Carbon-fork bonding failure caused death of cyclist, finds coroner

A coroner has given a narrative verdict in the death of a cyclist who was found fatally injured by a road in Essex in August 2015. The bonding separated on Jonathan Weatherley’s carbon forks while he was riding. 

The frame and forks were supplied by Upgrade Bikes. Racelight T carbon forks, constructed between 2005 and 2009, were subsequently subjected to a recall notice in October 2015.

In her narrative verdict, delivered yesterday at Chelmsford Coroner’s Court, the senior coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: “Jonathan Weatherley probably applied braking through his front brakes for some unknown reason, causing the bonding between the carbon-fibre blades and aluminum crown to fail as a result of the fact that the bonding material had not adequately bonded these two components together. Jonathan died as a result of his injuries sustained in this accident.”

Law firm Leigh Day are taking legal action against Upgrade Bikes and number of other companies involved in the supply chain. 

Upgrade told BikeBiz:

"Upgrade Bikes Limited continue to cooperate with Trading Standards. Whilst this process is ongoing it would be inappropriate to provide any further comment."

Upgrade communicated the fork recall widely on websites, social media and repeatedly to trade customers. Despite this only 246 out of around 2,000 forks imported by Upgrade prior to 2009 have been returned so far.

Mr. Weatherley, 43, was an architect, and a member of Cycle Club Sudbury. He was their Rider of the Year in 2014.