, next question!

Rims break, it happens. Usually rider error or past their useful life.

I agree, it is likely not the rims fault more likely riding style and improper maintenance

"such dangerous catastrophic failure"

Oh really...so for a bicycle with a 32h or 36h rear wheel with cracked holes and a popped out spoke or two, the muncipal or county morgue is routinely having to scrape the poor rider off the asphalt and dump them in a body bag and call the next of kin?

Gee...I must inform the local LBS who distribute my wheels that they have a ghost problem...and not just ONE walking in for a new wheel. No wonder it's gotten cold down there lately!

NOT!

=8-)